Highlights for June 27, 1997
USGS Center for Biological Informatics

I. Key Department News:

• Counting Butterflies: On June 29 and July 6, Dr. Paul Opler (CBI) will participate in two butterfly counts, one in Fort Collins and one in Gilpin County, Colorado, respectively. The counts, in their 21st year, are sponsored by the North American Butterfly Association. Count results are published each spring. In 1996, more than 300 separate counts were conducted in North America. (Paul Opler, Fort Collins, CO, 970/226-9409)
  
  
• CBI Scientist to Address Lepidopterists' Society Meeting: From July 9 to 13, Paul Opler will attend the 50th annual meeting of the Lepidopterists' Society at Yale University, New Haven, CT. Dr. Opler will moderate a symposium on Conservation and Outreach during which he will present a paper entitled "Inventory and Monitoring of Lepidoptera [butterflies and moths]." Dr. Opler will also attend a meeting of a standing committee of scientific names of North American butterflies, of which he is a member. (Paul Opler, Fort Collins, CO, 970/226-9409)
  
  
• New CBI Center Director: Dr. Mark D. Fornwall has accepted the position of Director, Center for Biological Informatics (CBI). Dr. Fornwall will join us on July 21, 1997, and will spend several weeks working in Reston before taking up permanent residence in Denver. Dr. Fornwall's current position is in the Department of Energy (DOE), Oak Ridge, as the Assistant Manager for Departmental Relations and Program Development, Office of Scientific and Technical Information. In this position, he is responsible for development of Departmental scientific and technical information policies and procedures, establishment of regional and local partnerships for information management, liaison with other Federal agencies and international organizations, and development of information products. (Terry D'Erchia, Denver, 303/202-4264)

• CBI Provides Biological Standards Assistance to DOD: During the week of June 23, Maury Nyquist of CBI consulted with Laurel Gorman of the Army Corps of Engineers Waterways Experiment Station, Vicksburg, MS, regarding the use of biological standards for inventory, monitoring, and management of Department of Defense (DOD) installations. The DOD's objective is to use existing standards where they meet their installation management needs. Of particular interest to Ms. Gorman was the feasibility of using the Federal Geographic Data Committee National Vegetation Classification and Wetlands Classification Standards. Dr. Nyquist explained how these standards were successfully being used in the USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program and further noted that the application of these standards should meet DOD needs. He suggested that Ms. Gorman follow up with Gary Waggoner of CBI regarding the Integrated Taxonomic Information System, a database that offers quality taxonomic information on aquatic and terrestrial flora and fauna. (Maury Nyquist, Denver, 303/202-4217)

IV. Press/Media Inquiries:

• Garden Variety UFO Sighting: On June 20, Paul Opler of CBI was featured in a Fort Collins Coloradoan article regarding a tiny unidentified flying object sipping nectar in local gardens. Dr. Opler explained that the hummingbird-like creature is actually the white-lined sphinx moth--and noted that at least 20 species of sphinxes occur in the local vicinity. He pointed readers to the NPSC Web page <http://www.npsc.nbs.gov/resource/distr/lepid/moths/mothsusa.htm>, "Moths of the United States," and to <http://www.mesc.nbs.gov/butterfly.html>, the highly acclaimed MESC "Children's Butterfly Site." (Paul Opler, Fort Collins, CO, 970/226-9409)
  

• National Audubon Society Wildflowers Nature Guide: On June 23, Gary Waggoner of CBI responded to a request for information by the National Audubon Society regarding contacts for a section on endangered wildflowers in an upcoming North American Wildflower Nature Guide. Among other suggestions, Waggoner pointed to The Nature Conservancy and State Heritage programs, accessible through the BRD Home Page. (Gary Waggoner, Denver, 303/202-4222)

• CBI Scientist to be Featured in Career World Magazine: On June 25, Harvey Fleet of CBI was contacted by Career World Magazine regarding an upcoming article on Federal Government employees. The interview will be scheduled over the next 2 weeks. Career World is aimed at high school students seeking information on possible future careers. (Harvey Fleet, Denver, 303/202-4224)