Content Sharing Protocols

 

iMapInvasives was created to serve as a resource to those working to abate the threat of invasive species. Therefore, invasive species location data will be shared with other like-minded entities in ways deemed appropriate by the iMapInvasives Executive Committee. The iMapInvasives Executive Committee reserves the right to set and/or modify Content-Sharing Protocols at any time at its sole discretion, with input from the iMapInvasives Network. These protocols

 

A. County Distribution Data

Includes Data From All Participating iMapInvasives States and Provinces

 

iMapInvasives will exchange confirmed and quality-controlled county distribution data for invasive species with database projects working to aggregate invasive species data (e.g. national or global databases).

 

B. Location-specific Data (points)

Includes Data From All Participating iMapInvasives States and Provinces

 

Location-specific data (points), including key fields, will be shared at the discretion of the iMapInvasives Executive Committee (e.g. iMapInvasives project staff intend to share location-specific data for aquatic species in public waters with U. S. Geological Survey Nonindigenous Aquatic Species [USGS NAS] project staff).

 

C. State/Province-Specific Custom Data Requests

 

Each participating state/province in the iMapInvasives Network has a Lead Partner Organization (LPO) responsible for administering iMapInvasives within their state/province. The LPO for each state/province will establish the terms and conditions for downloading and distributing their state/province data to partners, organizations, and individuals not covered in this document. Refer to the custom data sharing agreement template for examples of terms and conditions including, but not limited to: 

• Except in the state of Florida, requestors cannot display location-specific points on a publicly-accessible website.

• Requestors must acknowledge that lack of data for a specific location does not mean that invasive species are absent from that location.

• Requestors must acknowledge that the data are not intended to be used for regulatory, permitting, or commercial purposes

 

Examples of data download and distribution to partners, organizations, and individuals include but are not limited to:

• Serving the iMapInvasives data via an intranet to state agencies

• Downloading the data to graduate students working on invasive species issues

• Allowing individuals in charge of a geographic region to download iMapInvasives data for their region (e.g. county, watershed, PRISM [Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management], CWMA [Cooperative Weed Management Area], etc.)