B.C. Conservation Data Centre: Data Submissions

The Conservation Data Centre depends on the observations of scientists and knowledgeable amateur naturalists to continue building its province-wide database on the locations of species and ecological communities at risk.

Once received, your observation will be reviewed by the pertinent staff specialist. If appropriate, it will be incorporated into the database as a new record, or used to update an existing record.

Datasets

Please use the following sites to guide your submission of multiple records/observations that are a part of a dataset.

Wildlife Species Inventory – All Animals (except fish & mussels)
Fish Data Submission – Fish & Mussels
Ecosystem Information – Ecosystem Mapping (including TEM, PEM, SEI, VRI)

Information submitted via these sites is available to the CDC. If you wish to contribute spatial data, we prefer this data be projected in B.C. Albers co-ordinates. If you require assistance, please contact the CDC.

Observations

Please e-mail, fax or mail observations to the CDC directly. The CDC will accept data in any format, however, the observation forms below have been designed to record the basic information necessary to create an "Occurrence Record" in our database. Please use these forms if it is convenient to do so. Any additional information you collect beyond what is listed on the forms will be most welcome.

If you are unable to view or download these observation forms, please contact the CDC and we will email, fax or mail you any forms you require.

Animals Observations

Vertebrate Animal At Risk Observation Form (PDF 327 KB)

Dragonfly At Risk Observation Form (PDF 872 KB)

Butterfly At Risk Observation Form (PDF 111 KB)

Freshwater Mussel At Risk Observation Form (PDF 108 KB)

Landsnail and Slug At Risk Observation Form (PDF 129KB)

Plant Observations

Plant At Risk Observation Form (PDF 289 KB)

Plant At Risk Observation Spreadsheet (Excel 70 KB) – Use for multiple plant records/observations

Ecological Community Observations

You can submit Ecological Community Observation data on the standard FS882 or Ground Inspection (GIF) forms available through the RISC Standard Field Manual For Describing Terrestrial Ecosystems in the Field (DTEIF). Fully completed FS882 forms or GIFs provide the best information with which to verify an occurrence.

We will also accept in any format the following minimum data for an Occurrence:

Geographic location
Either place name details or co-ordinate locations (latitude and longitude, or UTM), or both; and directions to the sites. Attach a map if possible.

Description of the site
Elevation, relative steepness, aspect (i.e., north, south, east, west), exposure to wind and sun, and presence of rocks, bedrock or bare soil.

Description of the vegetation
Dominant plants of each life form present, e.g., trees, shrubs, herbs, grasses, mosses, lichens. Vegetation structure if possible (e.g., complex and multi-layered, or relatively uniform in height).

In addition to the field data, the practical conservation value of an Occurrence can be described using the new Ecological Community Conservation Evaluation Form (PDF 29 KB). Instructions are included on the back of the form. For definitions of terms in the Evaluation Summary see the Element Occurrence Ranking Factors page.