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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>NatureServe is pleased to announce the release of a public
working draft (version 0.3) of an XML schema to describe species-level data as
reflected in NatureServe’s biodiversity data model. We are seeking
public review and comments on this version until January 31, 2006.
Comments received during the review period will be addressed in the next
release, version 1.0. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>NatureServe is evolving its data delivery strategy to use
XML-based, Web services protocols. The XML schemas that will form the
basis for this Web services architecture are in different stages of
development. The NatureServe Species Schema, the subject of this
announcement, is now in public review. A companion XML schema document
for describing species occurrence-level data as managed by the NatureServe
network is also in development and will be released for public review at a
later date. Our Web services strategy for sharing data among NatureServe
network members and with external users is dependent upon the usability of
these XML schemas. For this reason, we are seeking as wide a review as
possible among our colleagues within the biodiversity informatics community,
and especially from those organizations that regularly rely on and interact
with NatureServe data. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Reviewers are invited to submit comments on either the
content or the structure of the XML documents. Content reviewers will
want to follow the link for the human readable documentation. We have
also provided a sample document for review, which describes NatureServe’s
species-level data for <i><span style='font-style:italic'>Haliaeetus
leucocephalus</span></i> (bald eagle) as expressed in XML format. Users
of the NatureServe Explorer website should find the content represented in the
sample document very familiar. Technical reviewers will also find useful
the links to the XSD documents. Technical reviewer comments may cover the
names of the XML tags, the nesting of the XML document, and the structure of
the XML schema. Technical reviewer comments from organizations that may
develop applications to consume NatureServe data as expressed by these XML
schema are highly encouraged.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>The NatureServe Species Schema documentation can be found
at:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:.5in'><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'><a
href="http://services.natureserve.org/technical/speciesSchema.htm"
title="http://services.natureserve.org/technical/speciesSchema.htm">http://services.natureserve.org/technical/speciesSchema.htm</a>
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Please submit comments using the feedback forms found at the
same location, or via email to:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:.5in'><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'><a
href="mailto:services@natureserve.org" title="mailto:services@natureserve.org">services@natureserve.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=gray face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;color:gray'>____________________________</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=gray face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:gray'>Lori Scott</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=gray face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:gray'>NatureServe</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=gray face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:gray'>email: lori_scott@natureserve.org</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=gray face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:gray'>phone: 703.908.1877</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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