Harvesting Information to Sustain our Forests

Harvesting Information to Sustain our ForestsDavid Maier

Many thanks to Lois Delcambre, Tim Tolle andthe rest of the team for slidesApril 19, 2002

Project FactoidsDuration: 3 yearsFunding: NSF (Digital Government, SGER, REU), US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park ServiceParticipants:Adaptive Management Areas (Tim Tolle)Oregon Graduate Institute (Lois Delcambre, David Maier, Patty Toccalino, Fred Phillips, Niki Steckler, Marianne Koch)Portland State University (Len Shapiro)UNLV (Craig Palmer)Natural Resource Information Specialist (Eric Landis) Federal Agencies: Forest Service (Northwest Region), PNW Research Station, Bureau of Land Management, National Science Foundation, Fish and Wildlife ServiceLocation: Western Washington, Oregon and California

AdaptiveManagementAreas

Adaptive Managementof Forest LandsMonitor:GatherInformationContinuousManagementEvaluate(LessonsLearned)ActPlan &SetDirections

Adaptive Forest Management PortalMake information developed by and relevant to AMAs available and easily searchable by a range of usersForest scientistsResource managersAre concentrating on documentsAgencies do well with GIS dataNot as great interest in base data as in interpretations and analyses of that dataSeries of portalstoy portaltest portalprototype portaldeployed portal

What We Need to Build the PortalTechnology piecesTry to use existing systems as much as possible

Net-accessible document storageHope that ultimately most document producers will maintain their own repositoriesBut need a separate document manager short term and for orphan documentsBrowser-based upload is good

Document IdentificationHalf-life of a URL is 63 daysWhat can we pass out to users that is a reliable reference?Digital Object Identifier (DOI)Publishers assign, public resolution servicesLimitation: Can only give DOIs to own worksHandlesBasis for DOIsLimitation: Have to run your own resolution service

Notional ArchitectureDocumentProxies

Metadata++

PortalPagesExternalRepositoryInternalRepositoryDocumentRegistration &UploadDocumentAcceptanceMetadataProvisioningSearch &Browse

Beyond the BasicsFull-text keyword search

Geographic selection and display (more later)

End-user Collection, Linking, Annotation: Capture added value from efforts of usersAll documents (or document fragments) on stream restoration and bull troutForward links from analysis to restoration planMaybe even recombinant documents

Development of Additional Technology and Domain KnowledgeUser ScenariosControlled vocabulariesMetadata modelSupport for metadata attachment and metadata-based browsingExploiting structure within documents.Other work underwayInhibitors and promoters of information sharing in organizationsPortal business modelsGIS interface

Requirements InterviewsWorkshopsFocus groupsTarget User:Natural resource managerTarget Information:DocumentsArticulation of domains of interestIdentification of controlled vocabulariesEvaluation of controlled vocabulariesIdentification of cross-referencesIdentification of functional relationshipsRequirements InterviewsUser scenariosGathering Knowledge

AFIDkeywords.docmistletoesroot diseasesrots and decaysfoliage diseasescankersrustsseedling diseasesbark beetleswood borersdefoliatorsseed and cone insectsshoot and twig insectssucking insectssilvicultural treatmentsthinningsalvagesanitationpruning

esa_terms.xls (excerpt)ActActionAction AreaAffect/effectAnticipated/allowable/authorizedApplicantBest available scientific & commercial dataBiodiversityBiological AssessmentBiological opinionCandidate speciesCandidate Conservation Agreement with AssurancesCITESConferenceConservationConservation measuresConservation plan

Conservation recommendationsConstituent elementsCritical habitatCumulative effects (ESA)Cumulative effects (ESA)DelistDestruction or adverse modification of critical habitatDirectorDistinct Population SegmentDownlistEarly consultationEcosystemEffects of the actionEndangered speciesEnvironmental baselineESA

climate_terms.xls (excerpt)CLIMATE - TERMSABSOLUTE TEMPERATUREADVECTIONADIABATICAIR MASSALBEDOANEMOMETERANNUAL FLOODANOMALYARIDITYASPECTBARBAROMETERBIOCLIMATICBOWEN RATIO

