Miljöbas

Miljöbas is a national database that houses distribution and ecological information on plants, animals, fungi and habitats across Sweden. It is maintained by the Swedish Environmental Institute and is part of the broader Swedish Biodiversity Center. The database serves as the primary repository for species distribution data used by government agencies, researchers and the public.

The database was established in the early 2000s in response to the need for a comprehensive source of biodiversity information. It consolidates mapping data from a range of scientific surveys, institutional records and citizen‑science projects. Over time, it has grown to include tens of millions of records, making it one of the most extensive electronic flora and fauna databases in the Nordic region.

Miljöbas supports a variety of applications. Environmental impact assessments rely on the data to identify species and habitats that may be affected by development projects. Conservation planning uses the database to locate priority areas for protection under national and European directives, such as the Habitats Directive. Scientists employ the data for population studies, range shift monitoring and trend analysis related to climate change.

Access to Miljöbas is granted through a web interface that allows users to search by taxon, region or other criteria. An application programming interface (API) also provides programmatic access for data integration into other applications and research tools. Data sharing agreements and quality control protocols ensure that the information is reliable and up to date.

Miljöbas plays a pivotal role in Sweden’s efforts to meet biodiversity targets set by international agreements and national policy. By centralizing and standardizing biodiversity information, it enables evidence‑based decision making and promotes transparency in environmental stewardship.