THE IMPORTANCE OF DATA PRESERVATION

As early as the Lewis and Clark expedition of 1804-1806, the Federal Government recognized how important it was to preserve long-term scientific collections. Even though a small fraction of physical collections and their related information collected over the last 200 years survive today, they represent a remarkable legacy for the future and are, sometimes, irreplaceable.

An Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Office of Science Technology Policy (OSTP) memorandum recently outlined the Administration’s science and technology priorities for Fiscal Year 2012. OMB and OSTP direct agencies to develop and maintain datasets documenting Federal science, technology, and innovation investments and to make these data available to the public. Agencies are directed to increase benefits for science and society derived from scientific collections by following recommendations published in the 2009 Interagency Working Group on Scientific Collections report, Scientific Collections: Mission-Critical Infrastructure for Federal Science Agencies. The need to preserve, catalog, and increase access to these materials reflects their social and economic importance.

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) research on natural hazards, natural resources, and landscapes is supported by its monitoring capabilities in geology, water, biology, and geography. USGS has a long history of collecting, maintaining, and making data and collections available for the benefit of the Nation. These data are used internally and externally for research and management purposes. Federal and State land management agencies use USGS data for land-use planning and management.

Preservation of physical data is important. The USGS supports two physical data repositories in Denver, Colorado, the Core Research Center and the National Ice Core Laboratory, which is jointly managed by the National Science Foundation and the USGS. There is also a physical data repository in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, the Woods Hole Science Center Sample Archive and Core Lab.

These data and collections contribute to understanding important and diverse national issues such as trade and economic development, public health and safety, homeland security, medical research, and environmental protection.