The Consortium of European Taxonomy Facilities (CETAF) was formed in 1996 by ten of the largest European natural history museums and botanic gardens to be a voice for taxonomy and systematic biology in Europe, to promote scientific research and access to European natural history collections, and to exploit European funding opportunities. Since then CETAF has served as a meeting point for major European natural history museums and botanical gardens, and initiated and played an important role in a number of projects (see links below).
Contents
- General Meetings
- Initiatives and related projects
- CETAF initiatives
- CETAF related research projects
- Members
- References
Currently, CETAF has 33 members, which constitute a total of 58 institutions spanning 20 European countries (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands and the UK).
Together, CETAF institutions hold a large fraction (c. 500 million objects) of the world’s most important natural history collections, and the scientific staff have unique expertise in taxonomy and systematics. Biodiversity loss, global warming and other environmental issues need natural history collections and related expertise as sources of knowledge and for reference. The increasing political and public awareness of environmental questions and their importance for society provide both challenges and opportunities for taxonomic facilities.
CETAF strives to represent the interests of its member institutions, to enhance the visibility of its members, and to be a powerful voice for natural history collections and collections-based research in Europe.
General Meetings
General Meetings with representatives of each member institution are held twice a year. The meetings are hosted by any of the member institutions and held at any of the European natural history museums or botanic gardens. Current business between the General Meetings are run by the Chair and the Steering Committee, assisted by the Secretariat.
Initiatives and related projects
A number of CETAF members, or national consortia in which CETAF members play leading roles, have since 1998 received support through the European Commission's Framework Programmes to enhance transnational access to their collections, equipment and expertise.
CETAF initiatives
CETAF related research projects
Members
Natural History Museum of Vienna
Austria State Museums - Biology Centre
National Botanic Garden of Belgium
Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences - hosts CETAF’s General Secretariat
Royal Museum for Central Africa
Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research
National Museum of Natural History
National Natural History Museum
Natural History Museum of Denmark
Estonian Academy of Sciences
Finnish Museum of Natural History
National Natural History Museum
Bavarian Natural History Museum
Botanic Garden and Botanic Museum
Natural History Museum
Senckenberg Natural History Museum
State Museum of Natural History
Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig
Natural History Museum Of Crete
Hungarian Natural History Museum
Consortium of Italian Museums of Natural History:
Natural History Museum
Natural History Museum of Genova
Natural History Museum of Milan
Natural History Museum
Museum Institute for Zoology-PAN
Slovak National Taxonomic Facility - NaTAF
Spanish National Research Council - CSIC
Gothenburg Consortium of Taxonomic Facilities:
Gothenburg Natural History Museum
Gothenburg Botanic Garden
Swedish Museum of Natural History
Geneva Consortium:
Botanical Conservatory and Botanic Gardens of the city of Geneva
Natural History Museum of Geneva
CBS-KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre
Naturalis Biodiversity Center
Natural History Museum
Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh
Royal Botanic Garden of Kew