In cooperation with the University of Amsterdam, Leiden, and Wageningen, a new Center for Biodiversity (NCB Naturalis) was launched last week. As part of the Netherlands Year of Biodiversity, the center will focus on preserving and furthering research into the Netherlands' collection of natural history; in other words, the nation's part within the earth's biodiversity.

Along with the Netherlands, 168 countries are now participating in this initiative since 1992. Their collection consists of around 37 million objects, making it the 5th largest in the world. These objects include geological, zoological, and plant collections. Still expected to join these collections are insects from the University of Wageningen, and fish from the University of Amsterdam.

The goal of the center, which is now part of the National Museum of Natural History is for both national and international researchers to be able to make use of its content. A large part of its information will therefore be available online to both researchers as well as the general public. However, that part isn't available yet, nor is an english translation on their website.