Presentations from the
8th Annual Meeting of the Organization of
Fish and Wildlife Information Managers
Rapid City, South Dakota
September 25th-29th, 2003

SESSION 3 - Afternoon Presentations
Sunday - September 28, 2003

• Making Data More Valuable (Vivian Hutchison)
• Connecting the NBII Nodes: Map Services Registry to Support Data Discovery and Interoperability through Open GIS (Lee A. Graham and Donna Roy)
• Direct Benefits of Information Systems to Endangered Fish: Examples of How Resources Benefit from Modern Information Technology (Bruce Schmidt)
• Focus Group III: Information Management for Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Plans:
  Recommendations to the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (IAFWA) (Becky Wajda - Discussion Leader)
  
• SESSION 1 - Morning OFWIM 2003 Presentations - Morning Session - Thursday - September 25th
  
• SESSION 1 - Afternoon OFWIM 2003 Presentations - Afternoon Session - Thursday - September 25th
  
• SESSION 2 - Morning OFWIM 2003 Presentations - Morning Session - Friday - September 26th
  
• SESSION 2 - Afternoon OFWIM 2003 Presentations - Afternoon Session - Friday - September 26th
  
• SESSION 3 - Morning OFWIM 2003 Presentations - Morning Session - Sunday - September 28th

Making Data More Valuable (Vivian Hutchison)

In an age of increasing technological abilities and access to information, metadata represents a critical element in information-sharing environments. Metadata repositories serve as valuable tools to research data that has already been collected, analyzed and reviewed. Conservation management processes are greatly enhanced by the user's ability to evaluate existing information in making more informed decisions.

What is metadata? Metadata is descriptive data about a data set or other information. Metadata provides conservation managers a standardized way to display information about data sets and other research. Creation of metadata provides organizations with documentation of valuable resources in the organization, allowing institutional knowledge to be preserved. It provides a method for maintaining information for future use, and a standard way to share information with data catalogs and clearinghouses. Repetition of expensive research projects can be averted if metadata is shared between organizations.

The National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII) supports the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) Content Standard for documentation of scientific data sets. Additionally, the Biological Data Profile (BDP) is the official extension for documenting biological data sets. To create a record including biological information, such as taxonomy, use the FGDC Content Standard and incorporate the Biological Data Profile. The BDP allows metadata records to include biological elements in a standardized format.

There are many tools available for metadata creation such as ArcView and Spatial Metadata Management System (SMMS). Tool descriptions and reviews offered on the NBII and FGDC web sites are valuable resources to assist in choosing an appropriate tool for metadata creation. 

Visit http://www.nbii.gov/datainfo/metadata/index.html or http://www.fgdc.gov/metadata/toollist/metatool.html for more information. 

Sharing records through Clearinghouse mechanisms is one of the most valuable uses of metadata. More informed conservation management decisions can be facilitated through use of information found in metadata records. The NBII hosts an extensive Clearinghouse site for the purpose of sharing metadata records. Single records can be uploaded into the Clearinghouse, or organizations can opt to create their own Clearinghouse ?node?. Record retrieval is achieved in the Clearinghouse through an interface that offers many options for narrowing search parameters. Visit http://metadata.nbii.gov/ to search the Clearinghouse.

Metadata creation and data sharing is a crucial component in conservation management. The National Biological Information Infrastructure supports this effort by providing training workshops, creation services, quality control, and a Clearinghouse repository to the science and land management community.

Connecting the NBII Nodes: Map Services Registry to Support Data Discovery
and Interoperability through Open GIS (Lee A. Graham and Donna Roy)

The National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII) is a broad, collaborative program designed to provide increased access to data and information on the Nation's biological resources. The NBII links diverse, high-quality biological databases, information products, and analytical tools maintained by NBII partners and other contributors in government agencies, academic institutions, non-government organizations, and private industry. NBII partners and collaborators also work on new standards, tools, and technologies that make it easier to find, integrate, and apply biological resources information.

Some of the most powerful tools helping NBII meet its missions are the implementation of ?Standards? such as those developed by the Open GIS Consortium. At the center of the Geospatial Interoperability is the implementation of Open GIS standards, supporting data discovery and visualization of GIS data layers across all of NBII and beyond. The Map Services Registry, the central registry of Interactive Internet Mapping Applications, is the primary implementation platform for realizing this interoperability.

