Highlights for August 15, 1997
USGS Center for Biological Informatics

I. Key Department News:

• Vegetation Mapping at Scotts Bluff: On August 4-8, a team from CBI (Karl Brown, Mike Mulligan, Tom Owens, and Ralph Root) traveled to Scotts Bluff National Monument in Nebraska to perform field data collection for an accuracy assessment of vegetation mapping of the Monument. Also participating in the field work were NPS personnel and contractors. Over 500 sample points were visited. Scotts Bluff National Monument is a pilot project for the USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program. Results of the accuracy assessment will be completed in September. (Tom Owens, Denver, 303/202-4259)
  
  
• USGS-NOAA-NPS Cooperative Hydrologic Study: From August 11-22, CBI will provide data processing support for a cooperative hydrologic study of the Loch Vale watershed at Rocky Mountain National Park. Ralph Root (CBI) is working with Benjamin Balk (Colorado State University graduate student) to develop a high-resolution digital elevation model and orthophotographs of six aerial photo missions over the Loch Vale watershed. These products will be used as a basis for quantifying the dynamics of snow field development and to estimate snowfield water content throughout the winter of 1996. Other cooperators in this multiagency project are Jill Baron (MESC), Don Cline (NOAA), and Larry Fairbank (RMMC). (Ralph Root, Denver, 303/202-4232)
  
  
• Vegetation Mapping Discussed with FWS: On August 13, CBI staff met with FWS Region 2 personnel in Albuquerque to discuss possible application of Vegetation Mapping Program procedures to FWS Refuges in the region. Maury Nyquist, Tom Owens (both CBI), James Getter (OBIO), Ric Reister (FWS), and Mike Story (NPS) participated in the discussions. (Tom Owens, Denver, 303/202-4259)
  
  
• Multiagency GPS Training Provided by USGS: On August 20-22, Karl Brown of CBI conducted the first USGS-sponsored national Global Positioning System training course for the Rockwell PLGR+96 receiver. The workshop was held in Lafayette, LA. Fourteen participants from various Federal agencies attended the course. (Karl Brown, Denver, 303/202-4240)

• USGS-NPS NBII Workshop: On August 20-22, Sharon Shin (CBI) and Jennifer Gaines (OBIO) will present a 2-1/2-day workshop on the National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII) Metadata Content Standard and NBII MetaMaker. USGS GD and BRD personnel, along with NPS personnel, are registered for the workshop, to be held at PIERC's Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Field Station. (Sharon Shin, Denver, 303/202-4230)

IV. Press/Media Inquiries: No report.

V. FOIA Requests: No report.