Groupe ornithologique et naturaliste

What Groupe ornithologique et naturaliste does

Groupe ornithologique et naturaliste (GON) is a French non-profit association (loi 1901) founded in 1968 and headquartered in Lille, Hauts-de-France. It is agréée as a regional nature protection association, operating as the recognized reference expert on wild fauna across the Nord-Pas-de-Calais territory. GON studies 14 taxonomic groups — birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, bees, bugs, ladybirds, dragonflies, grasshoppers, butterflies, hoverflies, woodlice, spiders, and mollusks — through a network of volunteer and salaried referents.

Its core asset is SiRF (Système d'Information Régional sur la Faune), launched in 2011 as a regional wildlife information system with mobile and desktop data entry, species-level visualization, commune-level and section-level consultation, member-only site monitoring, and a photothèque of wildlife imagery. SiRF has accumulated over 1 million observations and integrates with INPN/TaxRef for taxonomic reference and OpenStreetMap/IGN/ESRI for cartography. The organization also runs a multi-level ornithology training program (€450/year across discovery, deepening, and advanced levels), delivered in Lille and expanding to Le Wast on the Opal Coast in September 2026, and is a partner in the Interreg VI Cap Biodiversité cross-border project covering 79 communes in France and Belgium through March 2028.

GON's revenue model is multi-stream and non-commercial: membership dues, training course fees (which include 2 years of association membership), tax-deductible donations, and institutional project funding from the European Union, departmental authorities, and regional partners. Distribution is community- and event-led, with the SiRF platform and training programs functioning as both engagement tools and acquisition channels for new members. The organization employs 16 staff and operates from MRES in Lille, with a second training site at Maison du Parc naturel régional in Le Wast.

Name

Groupe ornithologique et naturaliste

Legal name

Groupe Ornithologique et Naturaliste (agrément régional Hauts-de-France)

Website

https://gon.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

GON is a 1968-founded French non-profit association and agréé regional nature protection body in Hauts-de-France, operating the SiRF wildlife data platform (1M+ observations) and ornithology training programs to mobilize citizen scientists studying 14 taxonomic groups.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation (BPAGAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB), Wildlife Viewing & Birdwatching Tours (THAAAEAB), Wildlife Surveys & Movement/Connectivity Studies (e.g., Avian/Bat, Telemetry) (EUAHAHAH)

Keywords

• Citizen science platform
• Wildlife observation
• Ornithology training
• Biodiversity monitoring
• Nature conservation

Headquarters

HQ city

Lille

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues (Adhésion): Annual membership fees that provide access to association activities, training programs, and the SiRF platform. Membership is required for full platform access and is included in training enrollment.
2. Training Course Fees: Ornithology training programs at 450€ per year covering three levels (discovery, deepening, advanced). Includes theory courses and field outings totaling 36 activities. Membership for 2 years is included with enrollment.
3. Donations: Tax-deductible donations as the association is a non-profit organization under French law 1901. Donors can benefit from tax deductions.
4. Project Funding (Interreg): European Interreg VI funding for the Cap Biodiversité project (2024-2028) involving multiple institutional partners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Groupe ornithologique et naturaliste (GON) is a non-profit nature protection association founded in 1968 that studies and protects wild fauna in the Hauts-de-France region. Its core offerings include the SiRF digital wildlife information system (a collaborative platform for recording, validating and sharing over 1 million wildlife observations), a three-level ornithology training program combining theory and field outings, the Cap Biodiversit� transboundary citizen science project, and a phototh�que for sharing wildlife imagery. The association also produces scientific and educational publications and provides expertise on biodiversity conservation.

Product overview

GON operates a unified digital ecosystem centered on SiRF (Système d'Information Régional sur la Faune), a comprehensive wildlife observation platform launched in 2011. The SiRF ecosystem comprises multiple specialized applications: Saisie mobile and Saisie ordinateur for data entry, Observations des 30 derniers jours and Mes données for personal analytics, Visualisation à l'espèce for species-specific analysis with distribution maps and data freshness metrics, and Consultation à la commune for municipal-level data. Additional SiRF modules include Sites suivis and Consultation à la section (member-only). Supporting offerings include ornithology training (Formation ornithologique) at three levels across Lille and Le Wast locations, the transboundary Cap Biodiversité project with species surveys, and a Photothèque for wildlife imagery sharing. The organization studies all wild animal groups (birds, mammals, amphibians, bees, bugs, ladybirds, reptiles, dragonflies, grasshoppers, butterflies, hoverflies, woodlice, spiders, mollusks) and produces scientific and educational publications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SiRF: Système d'Information Régional sur la Faune - A collaborative digital platform for recording, validating, and sharing wildlife observation data in the Nord and Pas-de-Calais territories.