Resource managers, scientists, educators, and the general public use the NBII to answer a wide range of questions related to the management, use, or conservation of this Nation's biological resources. Now, after implementing Open GIS, these users can visualize and explore the rich base of geographically enabled biological data within the NBII.

This presentation available as:
PowerPoint presentation: (Graham_OFWIM_2003.ppt):
  http://www.ofwim.org/docs/2003/PPT/Graham_OFWIM_2003.ppt
Adobe Acrobat Reader file: (Graham_OFWIM_2003.pdf):
  http://www.ofwim.org/docs/2003/PDF/Graham_OFWIM_2003.pdf

Direct Benefits of Information Systems to Endangered Fish: Examples of How Resources Benefit from Modern Information Technology (Bruce Schmidt)

The Emerging Information Technology can be of direct benefit to fish and wildlife resources through a number of means: Accumulating and standardizing information from disparate sources throughout the range of the species for use in recovery planning and management; Facilitating communication and coordination among resource managers; Improving management decision making; and Providing technical information to interested publics and advocacy groups. Specific examples of direct and indirect benefits to the resources are presented drawn from experience with fish species in the Pacific Northwest listed under the Endangered Species Act. Implementation of modern information management systems is proposed as a significant component of restoration and recovery of imperiled species.

This presentation available as:
PowerPoint presentation: (Schmidt_OFWIM_2003.ppt):
  http://www.ofwim.org/docs/2003/PPT/Schmidt_OFWIM_2003.ppt
Adobe Acrobat Reader file: (Schmidt_OFWIM_2003.pdf):
  http://www.ofwim.org/docs/2003/PDF/Schmidt_OFWIM_2003.pdf

Focus Group III: Information Management for Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Plans: Recommendations to the International Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies (IAFWA) (Becky Wajda - Discussion Leader)

The International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies? (IAFWA) Teaming with Wildlife Committee (State Wildlife Grants Workgroup) is seeking technical assistance and recommendations from OFWIM regarding information management and geospatial systems. Specifically, the request is focused on the need for minimal standards for wildlife-related information and geospatial systems to be used by the states in the development of Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Plans (CWCP) to facilitate regional implementation and national reporting. The specific charge, products and timeframe are outlined below.

Charge: Address the feasibility and reasonableness of states to use information management and geospatial systems that facilitate regional implementation and support national summaries through the integration of data sets and the use of minimal common data standards and/or element. Propose minimal interim guidelines for CWCP-related information management and GIS. Evaluate how states/jurisdictions can use the plans to take steps in that direction. Identify the current status of IM/GIS tools in agencies and recommend methods for documenting data deficiencies and reporting accomplishments in the CWCP. Address the feasibility of OFWIM serving as a clearinghouse for IM/GIS resources on behalf of the states/IAFWA and recommend possible mechanisms, if feasible.

Products:
1. Recommendations resulting from facilitated discussion at OFWIM meeting
2. List of representatives participating in discussion and meeting and their involvement in the CWCP process.
3. Synopsis of current state of IM/GIS tools in place in agencies for use on CWCP processes
4. Targeted list of references related to wildlife information management and mapping/use of GIS in conservation planning.

Timeframe: A final report including all of the products outlined above will be presented to the Committee no later than October 31.

Session attendees will participate in an interactive facilitated discussion that should provide an effective framework to collect input from multiple stakeholders across the country and provide consensus-based recommendations to the IAFWA.

This presentation available as:
PowerPoint presentation: (Wajda2_OFWIM_2003.ppt): http://www.ofwim.org/docs/2003/PPT/Wajda2_OFWIM_2003.ppt
Adobe Acrobat Reader file: (Wajda2_OFWIM_2003.pdf): http://www.ofwim.org/docs/2003/PDF/Wajda2_OFWIM_2003.pdf

• SESSION 1 - Morning OFWIM 2003 Presentations - Morning Session - Thursday - September 25th
• SESSION 1 - Afternoon OFWIM 2003 Presentations - Afternoon Session - Thursday - September 25th
• SESSION 2 - Morning OFWIM 2003 Presentations - Morning Session - Friday - September 26th
• SESSION 2 - Afternoon OFWIM 2003 Presentations - Afternoon Session - Friday - September 26th
• SESSION 3 - Morning OFWIM 2003 Presentations - Morning Session - Sunday - September 28th