--- Begin Forwarded Message ---
Date: Thu, 22 Mar 2001 16:19:12 -0500
From: Scott McEathron <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: RE: Politics and science? USGS Scientist fired over Arctic
Nat'l Wildlife Refuge maps (fwd)
Sender: Scott McEathron <[log in to unmask]>
Colleagues,
I was very impress with the quantity of the maps, but after actually looking
at the maps of the caribou calving areas, I was very unimpressed with there
quality. It sounds as though the Dept. of Interior was equally unimpressed.
Mr. Inouye may very well be a noted ecologist and a distinguished scientist,
but there is room for improvement in his cartography. Unfortunately, a lot
of people do get fired for political reasons. However, I am not sure this
is one of those instances.
______________________________________________________
Scott R. McEathron
Map Catalog Librarian
Liaison Librarian to Geology and Geophysics, and
Natural Resources Management and Engineering
University of Connecticut
University Libraries
369 Fairfield Road
Storrs, CT 06269-1005
(860) 486-6807
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
--- Begin Forwarded Message ---
Date: Wed, 21 Mar 2001 14:13:34 -0800
From: Eric Gakstatter <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Politics and science? USGS Scientist fired over Arctic
Nat'l Wildlife Refuge maps (fwd)
Sender: Eric Gakstatter <[log in to unmask]>
Sorry, I'm not buying this.
Too many unknowns. People get fired for a lot of reasons and usually it's
not the one they think.
I didn't vote for Bush, but I truly doubt that he cares one iota about
whether the web site is up or not. More believable would be that Mr.
Thomas's dept. head was trying to interpret the administration's
intentions and acted accordingly...but even that is a stretch past reality.
Think about it...if Mr. Thomas was a truly valuable contractor to their
operations, would they have fired him without anyone first trying to give
him a hint and chance to recover? Why would he want to work there if
everyone around him cared so little about him to let him hang himself?
My guess is that they were looking for a reason to can him and they found
one.
Please don't burden the bureaucracy with this kind of unsubstantiated
claim...and if you do, please don't complain about your taxes and why the
government responds so slowly to our requests. It costs everyone time and
money to deal with this.
Eric Gakstatter
1500 SW Birdie Dr.
Corvallis, OR 97333
>--- Begin Forwarded Message ---
>Date: Tue, 20 Mar 2001 19:09:01 -0500 (EST)
>From: Ken Grabach <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Politics and science? USGS Scientist fired over Arctic Nat'l
>Wildlife Refuge maps (fwd)
>Sender: Ken Grabach <[log in to unmask]>
>
>
>
>I have had no opportunity to verify the veracity or details of this
>information. I feel it is important, so I share it with you on this
>list. It is from the Social Responsibility Round Table of the American
>Library Association. If it annoys you, feel free to delete this. If you
>are concerned about politics interfering with science and the publication
>of map information, bear with this and read further. First is a forwarded
>message from the chairman of the ALA SRRT, then a message from the person
>at USGS who was affected by the action.
>
>
>___________________________
>Ken Grabach <[log in to unmask]>
>Maps Librarian Phone: 513-529-1726
>Miami University Libraries
>Oxford, Ohio 45056 USA
>
>
>---------- Forwarded message ----------
> >
> >>Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2001 14:28:29 -0500 (EST)
> >>From: Frederick W Stoss <[log in to unmask]>
> >>To: SRRT Action Council <[log in to unmask]>
> >>Cc: "David W. Inouye" <[log in to unmask]>, [log in to unmask],
> >> [log in to unmask]
> >>Subject: [SRRTAC-L:5952] Politics and science? USGS Scientist fired
> >>over Arctic Nat'l
> >> Wildlife Refuge maps
> >>Reply-To: [log in to unmask]
> >>Sender: [log in to unmask]
> >>Status:
> >>
> >>Friends and colleagues
> >>
> >>This is the first act of censorship by the bush administration. This
> >>source of information is David Inouye, noted ecologist with a most
> >>distinguished record as a research scientist, science policy advocate,
and
> >>leader in the Ecological Society of America.
