NSDI

1. The U.S. National Spatial Data Infrastructure An Overview Douglas Nebert, Clearinghouse Coordinator Federal Geographic Data Committee NSDI

2. What is the NSDI? “. . .the technology, policies, standards, and human resources necessary to acquire, process, store, distribute, and improve the utilization of geospatial data.” NSDI

3. What is the NSDI? • Organizations and individuals • cooperating • Using electronic technology to help find • and share geographic information • Following mutually accepted standards • Developing common base themes of data NSDI

4. So that . . . . . .together we create networks of organizations and unified collections of data to ease decision-making for common pieces of geography. NSDI

5. Why do we need to build the NSDI? NSDI

6. Geospatial DataSome Examples Field Measurements Maps Remotely-sensed Images Spatially-referenced Data

7. Data • The most expensive investment for an organization • Created by many different organizations • To solve many different problems • Using many different methods and technologies NSDI

8. But . . . • Data are hard to find • Data are difficult to access • Data are hard to integrate • Data are not current • Data are undocumented • Data are incomplete NSDI

9. The vision of NSDI Current and accurate geospatial data will be readily available to contribute locally, nationally, and globally to economic growth, environmental quality and stability, and social progress NSDI

10. What steps can we take together to build the NSDI? How is the NSDI structured? NSDI

11. The NSDI is composed of Clearinghouse Metadata Geospatial data Partnerships Standards NSDI

12. These elements are linked in a very explicit way to assure the function of the enterprise. NSDI

13. The data provides a core... Geospatial Data NSDI

14. Categories of Geospatial Data • Community-developed data sets usually derived for a single purpose but made available for potential re-use • Data sets developed to a common content specification for high re-use potential. These are known as “Framework” data. NSDI

15. GEOdata Framework Categories of Geospatial Data NSDI

16. Framework provides. . . • a foundation to which spatial information and attributes can be added. • a base on which other themes of data can be compiled. • context to orient and link the results of analyses to the landscape NSDI

17. State Private Utilities Federal Local Hydrography Geodetic Cadastral Railroads Roads Boundaries Spatial Analysis Base for Other Data Finished Maps Framework Data Elevation and bathymetry Digital orthoimagery

18. Framework supports... • Community development of sets of spatial primitives, feature representation, and attribution to a lowest common denominator • Participants collecting or converting information to common Framework specifications • Multiple representations of real-world features at different scales and times by feature identifier and generalization NSDI

19. Framework implementation • Performed within thematic communities, composed of federal, local government, academic, and vendor contributions • Drafted and tested first on a local scale and propagated upwards to assure compatibility • Ownership does not fall to one organization but to a cooperative group NSDI

20. Metadata Describing your data... GEOdata Framework NSDI

21. The uses of metadata • Provides documentation of existing internal geospatial data resources within an organization (inventory) • Permits structured search and comparison of held spatial data by others (advertising) • Provides end-users with adequate information to take the data and use it in an appropriate context (liability) NSDI

22. Metadata developments • Refinement of the FGDC Metadata Standard • Harmonization with international standards • Collection tools available • Training available from FGDC NSDI

23. Metadata Content Standard • Published in 1994 as the Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata • Describes what fields and structures should be managed • Version 2 has minor additions, defines extensibility and profiling, formalizes “core” NSDI

24. Harmonization • CEN TC 287 (Geomatics in EU) draft metadata standard is based on FGDC • ANZLIC (Australia/New Zealand) is higher level standard related to FGDC • Canada and South Africa have adopted FGDC metadata in their catalog systems • Basis for ISO TC211 Metadata Standard NSDI

25. Collection tools for metadata • Recent survey revealed 18 individual metadata software systems available for entry and management of FGDC metadata • PC, UNIX, and Web-based solutions are available from non-commercial and commercial sources NSDI

26. Training for metadata • FGDC and Plangraphics, Inc. offer 90-minute to full-day training sessions on metadata with examples • A tutorial workbook of the Standard (the “green book”) is available from the FGDC NSDI

27. Clearinghouse (catalog) Making data discoverable... Metadata GEOdata Framework NSDI

28. Clearinghouse provides... • Discoveryof spatial data • Distributed search worldwide • Uniform interface for spatial data searches • Advertisingfor your data holdings NSDI

29. Clearinghouse operates as... • Entry point to constellation of servers • Collection of distributed Z39.50 servers • A virtual “Lycos” for geospatial data NSDI

30. This is all “Clearinghouse” Gateway NOAA Clearinghouse “Nodes” or Servers Web Client Arizona USGS NMD NRCS

31. Clearinghouse status • Over 40 registered sites--state, national and global collections • FGDC supporting work on Z39.50 server and client solutions using Web and Java • Training available from FGDC • Tutorial materials available on-line NSDI

32. Standards Consistent approaches... Clearinghouse (catalog) Metadata GEOdata Framework NSDI

33. Who builds standards? • FGDC Standards working group in partnership with . . . • FGDC Thematic subcommittees • Concerned organizations • Producers and users of geospatial data NSDI

34. Types of standards • Data content • Common classifications • Common collection criteria • Data management • Metadata • Spatial Data Transfer Standard (SDTS) NSDI

35. Standards update • Wetlands and Cadastral adopted • Standards in review • Metadata • Soils • SDTS Point Profile • Accuracy • Orthoimagery • Elevation NSDI

36. Standards under development • Base Cartographic • Cultural and Demographic Metadata • Geodetic Control Networks • Transportation Network Profile • RiverReach File Version 3.0 • Earth Cover Classification • Geologic • Facilities NSDI

37. Partnerships NSDI

38. Partnerships hold it all together NSDI

39. Partnerships Clearinghouse (catalog) Metadata GEOdata Framework Standards NSDI

40. Partners in FGDC • 15 Federal Agencies within the U.S. Government • 18 State or regional affiliated agencies • FGDC is Principal Member of the OpenGIS Consortium • Coordinates with the National Association of Counties (NACO) and National States Geographic Information Council (NSGIC) NSDI

41. Texas North Carolina Arizona Wyoming Nebraska New Jersey Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Minnesota Utah Alaska California Florida Vermont Michigan (IMAGIN) New Mexico Wisconsin Recognized State GIS Councils NSDI

42. Cooperative programs • Competitive Cooperative Agreements Program • Framework Demonstration Projects Program • NSDI Benefits Program NSDI

43. Working with stakeholdersto forge a common strategy to build a commoninfrastructure NSDI

44. The NSDI is built through the actions of thousandsof participants and is a model for development of a Common Spatial Data Infrastructure NSDI

45. Find out more . . . http://www.fgdc.gov NSDI