Highlights for September 12, 1997
USGS Center for Biological Informatics

I. Key Department News:

• USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Pilot Completed: During the week of September 8, Ralph Root, along with Karl Brown and Tom Owens, all of CBI, completed the accuracy assessment and metadata documentation for the Tuzigoot National Monument vegetation map, completing the project. The Monument, located in north-central Arizona, is a prototype for the desert ecosystem. The site was one of the first mapping efforts of the USGS-NPS cooperative project. (Ralph Root, Denver, 303/202-4232)
  
  
• Children's Butterfly Site Continues to Garner Praise: The Children's Butterfly Site, built at the request of the Office of Biological Informatics and Outreach by CBI biologist Paul Opler and a team of MESC technical support staff, continues to attract considerable visitation and attention on the Web. Visits averaged 4,000 a month over the summer, with about 1,000 visitors each month. And with school back in session, visitation rates should go up sharply. Recently, the site has been selected by Supersites for Kids, Metronet's Kids Log on @ the Library, Wiz-kidz.com links, Students' Favorite Links, Teacher Resources, Children's Zone, Kids' Corner, Lifestyle U.K.-Home Life Kids, Kids' Stuff, and a British T.V. site. (Paul Opler, Fort Collins, CO, 970/226-9409)
  

• USGS Participates in NSGIC Conference: On September 16, Susan Stitt (CBI) will present "Metadata Tools" to the 7th Annual Conference of the National States Geographic Information Council (NSGIC). Members of NSGIC include delegations of senior state geographic information systems managers from across the United States. The NSGIC conference, "Rising to the Challenge: Ideas, Solutions, Actions," will provide attendees with the opportunity to voice concerns about current geographic information system issues and to learn about tools. Stitt's presentation will focus on the results of the recent Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) Tools Survey, which determined the capabilities of specific metadata tools. She will also present information on MetaMaker, the metadata documentation tool developed by the National Biological Information Infrastructure. The Federal Geographic Data Committee is sponsoring Stitt's travel for this presentation. (Susan Stitt, Denver, 303/202-4234)
  

IV. Press/Media Inquiries:

• Get Me To the Church On Time--But Leave the Butterflies Home: On September 5, renown butterfly expert Paul Opler was interviewed for an article that will appear in the November-December issue of National Audubon Magazine. The story focuses on the recent trend to release butterflies at special events--in particular, as a substitute for the traditional rice shower as the bride and groom leave the church. Opler addresses the potential negative impacts of moving monarch butterflies from one part of the country to another and releasing them at weddings. (Paul Opler, Fort Collins, CO, 970/226-9409)