Information Management at NHIC

1. Information Management at NHIC

2. Natural Heritage Information Information Providers Decision Makers/ User Community Long Term Information Management NHIC

3. Benefits of Stable Foundation for Information Management • Cost effective • Minimize duplication of effort • Continuity • Stability of Information • Minimize lost records • Minimize search effort by decision makers

4. NHIC IM Goals • Common data standards to optimize use • Minimize search effort for user community • Minimize “data handling” time • Quicker turnover of records back to community • Ensure all information is retained over time, no “lost” fields • Ready flow of data between providers and user community/decision-makers • Make it easy to share and to access records wherever possible • User can store data locally, but participate in the community, or access their own records from the provincial repository as needed • Automated exchanges where possible, minimize number of non-standard exchanges

5. NHIC Data Architecture

6. Getting data into the Provincial Database at NHIC… • Best formats • NRVIS/OGDE – Provincially Tracked Species Observations (PTSObs) • Pocket PC GPS Application (Currently an iPaq-ArcPad Field Form) • NHIC Website • Good • Standards-based Excel sheet or MS Access database • Sending it to Parks Canada (for national parks), Bird Studies Canada (Breeding Bird Atlas), most Recovery Teams…. • Other NRVIS layers such as VTE Nesting Site • Not quite as happy (but still good)* • Standards-based paper form • Sending it to other data initiatives …. • Your own native database/spreadsheet, not using ours or other international standards • E-mails, telephone calls, scraps of paper, hearsay, inscriptions on wood-papyrus-stone …. * it’s always better to receive data in whatever format, than never to know about the record!

7. Getting access to NHIC data • NRVIS/LIO/OGDE • Provincially Tracked Species Occurrences (PTSOcc) • OGDE members can self-serve • Others can request data through LIO • MNR staff can access the data via NRVIS • Request access via interface for NRVIS, GSO for NDD • NHIC Website • Request a password from NHIC, or external staff with data sharing agreement • MNR District Ecologists/Biologists • For details on a particular EO • NatureServe • Global Biodiversity Information Facility • Direct Requests to NHIC

8. NRVIS Data Classes • Provincially Tracked Species Occurrence Class • Provincially-tracked species occurrences as identified at NHIC • read-only, and only by staff who have detailed access by undergoing data sensitivity training • area feature • Provincially Tracked Species Observation Class • Individual observations as reported by MNR staff • read-write, but only by staff who have detailed access by undergoing data sensitivity training • area feature • Locally Tracked Species Observation Class • all district staff could enter information into this one • point feature

9. NRVIS Classes Containing Provincially-Tracked Species • Current NHIC-custodian Rare Species Classes/Guts within NRVIS • Provincially Tracked Species Occurrence • Provincially Tracked Species Observation • Locally Tracked Species Observation • Others classes • Species(NHIC co-custodianship of provincially tracked species) • Nesting Site • Calving/Fawning Site • Feeding Area • Habitat Planning Range • Staging Area/Wildlife • Areas(no NHIC custodianship) • Agreement forest area • ANSI • Environmentally Sensitive Area • Significant Ecological Area • Wetland Units

10. NHIC Website