The Future of Site Profiles: An Innovative Cross-Sector Approach to Incorporating End User and Reserve Needs - NERRS/NSC(NERRS Science Collaborative)

Description

This project brought renewed attention to reserve site profiles and supported the development of a modernized format that better aligns with and boosts the impact of reserve programs. The project Each reserve within the National Estuarine Research Reserve System maintains a specific site profile that synthesizes knowledge about its physical and biological characteristics to guide research and monitoring activities. Traditionally, the site profile has been a book or PDF, with limited support for a more interactive and modern interface design. The likely future addition of new reserves into the system, and the anticipated need to update many existing reserve site profiles, inspired the He'eia and Lake Superior reserves to develop a joint vision for a new site profile template with a user-driven interface design. This project team worked with the UW-Madison Division of Extension Evaluation Unit to conduct a survey of reserve staff and partners. The survey revealed that users wanted updated and relevant information in site profiles, wished for them to be digital and searchable, and wanted them to include cultural and historical content related to each reserve. Survey respondents also expressed moderate familiarity with reserve site profiles and noted that some characteristics such as technical language, ease of use, and accessibility could be improved to make them more appealing to both Reserve System staff and the general public. Working with contractors and reserve partners, the team developed a template and outline for a modernized web-based site profile, and a user guide with clear step by step instructions to create a digital profile. The updated site profile addresses the needs identified by the survey and focus groups, providing reserves with an option to include cultural and historical components of estuaries on their sites, as well as an optional section to identify future threats and corresponding research needs. Other key site profile features include ArcGIS mapping components and Zotero based bibliographies that allow for access to all citations in the site profiles. The project team found that overall awareness of site profiles can be increased by providing information via online messaging, local newsletters, local newspapers, and presentations in institutions affiliated with reserves.

Resources

Name Format Description Link
0 https://nerrssciencecollaborative.org/project/Erickson20
0 View the complete metadata record on InPort for more information about this dataset. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/71986
0 Online Resource http://www.nerrssciencecollaborative.org/project/Erickson20
0 Website listed for Office for Coastal Management https://www.coast.noaa.gov/
0 The information provided on this page seeks to define how the GCMD Keywords are structured, used and accessed. It also provides information on how users can participate in the further development of the keywords. https://www.earthdata.nasa.gov/learn/find-data/idn/gcmd-keywords
33 NOAA Data Management Plan for this record on InPort. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inportserve/waf/noaa/nos/ocm/dmp/pdf/71986.pdf

Tags

  • nerrs
  • office of coastal management
  • national ocean service
  • communication
  • science usability
  • noaa
  • wi
  • data visualization
  • doc/noaa/nos/ocm
  • u.s. department of commerce
  • hi
  • he'eia nerr
  • lake superior nerr

Topics

Categories