GISIN draft Framework Document for the Experts Meeting on Implementation of a Global Invasive Species Information Network (GISIN): prepared by Annie Simpson for discussion during the Long-term Financial Viability Breakout Group TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 BACKGROUND 1.1 Mission and Vision 2.0 GISIN STRUCTURE 2.1 Membership 2.2 Governance 2.3 Executive Committee 2.4 Network Hub 2.5 Technical Working Groups 2.6 External Relationships and Partnerships 3.0 GISIN ACTIVITIES 3.1 Technical Configuration and Standards Development 3.2 Capacity Building and Training 3.3 Financial Sustainability 3.4 Building Network Content 4.0 PHASES FOR GISIN DEVELOPMENT 5.0 CONCLUSIONS ============================================================================= 1.0 BACKGROUND The Global Invasive Species Information Network (GISIN) has been the subject of discussions and meetings over the last five years, mostly evolving as an idea of the Informatics Working Group of the Global Invasive Species Programme (GISP). Information management of invasive species and the idea to standardize or cross-search invasive alien species (IAS) databases has been a subject of discussion of several regional GISP meetings since 2000, and a summary can be found in the white paper prepared as a support document for this meeting. The need for a Global Invasive Species Information Network was also described by Ricciardi et. al. in the March 2000 BioScience article, "Toward a Global Information System for Invasive Species." These authors also state that an essential first step in forming the GISIN is identifying all current invasive species databases and all taxa and regions that require databases. Our preliminary efforts to identify these databases can be downloaded from the invasives community at http://my.nbii.gov. Having participated in numerous regional meetings discussing how t go about creating a global network, a small group of information managers wrote a proposal for the US Department of State to hold this workshop in order to work out the details of how to implement a GISIN. This document is a starting point for discussion of how to formalize the network and assure its long-term financial and structural viability. 1.1 Mission and Vision During regional meetings of the GISP, a need for better information was stated by all groups. Our mission: * To provide a platform for sharing invasive species information at a global level, via the internet and other digital means. * To offer a central place for the reporting and tracking of new aliens species sightings via email listserv. * To develop and share information management tools to better identify, map, and predict the spread of invasive species at regional and global levels. * To build the capacity of network members in the development of invasive species information tools. In fact, the GISIN as a network will have multiple facets. On one face, it will be an Internet-based resource with common infrastructures and content held together by commonly-agreed-on standards. A second facet is an institutional and human network or forum where the countries from around the globe can come together to facilitate developing and sharing of invasive species information tools. This sharing process includes identifying data requirements, facilitating data identification and access, and capacity building as a prerequisite to accomplish other goals. The vision of the GISIN's infrastructure is that it will be an open, self-sustaining network where users can find accurate relevant invasive species information in a timely manner. The heart of the development of the GISIN is the building of information content covering invasive species information from around the globe and from all taxonomic groups and all realms. The most effective way to add content is through the connection of selected types of easily-shared and commonly-collected invasive species information. 2.0 GISIN STRUCTURE Since GISIN is just beginning its implementation, it is important to provide a common baseline of understanding of where it is today and then to present the requirements that would form the basis of a Work Plan for the next 24 months. Several terms are used interchangeably by our group, and any lack of agreement on terminology will not inhibit the work being accomplished. Invasive alien species, or IAS, or invasive species (or several other commonly-used descriptors), are all terms used to describe non-native species (or viable parts of species) to an ecosystem whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health. 2.1 Membership The GISIN is an open forum with voluntary membership available to all who are interested. The GISIN is implementation focused. It is intended that the GISIN have broad participation from all sectors of society, including government, academia, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector. The main functions of the membership will be to: * Communicate with other members on individual successes in database management * Provide funding and manpower for the implementation of GISIN projects and progress Meet once every two years and more frequently if needed 2.2 Governance At this meeting, it is suggested that an Interim Executive Committee be established to carry through the requirements of governance to the first GISIN membership meeting. The EC's duties will be as follows: * Create draft policies and procedures for GISIN governance. * Support fund-raising activities at regional levels. * Establish national consultation mechanisms as appropriate to stimulate national and subnational level involvement in GISIN activities. * Represent their organizations' perspectives on technical issues. * Seek funding opportunities for the development of invasive species information and GISIN. * Identify new project ideas and priorities for their organizations. * Remain informed of GISIN activities within their countries and act as a clearinghouse for such information. * Represent GISIN interests in other fora, as appropriate. * Act as a primary communications link for the network. 