--- Begin Forwarded Message --- Date: Thu, 22 Mar 2001 14:59:36 -0500 From: David Cobb <[log in to unmask]> Subject: Re: Politics and science? USGS Scientist fired over Arctic Nat'l Wildlife Refuge maps (fwd) Sender: David Cobb <[log in to unmask]> Its always so nice to hear from the commercial sector - everything is so cut and dried there? I don't think anyone is insinuating that our "compassionate conservative" leader had anything to do with this - actually, I wouldn't give him that much credit. However, it remains pretty obvious that a respected scientist's observations have been censored for a sensitive geographical area and that should be, at the very least, questioned. David Cobb At 02:36 PM 3/22/01 -0500, Johnnie Sutherland wrote: >--- 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/ >>*************************************************************** >> >>--- End Forwarded Message --- >--- End Forwarded Message --- > *************************************************************************** David A. Cobb Tel. 617.495.2417 Harvard Map Collection FAX 617.496.0440 Harvard College Library Email: [log in to unmask] Cambridge, MA 02138 HTTP://hcl.harvard.edu/maps ************************** VERITAS **************************************** --- End Forwarded Message ---