[Taxacom] Survey Results: Dealing with Sensitive Species Occurrence Data

[taxacom2 at achapman.org]

Doug

That would begin to solve the problem for one small portion of the community that may need access to such information.  It would appear to be a worthwhile first step.

>From the Survey, however, data providers saw a great need for access to such data to be provided to environmental managers, conservation biologists, etc.  Several suggested that we need a way of registering bona-fide researchers/people that could be used as part of a verification system - some what analagous to PayPal verifying users.  I believe our problem is far more difficult to handle though than financials. What we need it would appear is a system somewhat parallel to a credit rating!  A "data credit rating" that providers can access.  It could be built up over time but would need to be developed very carefully due to privacy etc.  (We have seen some of the problems with credit rating systems). If it was a voluntary opt in/opt out system one may be able to get around some of the problems involved.

It could involve registering/applying and then require endorsement from a recognized institution.  Any abuse would immediately remove the person from the list.

Just a suggestion

Arthur D. Chapman
Toowoomba, Australia

>From Doug Yanega <dyanega at ucr.edu> on 13 Jul 2006:

> >If anyone out there does have some ideas on how to do what Anita 
> >asks, then please discuss them here and we will add them to the 
> >final reports.
> 
> For many years, I have advocated a non-profit professional Society 
> for taxonomists (one that does NOT require dues). Criteria for 
> membership should be simple but explicit, such as signing off on a 
> formal agreement that includes clauses to the effect of (1) their 
> research is non-commercial (2) their research will be published 
> exclusively in peer-reviewed journals that the entire Society has 
> formally approved as publication venues (3) all of their work is 
> ICxN-compliant, including deposition of type material, and (4) 
> violation of conditions 1, 2, or 3 after signing would be grounds for 
> expulsion. Such criteria would allow for all those "honorable 
> amateurs" to be part of the Society, though it would ironically 
> exclude a number of active professionals, whose work does not comply 
> with points 2 and/or 3.
> 
> Ultimately, the idea would be that membership in the Society would 
> confer certain privileges and priorities, and access to sensitive 
> species data could be one such privilege (among many). If doctors and 
> lawyers can set professional standards, so can we.
> 
> Sincerely,
> -- 
> 
> Doug Yanega        /Dept. of Entomology         /Entomology Research
> Museum
> Univ. of California - Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521-0314
> phone: (951) 827-4315 (standard disclaimer: opinions are mine, not
> UCR's)
>               http://cache.ucr.edu/~heraty/yanega.html
>    "There are some enterprises in which a careful disorderliness
>          is the true method" - Herman Melville, Moby Dick, Chap. 82
> 
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