2.3 Executive Committee (EC) The exact size of the GISIN EC will need to be determined, but for practical purposes, it is suggested that it not exceed 12 members. Also, the policies and procedures for operation of the EC and any other GISIN bodies need to be established. The EC is policy focused. It has the authority to make decision and take action on behalf of the GISIN. The main functions of the EC will be to: * Provide general orientation and recommendations for GISIN. * Provide oversight and assessment of GISIN projects and progress. * Meet once a year and more frequently if needed. * Establish procedures for conducting the operational business of GISIN Membership on the Executive Committee should be based on the following characteristics: * Geographical representation * Inclusion of non-governmental representation * Election of members based on interest and commitment * A four-year term, staggered on a rotational basis 2.4 Network Hub In order for the GISIN to operate effectively, it must have a support staff dedicated to the development of the Network. The staff will form the Hub or Secretariat for the GISIN, which can be located at any institution and can be relocated as required. It is not intended to become a bureaucracy or to create an edifice. It should be headed by an Executive Secretary. The estimated initial size of the Hub should initially be three people. The staff should be multi-lingual. The functions of the Hub include: * Support for the organization, Executive Committee, and Technical Working Groups * Promote cooperation among the network's partners (e.g., meetings, workshops, newsletters) * Facilitate understanding of and commitment to the network's goals (e.g., issues being addressed, users to be served) * Facilitate implementation of strategic plans agreed to by the Executive Committee (e.g., through formation of multi-partner teams) * Facilitate access to data (e.g., through custodianship, data access agreements, Memoranda of Understanding, metadata, and standards) * Facilitate the development of the network (e.g., identify areas for restructuring or investment, seek support) * Market the network's products and services * Coordinate support group activities * Organize meetings and workshops for the network's partners * Expedite network projects * Provide editorial and office support for preparation of key documents (e.g., strategic plans, project proposals, marketing literature) * Brief the network's partners on new opportunities, plans and progress (e.g., newsletters, e-mail) * Handle inquiries about the network's activities, referring to individual partners as appropriate * Maintain copies of the network's products and services for distribution to users * Manage data on the status and availability of the network's capacity * Manage central information services, including WWW site which may be located at a site with better Internet access than the Hub itself. 2.5 Technical Working Groups In order to accomplish the technical work of the GISIN, Technical Working Groups (TWG) will be established as needed and for specific tasks and of specific duration. Any GISIN member can propose a TWG to the Executive Committee which will have the authority to recognize it and ask the Hub to assist in supporting its formation. The Chair will be selected by the Executive Committee based on technical competence and need not be associated with a GISIN member organization. In this way, broad expert participation can be encouraged. Similarly, the composition of the TWG will also be at the discretion of the Executive Committee. It is expected that some TWG will have money for their operations. The Executive Committee will oversee the management of such funds. 2.6 External Relationships and Partnerships From its earliest formulation, the GISIN was to build upon such initiatives as the Global Invasive Species Programme (GISP), the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), and the Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG) of the Species Survival Commission (SSC) of the World Conservation Union (IUCN). Through close cooperation with ongoing GISP activities and endorsement by the Convention on Biological Diversity, the GISIN has been discussed as a model for a global implementation of uniform standards, formats and protocols for invasive species information management, as put forth by the informal experts meeting held at CHM headquarters in February 2002, and described in the document UNEP/CBD/COP/6/INF/18 that can be found online at http://www.biodiv.org/doc/meetings/cop/cop-06/information/cop-06-inf-18-en.pdf The GBIF utilizes structures and protocols (XML schema and DiGR) that may be useful for the accumulation of invasive species records in natural history collections, especially if there are notes concerning the status of a non-native species. The ISSG has, since its inception, pioneered the collection and dissemination of invasive species information at a global level, with special emphasis on developing and island states. Because it is a non-governmental organization, it exhibits a relatively non-partisan status that is important for the GISIN. Possible affiliations for the GISIN that would be beneficial to pursue include the following: * Initiatives that help create the GISIN infrastructure (national, regional, international) * Initiatives that provide relevant content (national, regional, and global invasive species databases) * Models and initiatives to assist with the specific issues that arise during the development of the network (GBIF, ISSG, GISP) Specific criteria to evaluate their likely value and commitment to cooperation include their ability to: o Advance GISIN objectives o Advance cooperator objectives o Provide open access to information o Allow custodianship to remain with the owner of the data resource o Provide metadata in the public domain OBJECTIVES: Promote the GISIN as a visible initiative for Biodiversity Information Sharing on the Web. Develop a Plan for Partnerships. ACTIVITIES: In terms of general visibility of the ongoing work efforts of the GISIN, there are two tangible products that could be developed. First, the GISIN community discussion, initially funded by the National Biological Information Infrastructure in conjunction with the April Implementation Meeting, will continue to be developed and promoted among the global invasives community. Second, publicly accessible portal with GISIN information will also be developed by the NBII at http://www.invasivespecies.net and maintained in the short