The Biological Diversity of the Guiana Shield (BDG, formerly Biological Diversity of the Guianas) is a field-oriented program of the Department of Botany, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, that has been operating since 1983. The goal of the BDG is to study, document and preserve the biological diversity of the Guiana Shield region. Originally the program was confined to botany; it has since expanded to include faunal studies with entomologists and zoologists regularly participating in expeditions.
The Guiana Shield region of South America is little known and extremely rich biologically. Unlike other areas of South America, over 70% of the natural habitat remains pristine. Since these areas are now threatened by increased resource extraction, it is important that we gain an understanding of the flora and fauna so that decisions can be made on critical areas that have high priority for conservation.
Because of the urgency of sampling specimens from critical areas, the BDG has at times maintained a resident collector based in Georgetown, Guyana to organize expeditions and assist in the field work of scientists. Each year four to six interdisciplinary multinational expeditions explore remote areas. Each field trip includes at least one counterpart from the host country and usually involves highly skilled Amerindian assistants. Material collected on these expeditions is distributed all over the world for identification and research. In addition to collecting, the BDG Program is active in training local scientists and assisting them in setting up and/or maintaining collections in their respective countries.
