The data is the true visual. This is what we measure.
Each installation produces time-stamped, geolocated, and traceable indicators. Scientifically validated, they fit into your reporting frameworks.
7 KPIs by place
Coverage of sites under continuous monitoring
Percentage of equipped sites whose data is automatically uploaded to the app, time-stamped and usable for reporting.
A protocol developed with Biotope Environnement
The decline of pollinating insects is well-documented, yet the actual effectiveness of biodiversity infrastructure remains a subject of debate in the scientific literature. Biotope Environnement and BetterflyBox have therefore developed a standardized, robust, and reproducible protocol to measure rather than merely assume the impact of each installation, including in highly constrained urban and peri-urban settings.
Scientific objective
To assess the actual impact of installing biodiversity infrastructure on local biodiversity in urban, peri-urban, industrial, and peri-industrial settings.
Operational objective
Produce quantifiable, auditable, and comparable indicators—usable within CSRD and ESRS frameworks to drive an ESG strategy and demonstrate regulatory compliance.
The BACI standard, with a mandatory control site
The protocol follows the tradition of studies “Before-After-Control-Impact
» (BACI), The methodological reference for evaluating a biodiversity intervention. It
combines biological indicators (species, abundance, functional guilds) and environmental indicators (habitat, connectivity, disturbances) over a minimum of 3 to 5 consecutive years,
with data collection windows strictly synchronized from one year to the next. A control site without infrastructure or a baseline scenario is systematically required: without it, no causal inference is possible, and no real impact can be demonstrated.
Four hypotheses are tested at each
installation: an increase in insect richness (pollinators, beneficial insects, and native species),
an increase in individual abundance, a change in community structure, and
an improvement in habitat characteristics.
Four nested zones, from the nest box to the landscape
Spatial sampling is structured in concentric circles around each
piece of infrastructure, each with its own data collection protocol.
The nesting box
Direct observation of nest-hole occupancy, identification of nesting taxa, and condition of the materials. Measurement of the most immediate direct effect.
Immediate foraging
Pan traps, pollination transects, floristic quadrats. Radius consistent with the behavior
observed in Halictus, Osmia, and Megachile.
Local ecological influence
Microhabitats, floral resources, vegetation structure, soil samples, and the daily dispersal distance of the majority of solitary bees.
Landscape level
Ecological connectivity, land use, and habitat fragmentation, analyzed using GIS and remote sensing.
12 SMART, biological, and environmental indicators
Each indicator is defined using the SMART method (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) and is grounded in scientific literature. The list is tailored to the context of each site and the client's reporting objectives.
Biological indicators: species and communities
Percentage of cells colonized by taxon, measured via direct observation and standardized photography during each field session over the three-year period. A direct, proximal indicator of infrastructure use. Protocol: visual inspection of each cell using a standardized coding grid (empty / partially capped / sealed / occupied by a predator or parasitoid).
Number of insect species captured and identified per session in zones 2 and 3, based on a minimum of three sessions per year. Protocol: sweep netting along transects, yellow/blue/white pan traps, and a Malaise trap in zone 3; morphological identification confirmed via eDNA/metabarcoding (COI) for difficult taxa.
Number of individuals per species and per trap (24 hours for pan traps, 4 hours for the net), by zone and by session. This indicator distinguishes effects on species richness from effects on population density, two responses that are functionally different according to the literature.
Indices of functional richness (FRic), community-weighted mean traits (CWM), and functional divergence (FDiv), calculated based on pollination traits (body size, tongue length, floral specialization, nesting type). Captures dimensions of impact that taxonomic richness alone does not reflect.
Number of pollinator visits per plant species, per flower, and per hour of observation, measured along standardized 50 m transects in Zone 2. An ecosystem service indicator directly linked to pollinator presence, measured under controlled weather conditions (temperature, wind, absence of rain).
Dates of the first and last observation of each species per year, and the activity window in days, calculated from field sessions and bioacoustic data. This enables the detection of year-to-year phenological shifts, an indicator of adaptation to climate change.
