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

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: 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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.

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. Additional Resources
NatureServe:
NatureServe Network:
NatureServe Vista:

16. Heritage Program Contact
Contacts
Participant
NEIEN Node Contact
Heritage Program Contact
Delaware
Dennis Murphy
Karen Bennett
Washington
Debbie Stewart
Janice Miller
New Mexico
N/A
Rayo McCollough
Illinois
Tara Kieninger
NatureServe
Douglas Sellers

17. Questions?