TNC Ecoregional Portfolio Core Data Set, Phase 1, 2008.

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Frequently-anticipated questions:

What does this data set describe?

Title: TNC Ecoregional Portfolio Core Data Set, Phase 1, 2008.
Abstract:
The TNC Ecoregional Portfolio Core Data Set is one of a set of Core Conservation Data Sets managed in GIS by The Nature Conservancy's network of Conservation Data Nodes. This Core Data Set will enable TNC to more effectively deliver data and products of ecoregional assessments to key conservation partners.
The data set is being developed in phases. The first phase aggregates all maps of terrestrial ecoregional portfolios developed by The Conservancy across the fifty United States. Subsequent phases of this data set will include biodiversity conservation targets (species and ecosystems) and goals for their conservation, as well as adding existing freshwater and marine portfolios to the terrestrial portfolio developed in the current data set.
Each TNC ecoregional portfolio site (aka 'priority conservation area') represents not a conserved area, but a proposed conservation area as part of a hypothetical conservation reserve design which would meet conservation goals established by The Nature Conservancy. Each portfolio site is identified in the attribute table by a name and the ecoregional assessment area, or ecoregional portfolio, to which the site belongs.
More information on TNC ecoregional portfolios can be found at: <http://www.nature.org/aboutus/howwework/cbd/science/art19228.html>#
Deeper information can also be accessed here: <http://conserveonline.org/workspaces/cbdgateway/era/index_html>
This dataset is a Conservancy Core Conservation Dataset. The purpose of core datasets is to make prioritized GIS data available throughout The Nature Conservancy and, as appropriate, make data available to the public in a format that can be easily maintained, shared, and leveraged through new GIS and web technologies.
The Nature Conservancy's Core Conservation Datasets include: - TNC Ecoregional Portfolio Core Dataset - Secured Areas and Conservation Management Status and TNC Lands Core Dataset - TNC Conservation Projects Core Dataset
  1. How should this data set be cited?

    The Nature Conservancy, 2008, Deceber 2008, TNC Ecoregional Portfolio Core Data Set, Phase 1, 2008..

    Online Links:

    • Server=wosde.tnc.org; Service=5151; User=ERA_STEWARD; Version=SDE.DEFAULT

    Other_Citation_Details:
    Contact: Steve Farone, Conservation Data and Information Systems Unit, Conservation Strategies Division, The Nature Conservancy

  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?

    West_Bounding_Coordinate: -180.000000
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: 1122906.913245
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: 1365899.584199
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: 18.992152

  3. What does it look like?

  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?

    Calendar_Date: December 1, 2008
    Currentness_Reference:
    Data set prepared for Phase I editing by TNC Regional Conservation Data Nodes

  5. What is the general form of this data set?

    Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: vector digital data

  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?

    1. How are geographic features stored in the data set?

      This is a Vector data set. It contains the following vector data types (SDTS terminology):

      • G-polygon (14910)

    2. What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?

      Horizontal positions are specified in geographic coordinates, that is, latitude and longitude. Latitudes are given to the nearest 0.000000. Longitudes are given to the nearest 0.000000. Latitude and longitude values are specified in Decimal degrees.

      The horizontal datum used is D_WGS_1984.
      The ellipsoid used is WGS_1984.
      The semi-major axis of the ellipsoid used is 6378137.000000.
      The flattening of the ellipsoid used is 1/298.257224.

      Vertical_Coordinate_System_Definition:
      Altitude_System_Definition:
      Altitude_Resolution: 1.000000
      Altitude_Encoding_Method:
      Explicit elevation coordinate included with horizontal coordinates

  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?

    ERA_STEWARD.TNC_Portfolio_Terr_Phase1

    OBJECTID
    Internal feature number. (Source: ESRI)

    Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.

    NAME
    Name of the conservation area.

    DESCR
    Description of the conservation area.

    FUNC_LEVEL
    In portfolios where there is more than one type of conservation area, this labels the class of area represented. "Sites" are areas in portfolio that delineate habitats containing adequate target abundance to meet target goals. Some portfolios have additional areas, streams, connectivity corridors, outlying small population or community occurrences targeted for protection, etc., as part of portfolio. Where these various areas other than "sites" are included, this attribute is used to label these for analysis or display or sensitivity issues.

