Challenge Grant Update:

1
Challenge Grant Update Linking the Network of
Natural Heritage Biodiversity Data to the
Environmental Information Exchange Network
2
Challenge Grant Update

• EPA Challenge Grant Project
• Benefits
• Timeline
• Participants
• Proposed Data Flow
• The NatureServe Network
• Unique Challenges
• NatureServe Vista Pilot
• Additional Resources
• Contacts
• Questions

3
Project Benefits

• Implement a new, voluntary biodiversity data
  flow
• Provides EPA and Exchange Network users with
  access to locations of threatened and endangered
  species
• Supports conservation planning, environmental
  regulation and decision-making
• Creates opportunity for applications that can
  consume biodiversity data
• Document and share results
• Promotes knowledge transfer to NatureServe
  network members
• Expands audience for Exchange Network to other
  conservation organizations with similar
  biodiversity data holdings

4
Project Timeline

• Year 1
• Develop and register XML schema for biodiversity
  data flow
• Develop and implement data access requirements
• Develop and implement data exchange tools
• Year 2
• Develop and implement web service APIs
• Prototype user interfaces to the biodiversity
  data
• Pilot a direct application link between Delaware
  Natural Heritage data and the NatureServe Vista
  decision support system
• Document and share results

5
Project Participants

• Challenge Grant Lead
• State of Delaware, Department of Natural
  Resources and Environmental Control
• Participating Agencies
• NatureServe
• State of Washington, Department of Ecology
• State of Washington, Department of Natural
  Resources
• State of Illinois, Department of Natural
  Resources
• State of New Mexico, Natural Heritage New Mexico

6
The NatureServe Network

• Member Programs
• 800 staff
• - 53 U.S. programs
• - 7 Canadian programs
• 11 Latin American / Caribbean
• programs

NatureServe 90 staff in 6 offices - Member
Services - Conservation Science Services -
Information Technology Services
7
NatureServe Key Activities

• NatureServe
• Establish scientific standards for biological
  inventory and biodiversity data management
• Develop comprehensive and current databases for
  at-risk species and ecological communities
• Provide information products and conservation
  services to guide natural resource
  decision-making
• Member Programs
• Collect, analyze, and distribute detailed data
  about plants, animals, and ecosystems
• Track distribution and conservation status of
  species and natural communities and map the
  locations of at-risk populations
• Conduct environmental reviews and assessments

8
Proposed Data Flow
SQL Server Biodiversity Database
XML
NHNM
CDX NAAS for Authentication and Access Control
Oracle Central Database
Exchange Network Node
Oracle Biotics 4
XML
NatureServe
IL DNR
Authorized NEIEN User or Application
Internet
DNREC
MS SQL Server
Oracle Biotics 4
XML
Exchange Network Node
Exchange Network Node
WA DNR
Biodiversity Database
MS SQL Server
Exchange Network Node
Oracle Biotics 4
XML
Future NatureServe Network Participants
9
Unique Challenges

• Spatial Data
• Expose species location data
• Provide Web Services to access and query spatial
  data
• Create map-based user interface to spatial data
• Security
• Fine grained authorization roles
• Attribute-level authorization
• Data specific authorization
• Impact on performance and caching must be taken
  into account
• Heterogeneous Network
• Different deployment environments
• Different physical data models similar logical
  data models

10
NatureServe Vista PilotTo Guide Implementation
of Delawares Comprehensive State Wildlife Plan

• Demonstrate the use of the Exchange Network to
  flow biodiversity data from the Delaware Natural
  Heritage Program to a decision support system
• Develop the interface within the NatureServe
  Vista decision support system to consume the
  biodiversity data Web Service
• Use other available data services appropriate for
  the project area chosen by Delaware

11
NatureServe Vista
3. Conservation Summary Layer
1. Element Selection
Decision or Alternative Scenario
2. Element Conservation Layer
4. Evaluate Goals
12
Additional Resources

• NatureServe http//www.natureserve.org/aboutUs/in
  dex.jsp
• NatureServe Network http//www.natureserve.org/ab
  outUs/network.jsp
• NatureServe Vista http//www.natureserve.org/prod
  Services/vista.jsp

13
Contacts
Participant NEIEN Node Contact Heritage Program Contact
Delaware Dennis Murphy dennis.murphy_at_state.de.us Karen Bennett karen.bennett_at_state.de.us
Washington Debbie Stewart dste461_at_ecy.wa.gov Janice Miller janice.miller_at_wadnr.gov
New Mexico N/A Rayo McCollough rayo_at_unm.edu
Illinois N/A Tara Kieninger tkieninger_at_dnrmail.state.il.us
NatureServe Douglas Sellers douglas_sellers_at_natureserve.org N/A
14
Questions?