Products and services

• SiRF (Système d'Information Régional sur la Faune) Collaborative digital platform for collecting, validating, and sharing wildlife observation data across the Nord and Pas-de-Calais region. Includes mobile and desktop data entry, species visualization, and municipal-level consultation tools, accessible to members and the public.
• Formation ornithologique Multi-level ornithology training program combining theoretical courses and field outings at three progressive levels (Découverte, Approfondissement, Perfectionnement). Offered in Lille and Le Wast at 450€ per year, includes 2-year GON membership. Targets aspiring naturalists and citizen scientists.
• Photothèque Digital wildlife image archive allowing members to contribute, browse, and request download of wildlife photographs. Includes simple and advanced import workflows with contributor attribution.
• Cap Biodiversitéité Transboundary citizen science project spanning 79 communes across France and Belgium, including species-specific surveys (Écureuil roux, Hérisson d'Europe, Moineau domestique, Zoropse à pattes épineuses, Machaon) and public awareness activities under the Interreg VI program.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1 million wildlife observations recorded in the regional database since 2011
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Parc naturel régional Scarpe-Escaut (PNRSE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2024Lead coordinating structure for the Interreg VI Cap Biodiversité project (2024-2028). The park covers the Scarpe and Escaut valleys and wooded arc linking Marchiennes to Beloeil.
• Parc naturel des Plaines de l'Escaut (PNPE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2024Belgian partner park in the Cap Biodiversité Interreg project, extending cross-border collaboration on biodiversity conservation in the European nature park territory.
• Cercles des Naturalistes de Belgique (CNB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2024Belgian naturalist organization serving as operator in the Cap Biodiversité project, contributing to citizen science and biodiversity monitoring across the cross-border territory.
• NatagoramajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2024Belgian environmental organization partner in the Cap Biodiversité project, contributing to biodiversity conservation efforts in the Walloon region.
• Picardie NaturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPicardie Nature and GON serve as correspondents for numerous national associations, enabling effective territorial coverage at the Hauts-de-France scale. Collaboration allows comprehensive regional coverage of nature protection activities.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• iNaturalist: Global citizen-science biodiversity observation platform. While not a peer in mission, iNaturalist is a competitive substitute for SiRF and could attract contributors away from regional platforms like GON's.
• Noé Conservation: French biodiversity NGO running citizen-science programs and conservation projects. Operates at a national scale with a more programmatic and project-driven model, partially comparable to GON's survey and citizen-science activities.

Direct peers

• LPO France (Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux): France's largest bird and biodiversity NGO, operating a nationwide network of regional LPO branches. Like GON, LPO runs ornithology training, citizen-science data collection (via its Faune-France platform), and habitat conservation — making it a direct national-scale peer to GON's regional model.
• Bretagne Vivante: Regional natural history association in Brittany running similar activities to GON — wildlife observation networks, naturalist training, reserve management, and citizen-science data — providing a useful comparable for a regionally scoped French nature NGO.
• Cercles des Naturalistes de Belgique: Belgian naturalist association and direct Cap Biodiversit€ partner of GON, focused on field outings, naturalist training, and biodiversity surveys — highly comparable to GON's training and citizen-science activities.
• Natagora: Belgian francophone nature conservation NGO and direct Cap Biodiversit€ partner of GON. Operates observation platforms, training, and conservation advocacy in Wallonia and Brussels, serving a comparable function as GON but on the other side of the Franco-Belgian border.
• Picardie Nature: Regional French natural history NGO operating in Hauts-de-France, formally partnered with GON to provide complementary territorial coverage as joint correspondents for national associations. Both run citizen-science schemes, training, and conservation advocacy in the same regional geography.

Others

• INPN (Inventaire National du Patrimoine Naturel): French national biodiversity data repository operated by MNHN. INPN is integrated into GON's SiRF platform as a taxonomic reference via TaxRef, making it an upstream infrastructure/data partner rather than a competitor.

Regional players

• LPO Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes: Regional branch of LPO France focused on ornithology, wildlife surveys, and citizen science in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Mirrors GON's regional model but in a different French territory.

Broad incumbents

• France Nature Environnement: National umbrella federation of French nature and environmental associations; GON is part of the regional FNE network. FNE provides advocacy, policy coordination, and umbrella services — a broader incumbent with overlapping mission.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/61565761560926
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gonhdf

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Groupe ornithologique et naturaliste