BPI PANBULK DENSITYCLASS A PANCLIMATOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONCONVECTIONDAILY MEANDAYDEGREEDEGREE DAYDEWDEW POINTDROUGHTDRY BULB THERMOMETEREVAPOTRANSPIRATIONFETCH

Provinces

Multiple CVs for a domain, cross-referencedSimilarity searchMultiple thesauri with distinct relationshipsMetadata attachment SearchKnowledge EntryKnowledge BrowsingBuilding Knowledge ManagementTechnology

Knowledge Management TechnologyComputer Science TeamThesaurus++ new version of Metadata++

MetaData eXtract (MDX) semi-automated assistance for finding keywords

Superimposed Schematics conceptual browsing & searching of individual documents

Thesaurus++: Terms & Relationships

Thesaurus++: Terms & Relationshipssynonym relationships

Thesaurus++: Terms & Relationshipsfunctional relationships similarity search!

Thesaurus++Broader-term-narrower-term

Exploited by the search (on user request)If you attach a narrow termattach all broader terms as wellIf you search for a termsearch for all narrow terms as well

Thesaurus++Broader-term-narrower-term

But different users might want to group terms different ways

Can this work? Yeswe support multiple perspectives

Search: Blue terms wild card, black terms mandatoryShows the attachment path for the document

Templates for Metadata EntryLocationClimateKeywordsSoilHydrologyPlanningAuthorizing Location

New Activity:Exploiting GIS ServicesWant to take advantage of GIS interfaces and functionalityUses in connection with Metadata++Term selection: Using user-selected areas on GIS dataset to produce search termsRelationship server: Use GIS to produce related location terms, e.g., spatial synonymsResult display: Represent found documents as an additional layer user can view in GISAll rely on knowing a location term/region ID correspondence

Geographic SelectionMetadata++

Search & Browse location terms & relationshipsGISGISDataMap-basedterm selectionselectedregionIDslocation term-region IDcorrespondence

Relationship DeterminationMetadata++

Term Navigation location terms & relationshipsGISGISDataGIS-basedrelationshipsrelatedregionIDslocation term-region IDcorrespondenceregionIDs

Result DisplayMetadata++

Result Display location terms & relationshipsGISGISDataMap-baseddisplayregionIDslocation term-region IDcorrespondenceSelected Documents

MetaData eXtractMetadata attachment may take some time MDX helps by suggesting terms from Thesaurus ++ Results are suggested to the user interactivelyThe district silviculturalist at the McKenzie Ranger District on the Willamette National Forest is working on an EIS for a timber sale located within the upper McKenzie watershed. During the scoping process, the silviculturalist and rest of the IDT identified two areas in particular where the objectives would be to promote and accelerate the development of late successional characteristics over time. Both areas are located within Douglas-fir forest types; one within a Western hemlock/dwarf Oregon grape plant association, or potential vegetation type, and one in a riparian reserve that has a plant association of Western hemlock/Oregon oxalis......McKenzie Ranger DistrictWillamette National ForestDouglas-firWestern hemlockpotential vegetation

What is a match?Mackenzie Ranger DistrictWillamette National Forest

The district silviculturalist at the McKenzie Ranger District on the Willamette National Forest is working on an EIS for a timber sale located within the upper McKenzie watershed. During the scoping process, the silviculturalist and rest of the IDT identified two areas in particular where the objectives would be to promote and accelerate the development of late successional characteristics over time. Both areas are located within Douglas-fir forest types; one within a Western hemlock/dwarf Oregon grape plant association, or potential vegetation type, and one in a riparian reserve that has a plant association of Western hemlock/Oregon oxalis......

