Highlights for March 5, 1998
USGS Center for Biological Informatics

I. Key Department News:

• USGS Briefs White House on South Africa Invasive Species Project: On February 25, James Getter (OBIO) assisted in briefing the Chief of Staff, Office of the Vice President, on a proposed South African invasive species project. Representatives from the CIA, the Director of NOAA, and the Office of the Vice President discussed policy implications, funding opportunities, and technical concerns related to the research proposal developed by Maury Nyquist (Chief, Data and Applications Branch, CBI). The research proposal was developed at the request of the Office of the Vice President through Mark Schaefer, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Water and Science, and James Devine, Senior Advisor for Science Applications, USGS. South African technical personnel are currently reviewing the proposal. (James Getter, Reston, 703/648-4206)

• NBII Metadata Profile Update: On March 11, Maury Nyquist (CBI), Chair, and Anne Frondorf (OBIO), Executive Secretary of the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) Biological Data Working Group will be leading the working group meeting hosted by EPA at their Systems Development Center in Arlington, VA. The major foci of the meeting are to: (1) start the process of harmonizing the Biological (National Biological Information Infrastructure [NBII]) Metadata Profile to the new version (2.0) of the FGDC Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata and to move the Biological Metadata Profile forward through the FGDC standards process, with the goal of making the Biological Metadata Profile an FGDC and, ultimately, an ISO standard; (2) establish a subworking group to develop guidance and tools to aid in the implementation of the Biological (NBII) Metadata Profile; and (3) hold a briefing on the Integrated Taxonomic Information System vis-à-vis its role in developing an FGDC Taxonomic Standard. (Maury Nyquist, Denver, 303/202-4217)

• USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Protocols Presented at CSU Seminar: On March 16, Maury Nyquist (CBI) will give an invited seminar at Colorado State University about the USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program and how the protocols, standards, data, information, and tools developed by the program contribute to the National Biological Information Infrastructure. The presentation will be delivered to an anticipated audience of 70-80 students and guests at Professor Roger Hoffer's Remote Sensing and GIS Seminar. (Maury Nyquist, Denver, 303/202-4217)

IV. Press/Media Inquiries: No report.