    HAB_INT
    Habitat realms targeted in delineation of this site.

    SENSITIVE
    This data record does or does not contain sensitive information which should be withheld from distribution.

    SENS_COM
    If sensitive boundary = Y then the comment here should describe the sensitivity issue, i.e. the record should not be distributed for some reason.

    BND_COM
    General comment describing any modifications to original conservation area boundaries.

    BND_MOD
    Denotes whether the original boundaries of the conservation area have been modified.

    SITENUM
    A numerical identifier from the published ecoregional assessment, if used, to reference sties on maps or in published reports. Use of this field is optional.

    EANAME
    Name of the ecoregion the conservation area is located in. Use standard names used in EAST.

    EAAID
    ID corresponding to the ecoregion name. Use standard IDs used in EAST.

    SHAPE
    Feature geometry. (Source: ESRI)

    Coordinates defining the features.

    NOTES
    Notes

    REVIEW_DATE
    Date of last review.

    SHAPE.AREA

    SOURCEFIELD
    The field which stores identifiers for record in the source file of portfolio site boundaries used in this geodatabase.

    SHAPE.LEN

    REVIEWER_NAMES
    Names of those consulted during review resulting in boundary modification or sensitivity comment.

    SOURCERECID

    SOURCEFILE
    The file, shapefile, geodatabase, or coverage used as the master source file for portfolio site boundaries used in this geodatabase. These three fields (name of source file, name of ID field in source file, and source ID value) document the source of the sites used as the master. These should also be labelled in source data and metadata by CDNs so that a record can be traced back to its source.

    GLOBALID

Who produced the data set?

  1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)

  2. Who also contributed to the data set?

    The Nature Conservancy

  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?

    Steve Farone
    The Nature Conservancy
    Data Steward for Ecoregional Core Data

    (206) 343-4345 x359 (voice)
    sfarone@tnc.org

Why was the data set created?

The Ecoregional Portfolio Core Data Set provides The Conservancy with a unified model for storing and accessing priority information resulting from terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecoregional assessments. The geodatabase provides standardized data structures allowing TNC to rapidly develop new software tools and customized views of data using ArcGIS Server. Updating these data and conservation priorities will be made more efficient through sharing this standardized model.
Ecoregional Assessments are used to prioritize the places where The Nature Conservancy and our conservation partners should focus our work among the lands and waters in each ecoregion. They provide information that can help guide conservation strategies and help assess the value of conservation actions, including spatial "porfolios" of recommended conservation areas that are aggregated into this data set.
Ecoregional assessments, and the spatial portfolios of sites, are unique among planning data sets because they address the conservation of all biodiversity, including all life forms and all terrestrial or aquatic habitats, they provide a region-wide vision for "conservation success" using The Conservancy's goals-based approach; they are spatially explicit and identify a suite of priority landscapes for use in catalyzing conservation actions and tracking progress.

How was the data set created?

  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?

  2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?

    (process 1 of 5)
    Metadata imported.

    Data sources used in this process:

    • C:\DOCUME~1\AANDER~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\xml1E4.tmp

    (process 2 of 5)
    Dataset copied.

    Data sources used in this process:

    • Server=wosde.tnc.org; Service=5151; User=era_steward; Version=SDE.DEFAULT

    Date: 04-Dec-2008 (process 3 of 5)
    Dataset copied.

    Data sources used in this process:

    • Server=sdetest.tnc.org; Service=5151; User=ERA_STEWARD; Version=SDE.DEFAULT

    Date: 04-Dec-2008 (process 4 of 5)
    Dataset copied.

    Data sources used in this process:

    • Server=sdetest.tnc.org; Service=5151; User=ERA_STEWARD; Version=SDE.DEFAULT

    Date: 14-Dec-2008 (process 5 of 5)
    Dataset copied.

