Training materials

The application of the KBA criteria requires a reasonable understanding of them and the assessment parameters that can be used to apply them. The KBA Guidelines provide in-depth guidance on how to apply the KBA criteria, thresholds and delineation procedures consistent with the KBA Standard. Additionally, in order to help facilitate KBA identification, several tools and training materials have been developed to help KBA proposers.

Training materials are available through an online training course designed to provide the knowledge and skills necessary to identify and delineate KBAs consistent with the KBA Standard. This self-paced technical course is primarily geared towards KBA practitioners and experts who will be involved in KBA identification and training.

Proposals are made online in the World Database of KBAs where the user is guided through a process that will automatically assess whether the KBA criteria are met. If the data provided show that the site does meet one or more of the criteria, then additional details about the site are requested, along with a delineated boundary of the site.

A KBA Proposal form has also been developed in Excel format, which a proposer can use to check the information that will be required for a full proposal and to check if the site meets any KBA criteria for the species or ecosystems proposed. Guidance in the use of this form is provided in Key Biodiversity Areas Proposal Process: Guidance on Proposing, Reviewing, Nominating and Confirming sites. Version 1.1.

In order to delineate KBAs some knowledge of the use of GIS software is needed to create shapefiles for submission to the World Database of KBAs. A tutorial for the open source package Q-GIS has been developed to guide users through the basics of creating shapefiles, including the understanding of projections and the calculation of areas of polygons, both of which are also needed for calculation of range areas from IUCN polygon ranges for species as well as for delineating KBAs.