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WYNDD DESCRIPTIVE |
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Purpose and Mission
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Committee |
Purpose and MissionWYNDD is a service and research unit of the University of Wyoming dedicated to the collection, interpretation, and dissemination of credible biological information concerning plant communities, rare plants, and rare animals in Wyoming. This mission is accomplished largely by maintaining computer databases of information on the biological resources of the state, communicating with biologists throughout the region, performing field research, and delivering and displaying data sets to all interested parties. WYNDD distributes information and expertise upon request to all interested parties under the philosophy that the best decisions regarding natural resources will be made only when they are based on complete and current scientific data. WYNDD employs 5 permanent, professional biologists plus several assistant biologists and technicians with specialized knowledge of the flora and fauna of the state. WYNDD is a neutral and objective source of biological data and scientific interpretations of those data, and it considers all information requests equally regardless of the purpose or identity of the requester. WYNDD participates in a network of similar programs established in every U.S. state, most Canadian provinces, and many Latin American countries. Each program in the network uses the same database methodology and software, allowing efficient assembly of multi-state data sets and accurate range-wide assessments for particular species and vegetation communities. How WYNDD benefits Wyoming: WYNDD is a source of objective information on the status, biology, and distribution of vegetation types and rare species in Wyoming. Because WYNDD can quickly provide comprehensive and up-to-date biological information, it enables resource managers and developers to more easily and efficiently comply with state and federal environmental regulations. Academic professionals and students commonly use WYNDD data and expertise to improve research projects, and private companies and organizations regularly involve WYNDD to aid in a variety of activities. |
HistoryIn the 1970s, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) began to build a state-by-state network of programs (generically referred to as “state natural heritage programs”) dedicated to developing credible, objective information on vegetation types and rare species in North America. Each program was to employ professional biologists familiar with the biota of their state, and was to use a common methodology to evaluate, store, and disseminate biological data. Once a program became well established, TNC would turn over direction of the program to the state government. The Wyoming program, known originally as the “Wyoming Natural Heritage Program”, was established in 1979 and was housed in the offices of the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality. The program was later renamed the “Wyoming Natural Diversity Database” and relocated to the Botany Department at the University of Wyoming, but it remained under the direction of TNC. Through legislative action, WYNDD became a research and service unit of the University of Wyoming, under the direction of the Vice President for Research, on 1 July 1998. To ensure that it remains part of a coordinated network of state programs, WYNDD stays in constant communication and consultation with similar programs in other states and regions. |
Advisory CommitteeIn 1999 WYNDD established a 14-member Advisory Committee consisting of representatives of the mineral and utility industries, agriculture, state and county governments, federal land management agencies, private environmental consultants, TNC, and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. Committee members provide advice and guidance to WYNDD, and serve as ambassadors between WYNDD and the members’ industries and clients. WYNDD meets formally with the Committee annually, and is in monthly contact with individual members. |
FundingAbout 25% of the cost of maintaining and developing the central databases at WYNDD is provided by the state of Wyoming via the biennial block grant to the University of Wyoming. WYNDD covers the remaining costs through data request fees, contracts, and cost-share projects with outside agencies. |
ClientsWYNDD provides products and
services to several organizations in the state and region, including:
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A major advantage provided to Wyoming by WYNDD is the centralization of Wyoming-specific information from disparate sources into one complete and easily accessible database. WYNDD collects data on the distribution and biology of vegetation, plants, and animals in Wyoming from a wide variety of reliable sources. These include herbaria (e.g., Rocky Mountain Herbarium, New York Botanical Garden), museums (e.g., University of Kansas Vertebrate Museum, Denver Museum of Nature and Science), agency reports and databases (e.g., Wyoming Game and Fish Department Wildlife Observation System, Yellowstone National Park Rare Animal Database), published and unpublished scientific literature, observations by agency and academic biologists, and field surveys performed by WYNDD biologists. About 1/3 of WYNDD’s records of locations of vegetation types and rare species come from field surveys performed by WYNDD biologists. The remaining 2/3 of WYNDD’s location records are originally documented by other biologists, and typically reside in publicly accessible sources. |
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Contact the WYNDD
webmaster with questions and comments about this site. email: wndd@uwyo.edu Web Design: Doug Keinath, Tessa Dutcher Last updated: 07/09/2004 |
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