Landscape Conservation Cooperatives (LCCs) have a critical need for information management processes that facilitate science product (i.e., data, analysis and decision tools, documents) sharing; data storage, security, and dissemination; and project tracking, communication and collaboration tools (Arctic LCC 2010, North Atlantic LCC 2011, Southern Rockies LCC 2011, California LCC 2011). LCCs and their partners are already developing and using a wide variety of data management systems to address LCC and project needs, but the LCC Network and all partners need better coordination across these efforts to develop and share common standards and services, improving the intellectual exchange needed to achieve the LCC mission. In addition, LCC information management effort must be interoperable with the National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center (NCCWSC) and other landscape‐level project management systems if we are to effectively and adaptively manage our natural resources. Earlier assessments of information management options suggest that the most cost efficient approach involves working with existing information resources rather than building new portals (Climate and Development Knowledge Network 2012). By expanding the functionality of existing resources in novel ways, as well as integrating disparate information resources, the LCC Network can ensure an immediate impact on the information management needs of the various cooperatives. Because of the large number of information resources in development and use there is a great need for a formalized guidance on how integration should occur. This project proposed to develop a Framework while working to federate a select suite of existing hardware and software resources and initiate an efficient Integrated Data Management Network (IDM Network) of tools and services that digitally link LCCs with Climate Science Centers (CSCs), USFWS and NPS Inventory & Monitoring programs, and the broad array of public and private partners contributing to large landscape conservation. The IDM Network was intended to develop the roadmap to seamless access of data, processing software, and tracking frameworks leading to end‐to‐end, science‐to‐management communication and delivery mechanisms. Investigators proposed to create two important products to accompany the Framework: 1) a demonstration‐level application of the Framework that federates a small selection of data tools and services, and 2) detailed user‐guides (text, webinar, and video) to facilitate practitioner use of the networked tools and services and set the standard for user‐guides supporting the IDM Network. The collective implementation of these capabilities will provide for an information management system expansion that is broadly applicable across the 22 LCCs. This project was designed to expand existing natural resource information systems that are directly applicable to the researchers and managers associated with LCCs, and integrate multiple information management and delivery systems.