term. It is the intent of the GISIN to internationalize and distribute its Web presence as much as possible. Each organization that wishes to participate will be linked to the site and can contribute information. It is expected that eventually the Hub will take over the implementation of the GISIN Web site. 3.0 GISIN ACTIVITIES 3.1 Technical Configuration and Standards Development GISIN will be a managed network. It will have a distributed Internet-based architecture with a "hub" both in the institutional coordination sense and in terms of network services. For the former, this means a dedicated staff to support the technical standards development process that must strive to establish top-down goals and guidelines. It also means that there will be a GISIN Hub node on the network that will support the efforts of the other independent nodes. The Hub node could have such responsibilities as developing and maintaining or coordinating the development of directories of people, programs, and biodiversity information resources. Initially, the Hub will coordinate and support the management of communications like listservs and the GISIN Home Page, although these may alternatively be developed or hosted by any GISIN participant. Working in conjunction with GISIN members, the Hub will also facilitate obtaining additional resources or network capabilities to meet the defined needs. The Hub in a managed network is a facilitator, not controller, of the network. It serves the collective interest that includes the stimulation of bilateral and multilateral efforts of its network members. The details of the architecture of the GISIN network need to be developed in the context of this managed network model. The other input into the technical configuration of GISIN has to do with building pilot projects from the bottom up. OBJECTIVES * Establish a GISIN architectural model, reiterate GISIN standards, and set up a configuration management program. * Complete and demonstrate a user-friendly GISIN front-end that can be used to locate, manage, and use global invasive species information. ACTIVITIES Because the GISIN will be a decentralized, managed network, it is important to lay out some top down guiding concepts so that the bottoms up decentralized contributions can be most effectively coordinated. An overall architectural model should be specifically defined and documented. Within the context of the architectural model, an assessment should be made of the options for types and specific standards guidance that would be helpful to the organizations wanting to connect with the GISIN. Metadata is always an initial key standard in the development of information networks. There are already many metadata initiatives in process around the globe. We should look to the example of other organizations such as GBIF, IABIN, CHM and others for the development of the architectural model. Once the basic technical configuration is established, there should be a focus on developing a user friendly front-end interface to the GISIN network. 3.2 Capacity Building and Training There are significant differences in infrastructure capacity among the GISIN parties. Internet connectivity is a significant challenge in many regions. A Capacity Building Working Group should define minimal system requirements for effective participation in GISIN. As a prelude to our April meeting, a survey was made among participants to determine the status of their information needs. Preliminary results confirmed the wide range of experience and technical expertise of GISIN participants. Based on the survey results, a Training Program should be developed to include such things as: * Train trainers at a regional level to multiply support in the area * Promote adapting to new technologies * Emphasize those institutions and persons which can facilitate continuity Specific training topics still need to be developed. Topics should be oriented to both users and data providers. Once the training is implemented it is important to have a monitoring system to evaluate success. OBJECTIVES Establish a program of training and capacity building for GISIN members. Develop an assessment of the changing invasive species information management capacities of GISIN members and the impact of the GISIN on those capacities. ACTIVITIES * Workshops in conjunction with other biodiversity meetings * Capacity-building programs in the use of GISIN tools 3.3 Financial Sustainability One of the biggest challenges to any international cooperative undertaking is its ability to be financially sustainable. For the GISIN, this has two components. First, there has to be sources for continuing funds for the operation of the regional nodes. There must be a way to encourage and sustain the contribution of resources by all members in terms of their internal funding for activities which are de facto their in-kind contribution to the development of the GISIN. Second, although it is not intended that the Hub become a major central operation, it is also clear that there are costs associated with coordination and support for decentralized, voluntary participation. The April meeting is possible through a small grant from the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs (OES) of the U.S. Department of State, with in-kind donations and coordination by the US National Biological Information Infrastructure. Extensive work needs to be done to identify long-term donor(s), as well as to determine any formal or informal organizational affiliations to entities such as GBIF, GISP, and/or IUCN-ISSG. Since the network will be built through the efforts of all its partners, the GISIN itself should not be viewed as a source of funding for projects. Rather it is a facilitating mechanism to aid its members and its projects find support for GISIN-related activities. Support for the GISIN can come from many sources including: * In-kind contributions * Governmental donor organizations (e.g. OAS, GEF, World Bank, IDB, UNESCO, US AID, FAO, etc.) * Private foundations and donors * Corporate sponsorship Other possible sources of income to sustain the GISIN at the regional or global level include: * Dues * Grants/Contracts * Product Sales (May include training, data access, data products) * Advertising * Institutional/Corporate Sponsorships OBJECTIVES Year 1: Lay out a Strategy for the Long-term Sustainability of the GISIN. Year 2: Have a major donor-supported GISIN program in place. ACTIVITIES * Develop plans for the financial sustainability. * Develop and distribute via the Web and on CD a financial toolkit for members. * Appoint a special subcommittee to look at models for financing such efforts. * Explore the issue of charging for services among the other options. 