The Terrestrial Steering Committee of the Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program (CBMP) is responsible for the implementation of the Arctic Terrestrial Biodiversity Monitoring Plan, one of the four pan-Arctic biodiversity monitoring plans being developed by the CBMP to improve the detection and understanding of the causes of long-term change in the composition, structure and function of Arctic ecosystems.

The Terrestrial Steering Group is a forum for scientists, community experts and managers to promote, facilitate, share and coordinate research and monitoring activities.

Roles and responsibilities

The Terrestrial Steering Group will implement, coordinate and track progress of work stemming in response to the Arctic Terrestrial Biodiversity Monitoring Plan and will guide activities of the eight national Terrestrial Expert Networks (TENs).

Composition of the Terrestrial Steering Group includes one representative and an alternate from each Arctic nation and interested Permanent Participants.

The Terrestrial Steering Group will be responsible for:

•  setting the overall course of the evolving monitoring program
• providing ongoing program support
• adjusting the implementation approach as necessary
• reporting on the status of the CBMP-Terrestrial Plan to CAFF  

Each individual representative will be responsible for:

•  facilitating implementation of the monitoring plan within their own nation
•  building strong and ongoing connections with the relevant agencies, institutes and experts within their countries by coordinating and providing directon to their national Terrestrial Expert Networks (TEN) members
•  gathering information and reporting on the implementation status of the plan within their respective nations to the Terrestrial Steering Group
•  contributing to reporting to the CBMP and CAFF

Governing structure

Implementation of the Arctic Terrestrial Biodiversity Monitoring Plan requires a governing structure and process for program review that will ensure this monitoring effort is relatively simple, cost effective and address the objectives and questions posed in the Plan.

Other groups involved in the implementation of the Arctic Terrestrial Biodiversity Monitoring Plan include international, national, sub-national and local groups already conducting terrestrial monitoring.

TSG members

 *indicates current chair