Environmental Data Management
Findable. Usable. Sustainable.
Project Summary
Effective management of environmental data is essential for maximizing impact. Oftentimes in science, large datasets are collected without standards and protocols in place for storing, structuring, and using the data in relation to defined objectives. This UB-ERI focus area aims to provide clear guidance on the management of tabular data (data organized into rows and columns) for academics and collaborators, as well as directly work on datasets from patterns and collaborators.
By aligning data management practices with established goals and objectives, we aim to empower individuals, organizations, and networks to drive meaningful impact in ecological research and environmental conservation efforts.
Project Components
Primary components include:
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Supporting external partners and collaborators in the management, compilation, restructuring, and analysis of existing data to meet professional academic standards.
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Developing and promoting best practices and recommendations for ecological data management, including the exploration and adaptation of relevant data frameworks, for use by UB-ERI and the broader academic and research community in Belize.
Methodological Approach
Our approach to data management and stewardship is grounded in three core principles: FAIR data practices, tidy data structure, and a commitment to sustainability.
1. FAIR Principles
We adopt the FAIR Guiding Principles (Wilkinson et al., 2016) to ensure that data are Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable. These principles support the integration of data into the academic and policy-making communities by promoting transparency, reproducibility, and long-term value. Implementing FAIR practices ensures that data can be discovered and reused by both humans and machines, enhancing their impact and utility.
2. Tidy Data Framework
We follow the tidy data framework (Wickham, 2014) to structure datasets in a way that facilitates efficient manipulation, modeling, and visualization. In a tidy dataset:
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Each variable forms a column.
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Each observation forms a row.
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Each type of observational unit forms a table.
This format ensures clarity, consistency, and compatibility with modern analytical tools, promoting streamlined workflows and minimizing errors.
3. Sustainability
One of our primary guiding principles is to ensure long-term sustainability. We design systems and workflows that safeguard against common risks such as data loss due to hardware failure, subscription expiration, or staff turnover. Our sustainability strategy emphasizes:
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The use of open and durable formats.
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Institutional ownership of data infrastructure.
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Clear documentation and training to ensure knowledge transfer and continuity.
Sustainable data practices ensure that data remain secure, accessible, and useful well into the future.
Project Impact
These highlights reflect the work UB-ERI has been involved in to strengthen biodiversity data, improve monitoring methods, and support conservation efforts across Belize.
In 2024, UB-ERI partnered with the Belize Forest Department and Belize Bird Rescue to compile and restructure Belize’s pet parrot registration data. This effort involved working through over 25 Excel files containing raw, summarized, and pre-compiled data, along with hardcopy records such as paper applications and permit books. The team also contacted over 1,500 applicants, successfully completing 430 full surveys. This partnership produced two key outcomes:
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A clean, up-to-date dataset of registered birds for the Forest Department.
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A research dataset that will support a manuscript on pet parrot ownership in Belize, currently in development as a joint publication by the three organizations.
Each year during the winter and spring, the UB-ERI Avian Team works with partners to collect bird banding data under the Monitoreo de Sobrevivencia Invernal (MoSI) program. In preparation for the 2024–2025 season, UB-ERI reviewed and validated Belize’s long-term MoSI dataset, identifying areas where field data collection protocols could be improved. These findings were shared with collaborators ahead of the current field season to guide adaptive improvements.
As part of the Resilient Reef Initiative (RRI) project, UB-ERI also compiled and standardized coral reef monitoring data from the Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve. Using protocols from the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef Systems Synoptic Monitoring Program (MBRS SMP) and the Atlantic and Gulf Rapid Reef Assessment (AGRRA), the dataset includes benthic point-intercept data, invertebrate surveys, coral community characterizations, and reef fish observations collected between 2010 and 2023. This dataset supports ongoing marine research and contributes to informed management of one of Belize’s most significant marine protected areas.
Partners and Funders