3.4 Building Network Content From the earliest meetings of experts on invasive species information management, it was clear that the connection of regional databases was the way to begin to build substance and content of the network. What is needed to achieve this is agreement on what types of information will be shared, and in what formats. Common data types of priority interest among GISIN experts (these are meant as starting points and do not limit members from developing other common interests): * Scientific name * Common name * Distribution (native and non-native), via maps and/or gazetteer place names * Fact sheet/species profile information on ecology, life cycle, invasive impact/threat, etc. * Control/management information * Expertise of individuals and organizations * Bibliographic information Desirable criteria for the creation of GISIN nodes: * Advances technical objectives * Advances creation of the network (e.g., how much data is potentially added) * Adds regional value * Addresses transnational issues and resources * Is achievable, realistic, and measurable * Is scalable (adjustable in size; can be expanded) * Can attract funding * Supports interdisciplinary approaches * Involves multiple institutions (local, indigenous communities, NGOs, et al.) * Links to other efforts * Advances education or public awareness OBJECTIVES * Complete initial directories of information that will be shared from member databases to the GISIN * Begin the integration of content across the member databases and roll-out the GISIN demonstration system. ACTIVITIES As soon as the Technical Working Group on Pilots is formally established, it should set three processing in motion: 1. complete the development of criteria for defining the GISIN information types to be shared; 2. begin to develop content priorities and set up specific database groups from those realms or taxa which have member interests and commitment; 3. assess the status of the database integration achieved, during electronic meetings (but opportunities for face-to-face meetings should be created as resources are available.) A resource directory of all the key people and institutions should also be developed to facilitate cooperation and as a tool to identify where to get assistance on particular issues. The initial set of GISIN resource directories based on participants in the April meeting plus those participating in the e-discussion will be available by the beginning of May. The directories will need regular updating and upgrading as the other parts of the GISIN evolve. A major upgrade of directories should be done in mid-2005. 4.0 PHASES FOR GISIN DEVELOPMENT Chronological overview of the future of the GISIN, organized by topic Governance and membership * Election of Executive Committee/First Meeting * Selection of Interim GISIN Hub * Approve criteria for membership in the GISIN * Annual review of GISIN progress Financial Sustainability * Set up TWG * Create and distribute funding toolkit for nodes * Business plan for the GISIN * Develop options for long-term sustainability * Submit Proposal to GEF or other possible funding bodies Technical Configuration and Standards Development * Set up TWG * Assessment of GISIN information content and systems standards * Present draft architectural model(s) * Set up mechanism to manage technical configuration Capacity Building and Training * Set up TWG * Determine priority areas based on participants survey results * Offer workshops in conjunction with other relevant meetings 5.0 CONCLUSIONS This draft plan of work toward the development of the GISIN is a very ambitious undertaking, given the wide variety of requirements, capabilities and commitments that need to be made at the global level. The overall target of a roll-out demonstration is totally dependent upon the commitment of participants in the April meeting and availability of funding for the Hub and the regional nodes of the GISIN. Ideas from the group at the April meeting will provide turning points around which to capture the work that has been done and then move forward in a more formal and focused manner. This draft framework document provides a road map for this forward movement. It is based on the continuing commitments of the invasive species database managers from around the world and assumes that resources to support a GISIN Hub will be forthcoming. DRAFT PLAN OF ACTION FOR THE NEXT 12 MONTHS TOWARD THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE GISIN Actions: 1. Select a planning team, location, and dates for the next GISIN meeting 2. Prepare a draft proposal document for submission to possible funding agencies for the Hub 3. Develop a GISIN Web site 4. Publish and maintain a complete catalog of online invasive species databases 5. Establish a listserv for GISIN members 6. Agree on a procedure to solicit assistance from the GISIN member organizations for letters of support 7. Create and distribute the funding toolkit and possibly a legal framework toolkit, via CD and on the Web 8. Prepare a draft report of April's GISIN implementation meeting to circulate among the IAS community. 9. Submit to the State Department the final report on the April implementation meeting 10. Publish on the Web the requirements for inclusion in the GISIN's IAS database consortium for cross search 11. Convene the GISIN Executive Committee, electronically or face-to-face 12. Create the GISIN Mid-term Work Plan 13. Prepare and submit a final GISIN Hub proposal ACKNOWLEDGMENT: This work plan was based on an IABIN work plan document prepared by Bonnie C. Carroll, Information International Associates, Inc., Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Funds for that study was provided by the United States Agency for International Development, Project #598,0780, "Environmental Support Project," under an Interagency Agreement with the U.S. Department of the Interior.