Challenge Grant Update Linking the Network of Natural Heritage Biodiversity Data to the Environmental Information Exchange Network N. V Raman, DNREC, Oct 5, 2005

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

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

Project Timeline Year 1: Year 2: 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

Project Participants Challenge Grant Lead Participating Agencies 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

The NatureServe Network US Virgin Islands Puerto Rico 75 independent centers that collect and manage data about plants, animals, and ecological communities. From the first Heritage Program in South Carolina in 1974, the Network now reaches across most of the Western Hemisphere. Focus on rare species (but not exclusively) Employ ecologists, botanists, zoologists, data specialists Most programs (78%) are state or provincial agencies; some affiliated with universities; fewer than 5 are still TNC-operated. NatureServe 90 staff in 6 offices - Member Services - Conservation Science Services - Information Technology Services Member Programs 800 staff - 53 U.S. programs - 7 Canadian programs 11 Latin American / Caribbean programs

NatureServe Key Activities 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

Proposed Data Flow Internet 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 Oracle Biotics 4 MS SQL Server XML Exchange Network Node Exchange Network Node WA DNR Biodiversity Database Oracle Biotics 4 MS SQL Server Exchange Network Node XML Future NatureServe Network Participants

Architecture Applications Layer – NatureServe Explorer, NatureServe Vista, and other custom applications submit XML-SOAP requests to web services. Web-Application Services Layer – core functionality is implemented as web services and map services; security services provide authentication and authorization based on data provider policies; this layer interacts with the publishing database to retrieve information in response to user/application queries. Database Layer – includes Biotics 4 source database, publishing geodatabase, and policy store.

Unique Challenges Spatial Data Security Heterogeneous Network 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

NatureServe Vista Pilot To Guide Implementation of Delaware’s 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

NatureServe Vista 1. Element Selection 3. Conservation Summary Layer Decision or Alternative Scenario 2. Element Conservation Layer 5. Conservation & Land Use Scenarios 4. Evaluate Goals 6. Query and Reporting

Status of Challenge Grant Activities April 05 workshop Gathered user stories for web services, drafted XML schemas XML schema for biodiversity data flow Schemas defining species and occurrence data in review now March 06 target date for registering with Exchange Network Data access policies and sharing agreements Drafting amendments to existing data sharing agreements to accommodate Exchange Network methods Documenting proposed security framework for integrating fine-grained access control services with NAAS

Status of Challenge Grant Activities Data transfer tools for extracting XML data from source DB and importing into publishing DB Example work flows for data synchronization process in review Nov 05 target date for completing data transfer utilities Web Services Initial web service for presence of known indicator in development now Jan 06 target date for completing web service APIs Prototype user and application interfaces Challenge grant partners to identify initial trading partners for ‘beta testing’ web services with partner application interfaces

Additional Resources NatureServe: http://www.natureserve.org/aboutUs/index.jsp NatureServe Network: http://www.natureserve.org/aboutUs/network.jsp NatureServe Vista: http://www.natureserve.org/prodServices/vista.jsp

Heritage Program Contact Contacts Participant NEIEN Node Contact Heritage Program Contact Delaware Dennis Murphy dennis.murphy@state.de.us Karen Bennett karen.bennett@state.de.us Washington Debbie Stewart dste461@ecy.wa.gov Janice Miller janice.miller@wadnr.gov New Mexico N/A Rayo McCollough rayo@unm.edu Illinois Tara Kieninger tkieninger@dnrmail.state.il.us NatureServe Douglas Sellers douglas_sellers@natureserve.org

Questions?