Nature information in focus at the seminar 7.12.2026: New Directions for Biodiversity Data

Join us for an open seminar organised by the Finnish Biodiversity Information Facility to hear about the latest developments in biodiversity information in Finland and perspectives from national and international speakers on its future. The seminar will be held in Helsinki on 7 December 2026, with remote participation also available.

Welcome to the seminar: New Directions for Biodiversity data!

The seminar is organised by the Finnish Biodiversity Information Facility (FinBIF(you are switching to another service)) and marks the completion of the Research Council of Finland funded Finnish Research Infrastructure development project FinBIF-FIRI2021(you are switching to another service) (2022-2026). In the seminar, we will hear highlights of recent FinBIF development as well as wider perspectives on biodiversity data and monitoring contributed by external speakers. We conclude with a future-oriented panel discussion: Where is the biodiversity data field headed?

The seminar will take place on 7 December 2026, from 12:00 to 16:00 (EET/UTF+2), at the Economicum lecture room, Arkadiankatu 7, Helsinki (next to the Natural History Museum). Participation is possible either on site or remotely.

Please register by November 27:

We will send a calendar invite to registered participants after the registration deadline.

Programme:

12:00-12:10 Welcome / Matti Sahla, director, Finnish Biodiversity Info Facility 

12:10-12:30 Keynote: Marjo Saastamoinen, University of Helsinki 

12:30-13:15 Theme 1: Advances in the digitization of scientific collections​ 

• From Shelf to Science: The Digitisation Journey (Anne Koivunen, Luomus) 
• How AI is speeding up digitisation (TBA) 
• 12:55-13:10 Dimitris Koureas, Naturalis: DiSSCo and the international perspective on digitization of scientific collections 
• 13:10-13:15 Q/A 

13:15-14:00 Theme 2: New data types: machine-assisted species observations and trait data​  

• FinBIF Trait Database (Esko Piirainen, Luomus) 
• Bird sound identification using AI (Patrik Lauha, University of Jyväskylä) 
• 13:40-13:55 Toke Thomas Høye, Aarhus University: Perspectives for automated species observations at European scale 
• 13:55-14:00 Q/A 

14:00-14:30 Break (coffee, snacks, mingling)​ 

14:30-15:15 Theme 3: Towards integrated nature information​ 

• From data production to integrated nature information (Ulpu Leinonen, Syke) 
• Earth Observation data products for biodiversity research (TBA, Syke) 
• National Habitat Type Monitoring data model and habitat classification mappings (Aapo Ahola, Syke) 
• AI-assisted habitat type classification (Mikko Impiö, Syke) 
• Making nature information findable: Finnish Nature Information Hub (Iida Autio, Syke) 
• 14:55-15:10 Hugo Rivera, UBA Austria: Towards coordinated biodiversity monitoring in Europe​ 
• 15:10-15:15 Q/A 

15:15-15:45 Panel discussion: Where is the biodiversity data field headed? 

• Moderator: Kaisa Välimäki / Forum for Environmental Information 
• Panelists:  
  • Laura Höijer, Baltic Sea Action Group 
  • Marjo Saastamoinen, University of Helsinki 
  • Dimitris Koureas, Naturalis 
  • Petteri Vihervaara, Finnish Environment Institute (Syke) 

15:45-15:55 Q/A​ and general discussion 

15:55-16:00 Closing words: Paula Kankaanpää, director general, Luomus