TEMS Program Overview

The Terrestrial Ecosystem Monitoring Sites (TEMS) is an international directory of sites (named T.Sites) and networks that carry out long-term terrestrial monitoring and research activities. The database provides information on the "who, what and where" in long-term monitoring. The purpose of TEMS is to develop modeling, assess and research programs, assess gaps in geographic coverage of key variables, link ground and satellite observations, evaluate the quality of data and measurement methods, and identifying T.Sites that need upgrading.

Program Management

TEMS was originally created in the early 1990's by the Global Environment Monitoring System Programme Activity Centre (GEMS/PAC) of UNEP in Nairobi. The internet version was developed in 1995 by the Swiss Federal Research Institute.

The Global Terrestrial Observing System (GTOS) has been managing TEMS since 1995. GTOS is an international program sponsored by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations; the International Council for Science (ICSU); the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP); the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and Cooperazione Italiana (see Sponsors). The purpose of TEMS is to develop modeling, assessment and research programs, to assess the gaps in geographic coverage of key variables, to link ground and satellite observations, to evaluate the quality of data and measurement methods, and to identifying T.Sites that need upgrading.

Contact Information

GTOS Secretariat
Environment Assessment and Management Unit (NRCE)
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla
00100 Roma, Italy
tel: (+39) 06 57056804
fax: (+39) 06 57053369
Email: gtos@fao.org