> >>
> >>This is chilling news. Many people on the lists receiving this message
> >>belong to professional societies that must be called into action
> >>IMMEDIATELY. A am asking my fellow members of the American Library
> >>Association to send this notice to as many colleagues as possible.
> >>
> >>The message at the bottom of this commentary is frightening.
> >>
> >>I will request that the Councilors of the American Library Association's
> >>Social Responsibilities Round Table and its Task Force on the
Environment
> >>request ALA's Washington Office to provide it members a report on this
> >>issue and have it published in American Libraries, and posted to ALL of
> >>ALA's eMail discussion lists.
> >>
> >>I will make a similar request to other appropriate ALA units, such as
the
> >>Science and Technology Section of the Association of College and
Research
> >>Libraries, the Government Documents Round Table, the Intellectual
Freedom
> >>Round Table, Map and Geography Round Table, and the Library and
> >>Information Technology Association.
> >>
> >>I would encourage every member of any professional organization to do
> >>likewise. I have alerted the Special Libraries Association and the
> > >American Institute of Biological Science as to this.
> > >
> > >If Ian Thomas was fired to set an example for other federal employees
to
> > >follow the bush-mandates in lock-step fashion, we professionals must
send
> >>a clear message that this type of behavior will NOT be tolerated. Mr.
> >>Thomas' work was being done as part of an ongoing research initiative to
> >>share biological data with researchers and educators. His firing needs
to
> >>be investigated.
> >>
> >>He is being punished for doing something that strikes fear into partisan
> >>politians--providing information. This act of censorship cannot go
> >>unchallenged.
> >>
> >>Fred Stoss
> >>Coordinator
> >>Social Responsibilities Round Table
> >>American Library Association
> >>
> >>Past Chair
> >>Task Force on the Environment
> >>American Library Association
> >>
> >>Past Chair
> >>Environment Division
> >>Special Libraries Association
> >>
> >>---------- Forwarded message ----------
> >>Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2001 12:54:10 -0500
> >>From: Terry Link <[log in to unmask]>
> >>
> >>From:
> >>"Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news"
<[log in to unmask]>
> >>From: "David W. Inouye" <[log in to unmask]>
> >>To: [log in to unmask]
> > >
> >>This news story is also reported at:
> >>http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/20010315/t000022700.html
> >>
> >>From: Kennedy, Robert
> >>Sent: Thursday, March 15, 2001 5:08 PM
> >>Subject: USGS Scientist fired over Arctic Nat'l Wildlife Refuge
maps
> >>
> >>Hello All- Here's an infuriating piece of news on the Arctic National
> >>Wildlife Refuge issue.
> >>
> >>The news came over a topic-based listserve on image processing and
remote
> >>sensing. A scientist working with the USGS was fired because he placed
> >>maps of caribou calving areas in the Arctic Nat'l Wildlife Refuge on the
> >>web. This map was one of more than 20,000 maps he'd placed on the web.
His
> >>web page (with all 20,000 maps) has been removed. This apparently
happened
> >>in the last few days. Please read at least some of his account.
> >>
> >>This needs attention. It seems to indicate a sea-change in the
Department
> > >of Interior. While this is not a surprise given Bush's position on
the
> >>Refuge, we should make sure that it does not go unnoticed. If it bugs
you
> >>like it bugs me, do something about it. Email Bush. Email or write
Senators
> >>(our only hope for protection of the Refuge lies in the Senate). Write
the
> >>newspaper, call your Aunt. This is outrageous.
> >>
> >>Read on: ------------------------------
> >>
> >>Hi All,
> >>
> >>Well, I have been fired for posting to the internet a single web page
with
> >>some maps showing the distribution of caribou calving areas in the
Arctic
> >>National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).
> >>
> >>My entire website http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/geotech/ has now been
> >>removed from the internet. This represents about 3 years worth of work
and
> >>20,000 plus maps showing bird, mammal and amphibian distributions,
> >>satellite imagery, landcover and vegetation maps for countries and
> >>protected areas all around of the globe. As far as I aware it was one
of
> >>the biggest collections of maps online and certainly the biggest
collection
> >>showing maps of biodiversity and the environment. The website was often
> >>visited by over a thousand visitors each week. In addition, I was
> >>fulfilling roughly a dozen requests for geospatial data and information
> >>from colleagues, other researchers and the general public each day.