    Data sources used in this process:

    • Server=sdetest.tnc.org; Service=5151; User=ERA_STEWARD; Version=SDE.DEFAULT

  3. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?

How reliable are the data; what problems remain in the data set?

  1. How well have the observations been checked?

  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?

  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?

  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?

  5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?

How can someone get a copy of the data set?

Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?

Access_Constraints:
The Nature Conservancy reserves all rights in data provided. All data are provided as is. This is not a survey quality dataset; locations are estimated. The Nature Conservancy makes no warranty as to the currency, completeness, accuracy or utility of any specific data. This disclaimer applies both to individual use of the data and aggregate use with other data. It is strongly recommended that careful attention be paid to the contents of the metadata file associated with these data.
All records, including spatial polygons in this dataset marked by SENSITIVE=Y are reserved for internal TNC use only, and is not to be released or distributed to others without prior permission. The Nature Conservancy shall not be held liable for improper or incorrect use of the data described and/or contained herein. Any sale, distribution, loan, or offering for use of these digital data, in whole or in part, is prohibited without the approval of the Nature Conservancy. The use of these data to produce other GIS products and services with the intent to sell for a profit is prohibited without the written consent of the Nature Conservancy. All parties receiving these data must be informed of these restrictions. The Nature Conservancy shall be acknowledged as data contributors to any reports or other products derived from these data.
Use_Constraints:
Spatial Data Generalization:
Where species or natural community records are included in the data set, the precise location of these populations are not specifically referenced; rather, populations are merely indicated as present within the generalized areas of the portfolio sites. The procedure for the delineation and/or generalization of portfolio site boundaries varies by ecoregional assessment project included in this rollup of portfolios.
Sensitive Data:
Given that much of the species population locational information used in developing the portfolio was derived from licensed or protected data, we worked with stewards of these data (including the network of Natural Heritage Programs) to determine sensitivity issues including minimum portfolio site size criteria allowed for public distribution, private landowner information held as private information, and selected imperiled species or habitats which are held as sensitive information.
SENSITIVE field In the Portfolio Core Dataset, contains a flag to protect sensitive data from being publicly displayed or shared outside of The Conservancy without appropriate agreements in place. A sensitive data flag of SENSITIVE=Y is listed in the record for any individual portfolio site location to prevent that location from being distributed or viewed by the public. These data are reserved for internal use only and may be selectively released only when accompanied by a written agreement regarding appropriate use.
The Portfolio Core Dataset has been complied and will be maintained by staff of The Conservancy's Conservation Regions. The following individuals contacted the ecoregional assessment experts in their region and reviewed data sensitivity issues before approving public distribution of portfolio site boundaries listed as SENSITIVE=N to make these spatial data available for public viewing and distribution:
Eastern U.S. Conservation Region: Mark Anderson - Science Center Director Melissa Clark - Spatial Data Manager mclark@tnc.org
Southern U.S. Conservation Region: Rob Sutter - Science Director John Prince - GIS Manager jprince@tnc.org
Central U.S. Conservation Region: Joe Fargione - Science Director Mary Harkness - Region Information Manager mharkness@tnc.org
Rocky Mountains Conservation Region: Joe Kiesecker - Science Director Marcos Robles - Conservation Science Specialist mrobles@tnc.org
Pacific North America Conservation Region: Elizabeth Gray - Science and Conservation Director Steve Farone - Conservation Information Systems Manager sfarone@tnc.org

  1. Who distributes the data set?[Distributor contact information not provided.]

  2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set?

    TNC Ecoregional Portfolio Core Conservation Data Set developed by The Nature Conservancy

  3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?

  4. How can I download or order the data?

Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:
Last modified: 1901
Last Reviewed: 1901
To be reviewed: 1901
Metadata author:
Steve Farone
The Nature Conservancy
Data Steward for Ecoregional Core Data, Conservation Data and Information Systems Team, Conservation Strategies Division
1917 First Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101
USA

206-343-4345 ext 359 (voice)
sfarone@tnc.org

Metadata standard:
FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998)
Metadata extensions used:

Generated by mp version 2.9.6 on Sun Jan 04 21:35:44 2009