[apologies for cross posting] The establishment of the Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Network (GEO BON) was approved by GEO members at the GEO V Plenary in Bucharest last November (http://www.gbif.org/Stories/geobon). This is a culmination of efforts by many organisations, including GBIF, who have devoted time to developing both a concept document and implementation overview document for GEO BON. As a worldwide initiative, GEO BON, a component of the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) seeks to link and build on the work of countries, organisations and individuals to collect, manage, share and analyse data on the status of the world's biodiversity. For further information, visit the GEO BON home page: http://www.earthobservations.org/cop_bi_geobon.shtml GEO BON is now entering its implementation phase, and to aid this, a number of topical working groups are being established. Work Group 8 "Data Integration and Inter-operability; Informatics and Portals" is being lead by GBIF through co-chairs Hannu Saarenmaa (GBIF Finland) and Éamonn Ó Tuama (GBIF Secretariat). The attached document describes how the working groups should get started. If you are interested in participating in a work group, please contact the chair of the group as listed in the document. In particular, for work group 8 (Data Integration and Interoperability), please contact the co-chairs below by Friday, 5th June. Best regards, Hannu and Éamonn Hannu Saarenmaa GBIF Finland hannu.saarenmaa@helsinki.fi Telephone +358-9-191-28688 Mobile +358-50-3102689 http://www.gbif.fi/ Éamonn Ó Tuama GBIF Secretariat eotuama@gbif.org Telephone +45 3532 1494 http://www.gbif.org