OO. 7.2 Promote and encourage research that contributes to the knowledge and understanding of Belgium’s biodiversity

Full and effective implementation of many of the actions identified in the Belgian Biodiversity Strategy requires a considerable improvement in the knowledge and understanding of Belgium's biodiversity. Hence, considerably more research is needed on biodiversity at the genetic, species and ecosystem levels, while the peer-reviewed output of this research must be disseminated rapidly, in order to allow for adaptive management.

Obviously, several issues in the Belgian Biodiversity Strategy need immediate action, for instance to remedy imminent threats for which there is insufficient time to allow for in-depth research to underpin rescue actions. On the other hand, in the absence of extensive research datasuch immediate actions risk failure or producing negative, unexpected side effects. It is therefore essential to design research projects in such a way that the expected results can guide and underpin immediate actions, and also generate data that may help to plan and achieve biodiversity conservation and management in the long term.

Major research impulses are required in the areas of taxonomy and ecology, including inventory projects, protocols for rapid biodiversity assessment, and programmes for long-term monitoring, as well as detailed ad hoc conservation initiatives (for example in nature reserves and other protected areas). The establishment of thematic inventories (agricultural biodiversity, medicinal plants biodiversity) should be promoted as well as the establishment of a precise cartography of plants related to potentially imminent GMO cultures.