From Data to Action: Empowering Tunisia’s Forest Guardians

In collaboration with the General Directorate of Forests, we organized a two-day training workshop on the use of the SMART platform, a tool for collecting and analyzing data to improve the effectiveness of wildlife conservation efforts. This initiative is part of the People Powering Biodiversity project and aims to strengthen the capacities of forest officers in monitoring and protecting biodiversity within Tunisia’s protected areas.

The workshop combined theoretical sessions in Hammamet, introducing participants to the SMART application and its role in environmental data collection and analysis. These sessions allowed participants to understand how digital technologies can enhance environmental monitoring and support more effective, data-driven decision-making.

Field exercises at the Djebel Zaghouan Nature Reserve provided hands-on experience with the system, helping participants see how to integrate digital tools into their daily tasks. To support continued use of the platform in the field, 30 tablets equipped with the SMART application were provided  to the forest officers.

This workshop represents a first step toward improving monitoring and data-based decision-making, reinforcing digital approaches in the conservation of Tunisia’s environment and biodiversity.