Data Management

Data Management and Database Standards


Data collected during natural resources inventory and monitoring projects must be stored in such a manner that it can be easily retrieved, and the source of the data readily determined. Data may consist of measures and counts of wildlife, vegetation, and natural features, and also includes maps and photographs. Regardless of whether data is collected digitally or by other means the data itself or a catalog describing its location is ultimately stored in an electronic database.

For information on IMAP Database Standards, please click on the following link:
Database Standards

For information on Data Themes and Layers, please click on the following link:
Data Themes and Layers
(MS Excel Spreadsheet)

Geographical Information Systems (GIS)

Inventory and monitoring projects generate data that is linked to specific park locations. Also, certain types of data, such as vegetation classification or wildlife habitat classification, can be presented in maps, along with physical features such as streams, roads, and topography. Geographic Information Systems are computer tools for managing and analyzing location and other inventory and monitoring data.

GIS support is available from the Natural Resources Division IMAP support team in Sacramento and at the Services. Many Districts also have GIS capability.

For more information about GIS, please click on the following link:
GIS

Global Positioning Systems (GPS)

An important tool for determining locations of inventory and monitoring sites in parks are Global Positioning System devices.

For more information about GPS, please click on the following link:
GPS

Data Analysis

Assessment of inventory and monitoring data is a primary goal of IMAP. Raw data can be interpreted in many ways, including statistical analysis and graphical depictions. There are many computer-based statistical analysis programs available. For many purposes, the standard Microsoft products, Excel and Access, can be used to prepare summary statistics and simple charts/graphs. For more complex statistical analysis IMAP currently uses commercially available statistical analysis programs, such as Systat.

At this time the NRD IMAP support team has performed limited data analysis. As field data is collected and assessments of that data conducted, information regarding that process will be described here.