CoastGIS’99: geomatics and coastai environment
Are these issues being addressed?
Access to data
The provision for access to data and information is beginning to be
tackled at both a regional and national levels. Building networking
initiatives is an effective way of promoting the flow of information
and utilising the appropriate knowledge base.
On a national scale, the National Biodiversity Network (NBN) is a
new networking initiative that was set up in April 1999, and aims to
establish an electronic network of linked wildlife databases across the
UK. It addresses many of the data access issues raised cluring the workshop by relying on:
- the formation of partnerships between users and producers of information, with mutual input from both parties to aid co-operation and
agreement;
- data ownership remaining with local and national custodians who
will be responsible for managing databases within the partnerships.
This will help provide a local and national context within which to view
the data;
- developing a framework of standards and best practice guidelines,
with input from both users and producers of data.
This last point is important for a number of reasons, for example to facilitate information exchange. It will also establish data collection guidelines so that data can realise their full potential, and not be bound
by use only within a specific project. In addition, it will help to address
copyright issues, which are especially important when dealing with
sensitive data, e.g. breeding sites of rare species. Further information
is available from http:lluiunv.nbn.org.uk.
On a regional scale, the promotion of Smart communities’ has illustrated
how this can be done. Brian Shipman (Cornwall County Council) defines
a ‘Smart community’ as one “in which specialist scientific knowledge and
local understanding of coastal systems can exist side by side, and inform
each other” (Heeps & Willis, 1999)- This ‘grass roots’ involvement is vital
if networks are to be successful on a regional or national scale. This theme
also emerged strongly from the Info-Coast’99 symposium (1999).
The Cornwall Coastline Environment Research Forum is an example
of an initiative which was set up to promote the benefits of ‘Smart
communities’ by developing communication between scientists, managers
and the local community. Similar Forums have been initiated elsewhere
across the UK although, as yet, not widely.
A recent report, produced by Construction Industry Research and
Information Association (CIRIA) earlier this year, also contributes to
addressing the problems of data accessibility and compatibility for data
exchange. The MUSEC report - ‘Maximising the Use and Exchange of
Coastal data - a guide to good practice’ (Millard & Sayers, 1999) has
the following objectives:
- to produce guidance and recommendations for organizations who
undertake coastal monitoring and coastal data collection on the consis62
Are these issues being addressed?
Access to data
The provision for access to data and information is beginning to be
tackled at both a regional and national levels. Building networking
initiatives is an effective way of promoting the flow of information
and utilising the appropriate knowledge base.
On a national scale, the National Biodiversity Network (NBN) is a
new networking initiative that was set up in April 1999, and aims to
establish an electronic network of linked wildlife databases across the
UK. It addresses many of the data access issues raised cluring the workshop by relying on:
- the formation of partnerships between users and producers of information, with mutual input from both parties to aid co-operation and
agreement;
- data ownership remaining with local and national custodians who
will be responsible for managing databases within the partnerships.
This will help provide a local and national context within which to view
the data;
- developing a framework of standards and best practice guidelines,
with input from both users and producers of data.
This last point is important for a number of reasons, for example to facilitate information exchange. It will also establish data collection guidelines so that data can realise their full potential, and not be bound
by use only within a specific project. In addition, it will help to address
copyright issues, which are especially important when dealing with
sensitive data, e.g. breeding sites of rare species. Further information
is available from http:lluiunv.nbn.org.uk.
On a regional scale, the promotion of Smart communities’ has illustrated
how this can be done. Brian Shipman (Cornwall County Council) defines
a ‘Smart community’ as one “in which specialist scientific knowledge and
local understanding of coastal systems can exist side by side, and inform
each other” (Heeps & Willis, 1999)- This ‘grass roots’ involvement is vital
if networks are to be successful on a regional or national scale. This theme
also emerged strongly from the Info-Coast’99 symposium (1999).
The Cornwall Coastline Environment Research Forum is an example
of an initiative which was set up to promote the benefits of ‘Smart
communities’ by developing communication between scientists, managers
and the local community. Similar Forums have been initiated elsewhere
across the UK although, as yet, not widely.
A recent report, produced by Construction Industry Research and
Information Association (CIRIA) earlier this year, also contributes to
addressing the problems of data accessibility and compatibility for data
exchange. The MUSEC report - ‘Maximising the Use and Exchange of
Coastal data - a guide to good practice’ (Millard & Sayers, 1999) has
the following objectives:
- to produce guidance and recommendations for organizations who
undertake coastal monitoring and coastal data collection on the consis62