> >>
> >>All of this comes as a rather big surprise to me. I was given no chance
to
> >>remove the webpage or even finish writing an appeal before my position
was
> >>terminated. I was working under a contract so I believe I have very
little
> >>legal recourse. I have received no written explanation (or even an
email)
> >>stating the exact reasons for the termination decision and I understand
> >>that even though this would be a reasonable courtesy to expect, it is
> >>unlikely to be forthcoming.
> >>
> >> From my viewpoint my dismissal was a high-level political decision
> to set
> >>an example to other Federal scientists. I base this belief on the
> >>following information I received from a colleague in Alaska who is a
> >>leading researcher on the issues involved:
> >>
> >>"I really hope you don't get fired. In fact, had the timing of what you
> >>did not been so inappropriate based on everything else that was going
on, I
> >>doubt that anyone would have noticed. Your work showed a lot of
> >>initiative..."
> >>
> >>"...the fallout would not have been so great had the subject matter not
> >>been one of the three USDOI super hot topics with the new administration
> >>and had we not been briefing the Secretary at the nearly exact time your
> >>website went up. Everyone is nervous and as I mentioned earlier,
> >>consistency in presentation is paramount."
> >>
> >>So now, I believe my only recourse is to appeal to the general public in
> >>the hope that in the future what just happened to me will not happen to
> >>others.
> >>
> >>I would recommend anybody in a similar circumstances to contact the fine
> >>people at Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility
> >>(http://www.peer.org) or a similar organization.
> >>
> >>The response and support I have received from friends online has been
> >>truely amazing. I very much appreciate how quickly people have acted on
my
> >>behalf and helped publicize my plight and I especially wish to thank the
> >>international mapping community...receiving letters of support from far
> > >away places cheers me up no end. Please feel free to forward this
> email to
> >>other lists and media contacts! I would also be grateful if anybody who
> >>misses all the maps I put on the internet please contact the USGS to let
> >>them know and to ask that the maps be reposted.
> >>
> >>I feel very bad that these events are also affecting my colleagues at
> >>Patuxent. Patuxent was a great place to work, has amazing researchers
and
> >>everybody I worked with is very supportive.
> >>
> >>Many, many thanks for your support,
> >>
> >>Ian Thomas [log in to unmask]
> >>
> >> The Details:
> >>
> >>Nobody instructed/authorized me to post the web pages on Arctic National
> >>Wildlife Refuge. It was done on my own initiative. I was working on
land
> >>cover maps for all National Wildlife Refuges using the new National
> >>Landcover Datasets. Last week I published over 1000 land cover maps
online
> > >covering every National Wildlife Refuge and National Park in the
> lower 48.
> >>(These maps have now been removed from the internet too). Similar land
> >>cover data for Alaska were not available but the Arctic National
Wildlife
> >>Refuge had a good landcover map so I included it.
> >>
> >>In the past, I helped produce the only set of maps online showing all
bird
> >>species distributions in Alaska. In addition I have produced online
mammal
> >>distribution atlases of Africa, maps for tigers in asia and I was
working
> >>on digitizing North American mammal range maps produced by the
Smithsonian
> >>Institution.
> >>
> >>I have also been conducting background research to prepare proposals to
> >>study the effects of mineral extraction on biodiversity and protected
areas
> >>on a very large scale. One such proposal that I was preparing would
have
> >>looked at exporting analysis and mapping methods applied in the United
> >>States to other regions of the World such as Africa. The proposal was
> >>co-sponsored by the Mineral Division of USGS and the World Resources
> >>Institute.
> >>
> >>The migration of caribou in North America is the closest thing that we
have
> >>to the great mammal migrations that occur in Africa. African protected
> >>areas are also under great pressure from possible development for
mineral
> >>extraction. So the carribou distributions that I found on the Fish and
> >>Wildlife Service public website were of particular interest. I have
also
> >>worked for several years on maps of migratory bird distribution
patterns. I
> >>therefore have a great interest in other migratory animals as many of
the
> >>temporal mapping problems are similar.
