Curation Call for January Data Pull
Hello Herps of Texas curators! Texas Nature Trackers Biologists Craig and Tania are calling on all our fellow curators and managers for the Herps of Texas project to help curate sightings between now and Friday, January 17, 2020, in advance of a data pull. We are working with the Texas Natural Diversity Database (TXNDD) team to update records for SGCNs documented within this project.
We are focusing on those herps that are Species of Greatest Conservation Need. To that point, the link below will take you to a page that contains just those SGCN records in need of curation. As of this post this includes 2,659 observations in need of curation.
Additionally, as a reminder, for records to be added to the TXNDD the accuracy must be 500 m or closer. Please be sure to check accuracy. If that is not accounted for, we are encouraging you to copy and paste those observations into a document and later reaching out to the observer to invite him or her to add an accuracy within the bounds needed. Likewise, you can also simply reach out to the observer each time.
This is the link for SGCNs: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?project_id=herps-of-texas&list_id=211277&pcid=false
Thank you for sharing your time and expertise to make this possible!
-Craig
Comentários
Hi, Craig. First of all, it was great to meet you and Tania at the Texas Master Naturalist State Conference last month in Rockwall. I really benefited from your training session "There's an App for That - Making & Sharing Observations using iNaturalist".
Although I am a plant person and know very little about herps, I was very excited to read your post.
If ok with you, I would like to use a portion of your post in our El Camino Real TMN chapter blog.
I want to emphasize the fact that TPWD does use the observations gathered by iNat users and that their iNat observations and input do matter.
Question: I see that there are a few observations made by me, Ann, and Suna, the three ECRTMN members in your class that are listed as needed curation. Is there anything we can do as contributors to help? I noted some of the observations are obscured, and assume your curators will assure the location accuracy. Otherwise, our accuracy range look OK for Milam and Lee observations on the list.
Anyway, I am anxious to inform my fellow TMN members about the fact that iNat does matter to TPWD.
Linda Jo, make sure to include how the urban biologists use iNat too!!! :)
For instance, remember that bioblitz that you and your granddaughter came to in Rockwall a few years back?!? Well, that solidified the creation of Pettinger Nature Preserve (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=121334). So yes, TPWD does indeed use the data. :)
Sam, thanks for more info to fuel my iNat campaign in my TMN chapter!
Hi Linda Jo,
Sam is so correct regarding how we all do in fact utilize data from iNaturalist sightings around the state -- citizen/community scientists can add a great deal of understanding to the flora and fauna of Texas! In terms of curation of observations you mentioned, curators comb through records working to validate identifications for use in data bases, in our case for the Texas Natural Diversity Database. I am currently helping with the curation of Species of Greatest Conservation Need for a data upload in Herps of Texas as you know -- can you give me some guidance as to what the observations you have are so that I can review them and are they with the Herps of Texas project or some other project?
In terms of using my post, absolutely! Keep getting the word out there to your fellow Master Naturalists and if there is anything else I can contribute, please don't hesitate to ask, including visiting your chapter for a training. My work email is craig.hensley@tpwd.texas.gov if you want to discuss this possibility.
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