Is NatureServe Vista only good for biodiversity conservation or can I use it for other kinds of conservation like Green Infrastructure?
The focus of NatureServe Vista's methodology and software is biodiversity, but the NatureServe Vista framework has the power and flexibility to allow users to conduct conservation planning for other culturally-valued elements, including:
Non-threatened species of economic and cultural importance
"Heritage" trees of specimen size and age
Archaeological sites
Historic farms
Scenic view areas or features
Prime agricultural areas
Characteristic natural areas lacking conservation quality for biodiversity or legal protection
In order for a culturally-valued element to be considered for inclusion on the list of elements evaluated in planning for the region, the element must meet a set of criteria designed to ensure that the element has the necessary attributes for conservation planning analyses. These include 1) element can be mapped with distinct spatial boundaries, 2) element can be attributed like other biological elements in terms of viability/integrity of occurrences and data confidence, 3) element can be weighted in conservation importance relative to other elements, 4) element can have quantitative representation goals and 5) element is compatible with the other biological elements conserved at the same location.
What is the appropriate scale for applications of NatureServe Vista?
NatureServe Vista was designed to operate at multiple scales -- from small local applications to larger regional applications. Because spatial analysis is sensitive to data resolution, the main issue is whether you have sufficiently precise data to support your scale of analysis.
What expertise do I need to have in order to effectively use NatureServe Vista?
A variety of skills will be needed to effectively implement the full range of functions available in NatureServe Vista. Individuals may possess more than one skill, so the following list should not be interpreted as representing the number of team members required. Needed skills also depend on the analyses to be performed. A general list of desired skills would include: project coordination and management, geographic information services, data management, metadata documentation, terrestrial ecology, terrestrial zoology, aquatic ecology, aquatic zoology, and non-biological domain expertise such as farmland conservation, archaeological sites, etc.
How long would it take for my organization to get initial results using NatureServe Vista?
By far, the most time consuming step in the planning process will be the priority setting and data gathering phases that are preliminary to actually using NatureServe Vista. How NatureServe Vista will be used can have a great influence on the type of data required and tailoring the database to user needs will save time and money. Most projects begin with collecting information: what questions do you hope to address using NatureServe Vista and what data are required to answer them. Data typically required include geographic information system (GIS) data layers and stakeholders values. The actual processing time for individual analyses will vary, depending on the complexity of the problem you are attempting to address, the precision of your data sets, and the overall size of your planning area.
How much hard disk space is needed to run NatureServe Vista?
100 MB of hard disk space is required to install NatureServe Vista. An additional 200 MB is needed for Microsoft's .NET framework 1.1, which is required to run NatureServe Vista. Like other GIS applications, NatureServe Vista will also require additional hard disk space for data storage. The amount required will depend on the size of your application and the amount of data involved.
Do you offer a site license version of NatureServe Vista?
NatureServe offers individual licenses of NatureServe Vista. Site licenses are not available at this time.
What types of data are required to run NatureServe Vista?
Geographic information system (GIS) layers form the backbone of the NatureServe Vista database, but additional non-spatial information is also required, including weights indicating social values and goals for element conservation. The scale of the data and attribute detail will determine the types of analyses that can be done and the precision of the results. The following list summarizes the basic types of inputs:
Planning region reference information (boundaries, streams, roads, place names, topography, digital orthophotos, etc.);
Element distribution maps (NatureServe heritage network element occurrences, fish and game species habitat maps, vegetation cover maps, modeled distribution maps, scenic views, historic sites, etc.);
Element occurrence attributes (viability, integrity, confidence);
Element information (name, weight, goal, conservation unit, minimum required area, etc.);
Existing land use map; and
Current land use and management policy maps (zoning, public land management plans, etc).
How much data are required to run NatureServe Vista?
The amount of data needed is dependent upon the questions you want to answer and the level of precision that you require. NatureServe Vista does not require any more or less data than any other valid approach.
Where can I obtain the data required for a NatureServe Vista project?
NatureServe Vista provides all inclusive data model that can incorporate data from a number of different sources. Local and federal government agencies and conservation organizations are one good source of data. NatureServe's network of member programs, a leading source for information about rare and endangered species and threatened ecosystems, is another important source of data. We are happy to put you into contact with a representative from one of our local member programs so that you can learn more about the data that these organizations can make available to you.
Where can I get help implementing a NatureServe Vista project?
NatureServe offers expertise in GIS mapping, data management, and conservation planning to help you develop a NatureServe Vista project that meets your planning requirements. Expert assistance is available to help you with every step in the planning process, from data development to advanced scientific analyses. For more information about the services offered contact Cindy McKinney at cindy_mckinney@natureserve.org.
How can I get technical support?
NatureServe maintains a fully-staffed help desk to support licensed users. You can contact the helpdesk at: http://support.natureserve.org/vista. Once there, initiate a help desk ticket.
Where has NatureServe Vista been used?
NatureServe Vista has been applied in Arkansas to help a major timber company identify forest stands with high conservation values. It has also been used in Orange County, FL to assist with a community-based planning process. In that application, NatureServe Vista was used to identify areas with significant conservation value and resulted in strong community support for moving a major new development corridor in order to preserve some important upland habitat. Other applications include its use in Missouri, Napa County, CA and Puerto Rico. We are currently working on projects that apply NatureServe Vista in Colorado, Wyoming, Texas, Alberta, Canada, the Amazon River basin, and Brazil. For more information about these applications, see our case studies.
How can I schedule a demo of NatureServe Vista for my organization?
To schedule a live NatureServe Vista demo for your organization, please contact Rob Solomon, Product Support Program Manager, at rob_solomon@natureserve.org or 703-908-1873.
