PVN Resources

1. BACKGROUND

Natural State is an approved Data Analytics Provider (DAP) entrusted with providing biodiversity data expertise and infrastructure to support projects operating under the Plan Vivo Nature (PVN) biodiversity credit framework. Data Analytics Providers help projects track biodiversity changes, calculate Plan Vivo Biodiversity Certificates (PVBCs), and give funders and partners confidence in the results. To learn more about the projects themselves, please visit the PVN projects page. If you are an investor interested in purchasing PVBCs, please visit the Registry page on Plan Vivo's website.

1.1 STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES

This page catalogs Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for projects where Natural State serves as the DAP. SOPs are presented here both for use by project staff and to provide transparency to investors, auditors, and other stakeholders. Each SOP details one or more methodological protocols for a specific data type covering either field data collection or digital data processing. All field methods ultimately contribute to calculating Pillar Metrics I-III defined in the PVN Monitoring Methodology, available from the PVN Documents page.

For projects where Natural State provides DAP services, all field records and observations are collected via ODK, a digital platform for collecting structured survey data. Digital data records collected via sensors (e.g., photos and acoustic recordings) are uploaded to cloud data platforms via Kutuma, Natural State's field-to-cloud transfer platform. All SOPs are predicated on specific ODK survey forms and use of Kutuma. Current SOPs cover data collection methods for four target groups. Woody and herbaceous vegetation target groups are surveyed via direct observations. Medium-and-large mammals and birds are surveyed using passive sensors with ODK used to capture survey metadata.