> >>
> >>I was completely unaware that there was anything wrong with publishing
ANWR
> >>maps. I have never been informed of any agency restrictions or any other
> >>guidelines on publishing maps depicting ANWR... I only now have been
> >>informed that there is a two week old agency "communications directive"
> >>that limits who is allowed to distribute new information on ANWR within
my
> >>agency.
> >>
> >>I thought that I was helping further public and scientific understanding
> >>and debate of the issues at ANWR by making some clearer maps. I also
hoped
> >>that colleagues in USGS would see the maps and then contact me if they
> >>needed additional mapping help. I was careful to quote my sources and
> >>explain what I had done. I made no statement about what the maps might
> >>mean with regard to oil development of the refuge.
> >>
> >>The web pages were put up on Wednesday, March 7, last week. The first
> >>thing I did when I put the ANWR pages up on the internet was to inform
> >>other USGS Biological Resources Division mapping people and other agency
> >>(Fish Wildlife Service and National Park Service respectively) GIS
people
> >>through email that they were on the web. Informing other Federal
> >>colleagues and agencies immediately upon publication to the web appears
to
> >>me to be the only reasonable review process available, seeing as there
is
> >>no internal review website currently available...I have never been
informed
> >>of any other established proceedure for review of web content on our
site.
> >>I actually haven't had any complaints about or requests to change any
other
> >>map on my website...
> >>
> >>I assumed that if anybody had a problem they could contact me directly
and
> > >quickly and appropriate steps could be taken almost immediately. I
> received
> >>one warning from a colleague that the maps I put on the internet should
be
> >>removed. Unfortunately, it was sent on Saturday so I did not receive it
in
> >>time. I think the decision to terminate me was taken before I even got
to
> >>work on Monday.
> >>
> >>I also assumed that because all I was doing was esentially presenting
> >>existing public information in a clearer and improved format, there was
> >>very little need for any extensive review other than the steps I
> >>took. Indeed the changes that I made to the original Fish and Wildlife
> >>Service (FWS) web maps were simply to digitize them ("trace"), then
overlay
> >>them on satellite and vegetation maps and then summarize how may years
> >>specific areas were a high density caribou calving area. I found a
similar
> >>(poor quality) summary map on the FWS website that allowed me to check
the
> > >accuracy of my simple analysis.
> >>
> >>I was unaware that FWS had updated the data. There is no mention of
> >>updated information on the FWS website. This new data has still to be
made
> >>public. If my maps were inaccurate in any way so are the public FWS maps
I
> >>copied.... (please refer to
> >>http://www.r7.fws.gov/nwr/arctic/pchmap2.html#section6)
> >>
> >>I think that over the last three years I have put more maps up on the
> >>internet (at a guess approaching 20,000 to 30,000 static individual
maps)
> >>equalling any other website on the world wide web. So out of the tens of
> >>thousands of maps (and hours) I finally publish one that got me
fired....I
> >>suppose the odds were going to run out eventually....
> >>
> >>I am concerned that other Federal researchers may easily make the same
> >>mistakes I just made and should learn from my example what happens if
> >>you're not careful.
> >>
> >>Patuxent was a great place to work, has amazing researchers and
everybody I
> >>worked with is very supportive.
> >>
> >> Ian Thomas
> >>
> >> Former Mapping Specialist at the:
> >>GIS & Remote Sensing Unit
> >>Biological Resources Division
> >>United States Geological Survey
> >>Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
> >>
> >>Old Homepage (no longer available)
> >>http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/geotech/home.html
> >>
> >>The Global Environmental Atlas (no longer available)
> > >http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/geotech/cindi/world.html
>
>***************************************************************
>Pamela M. Salela
>Women's Studies and
>Academic Resident Librarian
>Miami University Libraries
>350 King Library
>Oxford, Ohio
>Phone: (513) 529-1674
>Fax: (513) 529-3110
>http://staff.lib.muohio.edu/~salelapm/Womens_Studies/subject/
>***************************************************************
>
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