02 Nov Statewide Flora and Fauna Teams Portal Relaunch
The State Wide Integrated Flora and Fauna Teams (SWIFFT) website, hosted by the Centre for eResearch and Digital Innovation at Federation University Australia, has been undergoing a major update in 2018 and has recently been relaunched.
Since 2004, SWIFFT has provided a platform for discovery, information sharing and initiatives relating to threatened species and biodiversity conservation, in the state of Victoria.
The SWIFFT website has evolved from a Wiki page at its inception to today’s comprehensive, interactive website drawing together data and contributions from ecologists, citizen scientists and environmental stakeholders at all levels from community through to government.
The SWIFFT platform provides a range of information sharing tools to access data, knowledge, research and events from a wide range of conservation organisations, Government agencies, research centres, community groups and experts. .
The site has had a particular focus on building and supporting communities of citizen scientists to capture and document data, stories and audio-visual content on Victorian flora and fauna.
Using the SWIFFT website as a community and network-building hub SWIFFT stakeholders and supporters in government, education and the community sectors have come together to address broad-ranging conservation topics, including habitat restoration, native freshwater fish, migrations (of birds, whales and fish), moths and butterflies and biodiversity strategies and mapping.
Through the use of video and web conferencing technologies, participants from diverse organisations can join virtual meetings, expanding the opportunities for knowledge sharing and joint action through a central information portal.
Following a second round of user and stakeholder online surveys and engagement, the website has been redeveloped to improve visual appeal, usability, accessibility of information, and to target and optimise key user features on the site.
To view the new SWIFFT website please visit www.swifft.net.au
