Highlights for June 20, 1997
USGS Center for Biological Informatics

I. Key Department News:

• CBI Virtually Hosts Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk Web Site: On June 13, Peter Strong of CBI and Philip Thomas of PIERC completed creation of a new Internet domain and Web site (http://www.hear.org) for HEAR, the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project. Funded by USGS BRD, HEAR provides technology, methods, and information to resource managers to aid in the fight against invasive alien species in Hawaii. While HEAR is based at the CPSU office at the University of Hawaii with a satellite location at PIERC's Haleakala National Park Field Station, the Web site runs as a "virtual host" housed at CBI. Virtual host technology allows multiple Web sites to run from a single physical Web server. (Peter Strong, Denver, 303/202-4246)


• CBI Sponsors FGDC National Vegetation Classification Standard Training: On June 16-19, CBI hosted a training session on the "Application of the Federal Geographic Data Committee National Vegetation Classification Standard" in conjunction with the USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program. Approximately 25 individuals from USGS BRD, NPS, FWS, BOR, and the Army Corps of Engineers, as well as Gap Analysis Program cooperators from universities, The Nature Conservatory, and State Heritage Programs attended the lecture and field sessions. The proximal goal of the session was to present and refine a training program for the growing number of professionals and managers in Federal, State, academic, and private sectors who need to understand the National Vegetation Classification Standard for application to vegetation inventory, classification, and mapping. The ultimate goal is to facilitate Board-based understanding and use of the system, and long-term refinement and maintenance to facilitate development of compatible vegetation datasets for the country. (Maury Nyquist, Denver, 303/202-4217)

II. Agency Works on Presidential Initiatives:

• New Tool Demonstrated at FGDC National Vegetation Classification Standard Training Session: A Plots Database tool under development for the USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program was demonstrated and underwent hands-on testing as part of the Federal Geographic Data Committee National Vegetation Classification Standard Training session. The Plots Database will be used for entering field data for the maintenance, support and refinement of the National Vegetation Classification Standard, as well as for use in the USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program. It is envisioned that this tool will be made available to others in a variety of forms, as well as over the World Wide Web as part of the National Biological Information Infrastructure. (Maury Nyquist, Denver, 303/202-4217)
  

III. Notable Congressional Activity: No report.

IV. Press/Media Inquiries: No report.

V. FOIA Requests: No report.