Science Centres: Environmental Information

Welcome to the December 2011 Environmental Information Update.

In this edition we feature four closely-related stories about the work NIWA is doing to improve the collection, storage and accessibility of environmental information.

Metadata – information about how, where, when and by whom environmental information has been collected – is vitally important to researchers, as it enables them to assess the reliability and comparability of the information they are using.

Following several years' intensive effort, NIWA is now making station metadata (SIMS) and dataset metadata (DC) available through standard web services, using its environmental information (EI) browser as a prototype tool for discovery. Find out more in the articles below. 

SIMS draws critical station meta-information together

NIWA has developed a Station Information Management System (SIMS) that stores meta-information on a large number of New Zealand's current and historic environmental monitoring stations.

Data catalogue opens treasure trove of environmental metadata

A new NIWA Data Cataloguing System (DC) enables scientists to register a collected dataset immediately upon their return from a field survey, and gives stakeholders instant access to that information.

New partnership to smooth access to New Zealand’s environmental information

NIWA has joined forces with GNS Science, Landcare Research and the New Zealand Geospatial Office to harmonise systems for storing, categorising and accessing vital information on New Zealand's environment. The move will significantly lift the ability of scientists, research agencies and other end users to access and share information, reducing duplication of effort and enhancing cooperation.

New web portal for discovery of NIWA meta-information

A new information portal developed by NIWA allows anyone to find details on a growing range of environmental metadata held in our station (SIMS) and data catalogues (DC).