Transcript Slide 1

IUFRO
International Union of
Forest Research Organizations
Eero Mikkola
Description of WP2 –
NEFIS Metadata and Controlled
Vocabularies Standards work by deliverables
NEFIS Project Meeting 28 June 2005
Ispra, Italy
Description of WP2
 This work package has addressed the
development of two elements: metadata
and controlled vocabularies
 The task of WP2, was to establish a
NEFIS metadata standard based on DC’s
elements and accompanying refinements
and to develop a controlled vocabulary
to facilitate the cataloguing and accessing
of NEFIS metadata records and underlying
datasets.
Description of WP2
 D3, D4, and D5 were finalized, delivered to
the Commission and accepted during the
second period.
 Principal research activities focused on
work surrounding D3, D4 and D5.
Significant research was done on the
NEFIS metadata schema, vocabulary
development and interoperability
requirements.
 This research, based on partners’ input
during year 2, resulted in recommendations
for future activities.
Description of WP2 - Deliverables
 Deliverable 3: Keyword lists
 Deliverable 3: Metadata standards and
keyword lists “Metadata scheme”- March
2005
 Deliverable 4: Suggestions for a Forest
Markup Language (FML) - November 2004
 Deliverable 5: Metadata guidelines - March
2005
D3 Keyword lists
 Considerable effort has been made regarding the
NEFIS keyword lists. Following the submission of
themes by the participants, the following approach
was taken to populate the NEFIS vocabulary by
themes:
(1) WP2 participants, as subject specialists, were
asked to submit keywords or keyword lists
(2) a complementary effort was implemented by
terminology experts to identify existing relevant
keyword lists that could be used as a base for the
NEFIS vocabulary.
Keyword lists were developed for 12 of the 18
identified themes.
D3 Keyword lists
 Based on the review of the Commission three
keyword lists (Forest products, Field experiments
and Inventory) were developed further in order to
make them more comprehensive and to improve
comparability of the lists
D3 Metadata standards and keyword lists
Metadata schema
 The DC metadata standard was chosen as a basis
for the NEFIS metadata. The DC standard was
expanded to include the additional refinement
“quality” under the element “description” for the
European Forest Information System (EFIS) project.
 “Reference System” for georeferenced datasets was
suggested as an additional refinement under the
element “Format”. Because D3 was submitted and
further discussions have taken place, the metadata
schema have been modified so that “Reference
System” is now included as a separate element in
the schema.
D5 NEFIS metadata guidelines
 The metadata guidelines for NEFIS data providers
were further elaborated to take account of the
proposed NEFIS metadata schema.
 The NEFIS Metadata Guidelines describe how to
catalogue and describe resources for NEFIS and the
essential requirements of each element of the data
entry interface and provides the structure into which
data from converted catalogues must fit as well as
the element specifications. This manual is organized
by Dublin Core element.
 Based on the expert statement some technical
modifications have been done
D4 Suggestions for a Forest Mark-up Language (FML)
 In cooperation with WP3 there has been discussion
of the FML. By using XML Schema Definition (XSD)
an extensible nested set of forest metadata
elements can be defined that can encompass both
the DC catalogue function and also the task of
describing heterogeneous databases to which the
DC catalogue may refer.
 Thus bringing together the cataloguing and the
database description metadata functions (among
other things) in one forest information object.
WP2 Recommendations
The research, based on WP2 partners input during year 2,
resulted in recommendations.
 Co-ordinate all vocabulary activities within a
Multilingual Forestry Ontology Project, with strategic links
to such ongoing ontology framework projects as the FAO
Agricultural Ontology Service.
 Establish an Editorial Advisory Group comprising
subject experts and information specialists to collate and
organize terminology to maintain the forestry ontology.
 Establish practical links with international initiatives
concerned with terminology harmonization in forestry and
related fields to feed into the ontology maintenance
process.
 Produce appropriate authority lists for both field labels
and variables within the Metadata schema, and standard
data definitions that allow deviations from those standards
to be clearly identified.
Thank you for your attention!
NEFIS Meeting 28 June, 2005
Ispra, Italy