Western hemlock/dwarf Oregon grapeWestern HemlockWestern hemlock/dwarf Oregon grape-salalWestern hemlock/dwarf Oregon grape/Oregon oxalis

Exact matches are importantBut what about partial matches?

Standard MetadataPathTermRegion 5Location/USFS LandsKlamath ForestLocation/USFS Lands/Region 5ContextTermDouglas Fir...within Douglas-fir forest types; one ...McKenzie Ranger District...silviculturalist at the McKenzie Ranger District on...Woody debrisper acre and amount of downed woody debris left in the stands wouldThesaurus++ TermsAMA PORTAL PROJECT PRESCRIPTION SCENARIOTim TolleAuthorTitle::Attached MetadataMDX Suggested Terms

Schematics: Decision Letter

Schematics: Review Letter

The Appeal Decision SchematiclocdescissueraddressroletitlerespondentFor1:*0:*1:10:*0:*1:11:11:11:10:11:11:11:11:*AppealDecisiondateAppealresultidnumconcernIssuecoverDecisionDecidingOfficerresponseDeterminationresolveReviewingOfficerAppellantbehalfOrganizationstatusdescreviewrequestregardtitlerespondentFordescdefine0:*0:*1:11:*1:11:*

Part of a Populated SchematicDecision (D1)AppealDecision (AD1)cover (c1)datelocissuerconcern (n1)Appeal (A1)regard (r1)define (d1)Issue (I1)

Part of a (different) Populated SchematicDetermination(D1)resolve(r1)Issue (I2)Appeal (A1)define (d1)define (d2)define (d3)Determination(D1)resolve(r1)Issue (I2)Determination(D1)resolve(r1)Issue (I2)

Querying a Superimposed SchematicIssue [AppealDecision(id="1570-1-0032-10").concern(order=1)] The decision violates the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA). The illegal advisory committee played a central role in influencing the Forest Service Decision.

Issue [AppealDecision(id="1570-1-0032-10").concern(order=2)] The decision significantly reduces hunting opportunity and habitat for deer and elk.

Issue [AppealDecision(id="1570-1-0035-13").concern(order=1)] The District Ranger's decision is not in accordance with the legal requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act, the National Forest Management Act, and the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act.

Issue [AppealDecision(id="1570-1-0038-19").concern(order=1)] Current stand condition is not adequately addressed, impacts on soil quality are not addressed, and that impacts to various species are not considered, including several late successional species, survey and manage species, and management indicator species.For Appeal Decisions made in the last two years, what Appellant Issues were raised for Decisions concerning the Mount Hood National Forest

The focus of this effort is on the Adaptive Management Areas. These areas were selected because they already have the cultural and administrative wherewithal to participate in a cutting edge program. They are marriages of federal land managers (BLM, FS, FWS) to scientists and publics. The land areas were established by the NW Forest Plan as places to test new ideas in real forestry situations. They are charged with learning how to strive for sustainable development, collaborate and partner, do ecosystem based management and adaptive management.

One of the issues we have with any large project, such as this one, is what Marsha Scutvick calls SCOPE CREEP. Scope creep is where the project scope creeps to be something bigger than originally envisioned or needed. This usually happens early in the project when people begin to see all the possibilities and start asking for moreI am holding out for the geographic scope of this to be the 10 Adaptive Management Areas. We will actually experiment with just three of the sites. Later we will add the remainder to the system, as well as the National parks, experimental forests, or at least, their findings. With regard to the rest of the Forest Service and the BLM, this scope can serve as a pilot and as a model for them.As the name implies, Adaptive Management Areas are established to learn how to do adaptive management, in the formal sense. This is what we used to call decision support only we want so much more today. As Kai Lee wrote, adaptive management depends upon both the compass and the gyroscope to get us where we want to be: that is we need direction and we need to remain upright. We need science and we need peoples values. Adaptive Mgt Area partnerships include federal land managers, ecological and social scientists, and people from local communities. Through these partnerships and the pursuit of a more science based management, these areas model the desired future of federal land management. Possible Interface