Environmental indicators: habitat and connectivity
Percentage cover and number of nectar- and pollen-producing plant species, measured in geolocated permanent quadrats (10 per zone) during each session. Floral resource availability is the primary determinant of local pollinator richness.
Mean value and coefficient of variation of NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) within a 50 m radius, calculated from drone or satellite imagery. A reliable and reproducible proxy for biomass and vegetation heterogeneity, which is itself correlated with insect diversity.
Integral Index of Connectivity (IIC) and Probability of Connectivity (PC) calculated for Zone 4 (500 m radius) based on an annually updated land-cover map. Landscape connectivity determines the colonization and persistence of insect populations—a standard metric in EU-compliant biodiversity impact assessments.
Presence of dead wood surfaces, bare ground, leaf litter, stones, stagnant water, and sandy banks within a 50-meter radius, measured annually via field survey and photo-interpretation. These microhabitats determine ground-nesting opportunities for species that do not inhabit the hotel itself but are influenced by its presence.
Collembolan density and richness, as well as pH, organic matter, and moisture, are measured annually in soil cores. Soil-dwelling insects serve as standardized indicators of soil quality (ISO 23611-2), a factor that directly influences the nesting of ground-nesting bees.
Number and nature of disturbance events (pesticides, mowing, brush clearing, pruning, construction work) recorded in a standardized monthly log, by zone, throughout the monitoring period. These disturbances are major covariates in impact analysis; failure to account for them is the primary source of bias in studies lacking a formal protocol.
A strictly synchronized collection schedule
Year-to-year data comparability relies on the strict synchronization of data collection windows. All biological sampling sessions take place between 09:00 and 17:00 (solar time), at temperatures above 15°C, in the absence of rain, and with wind speeds below Beaufort force 3.
Baseline
March, prior to installation (Year 1). Comprehensive baseline status: biological, soil, and GIS.
Spring session
May 15 – June 15, every year. Emergence and early pollination.
Summer session
August 1 – September 15, every year. Peak activity and nesting.
Annual Review
Every year in November. GIS update, microhabitats, and end-of-season review.
Each T1 and T2 session includes: pollination transects, pan traps (deployed for 48 hours), floristic surveys, direct observation of infrastructure, and deployment of acoustic recorders. Malaise traps remain in place continuously from T1 to T2, representing 3 to 4 months of collection.
Digital technology, citizen science, and free software
eDNA & metabarcoding
Environmental DNA (COI) analysis from water or soil samples or a pool of ground-up insects: dozens of species identified simultaneously, without requiring advanced morphological expertise.
iNaturalist & citizen science
Qualified field observations complement the official sessions and are exportable via GBIF. They are used as supplementary data, never as primary data.
QGIS + Conefor
Landscape mapping and calculation of ecological connectivity indices (IIC/PC), carried out entirely using open-source software.
R + Vegan package
Diversity indices (Shannon, Simpson, FRic, CWM), rarefaction, and multivariate analyses (RDA, NMDS), calculated using open-source tools.
The regulatory frameworks covered
Instead of a dense table, each item is presented as an uncluttered card that is easy to read on both mobile and desktop.
Sustainability reporting
Time-stamped and traceable biodiversity data, usable in your CSRD reports and impact documentation.
Environmental criteria
Measurable contribution to the protection and restoration of biodiversity and ecosystems.
Certification bâtiment
Les installations comptent dans les crédits Land Use & Ecology (LE) de la certification BREEAM.
Standard EFRAG mid-cap
Structuring biodiversity indicators for SMEs and portfolios not subject to the CSRD.
Nature-related disclosure
State of Nature on-site data, aligned with the TNFD disclosure framework.
Reporting investisseur
Biodiversity impact indicators for product communication and investor reporting.
"The data is time-stamped, geolocated, and traceable. It is this traceability that distinguishes auditable data from a marketing claim."