The  orientation of the Monitoring Centre is determined by its committees in different ways. The Steering Committee sets the overarching political-strategic framework for the activities of the Monitoring Centre. The Principal Expert Committee defines the technical tasks and sets priorities for implementation. In the expert committees, the relevant topics are discussed in detail and the Monitoring Centre is advised on specific issues.

More detailed information on the decision-making processes of the Monitoring Centre can be found on the website Committees. The principle concept sets the framework for the goals and tasks of the Monitoring Centre.

By affiliating the head office of the Monitoring Centre at the BfN, long-standing, broad-based structures can be used and systematically expanded in a way that increases efficiency. The head office is not integrated as an organisational unit within one of the BfN's specialist departments deliberately, but as an independent unit. The decision was made in accordance with a lengthy discussion process with the relevant ministries and numerous biodiversity stakeholders. You can find more information about how the Monitoring Centre is organised under “Structure”.

The Monitoring Centre is not a research institution itself and does not conduct its own ground research. However, an important task of the Monitoring Centre is the development of an overall concept for a nationwide biodiversity monitoring. In addition, it supports the transfer of knowledge and data in particular. For example, current research findings are incorporated into the work of the Monitoring Centre. Science, in turn, can use the data obtained through biodiversity monitoring for its research. The Monitoring Centre also supports developing and advancing of monitoring methods by ensuring that existing long-term data series are comparable. An overview of the research initiatives of other institutions and agencies can be found on the website profiles. The profiles are available in German only.

No. The practical implementation of monitoring projects and in particular the collection of data in situ is not the task of the Monitoring Centre. The respective monitoring projects are not controlled by the Monitoring Centre, but remain under the sovereignty of the responsible ministries or the federal states and professional societies. An overview can be found on the website profiles. The profiles are available in German only.

The aim of the Monitoring Centre is to make monitoring data and technical information more easily accessible and transparently available. The Monitoring Centre does not collect data itself. It is planned, that the Monitoring Centre will gradually present data by providing consolidated overviews from the various monitoring initiatives and sources and directing users to the original sources. The Monitoring Centre’s information and networking portal is currently under development. An overview of the current programs and projects can already be found as profiles on the website. Wherever possible, these profiles include information on data availability, the most direct access links, and the relevant contact persons or institutions. Further information is also available on the website in the sections on data management and data and information portals. Please note that the webpages on project profiles, data management, and data and information portals are currently available in German only.