What is the NED Portal?

It is an easy to use Internet tool that can:

• Search for data based on user defined geographic boundaries, key words, or full text (like Google).
• Make custom maps by overlaying many different maps from a variety of sources.
• Discover and download tables of data related to your search (e.g. in Excel).
• Automatically harvest data from other locations.
• Organize information in indexes and inventories so that you can easily find it.
• Accept your existing metadata or use the template to enter it on-line.
• Print, save or email copies of the data or maps that you create or find.
• Allow others to find and use your information.

Why was the Portal Created?   An independent regional study in 2003 found that many regional researchers, scientists, managers and members of the public can not easily locate the data needed to stay informed and make decisions. The study recommended the creation of a Regional Data Portal based on National and International standards.

Who Manages the Portal?   The Northwest Environmental Data Network (NED), a group of Federal, State, Tribal and Non-Governmental entities is responsible for managing the Portal and the pilot installation. More information about NED can be found here. The Portal will continue to develop during 2007 so be sure to check back if you do not find what you want.

Day to day management of the Portal will be provided by Channel Stewards who will help to organize the content of Portal Channels (for example for Endangered Salmonid data), promote Portal use, assist those wishing to publish to the Portal, and ensure that published information meets Portal standards.

Who Can Use the Portal?   Anyone who has access to the Internet can get information from the Portal and any information published to the Internet through a standard format can be harvested by the Portal. Anyone wanting to publish their metadata can create a new account.

What Technology Makes the Portal Work?   It is based on off-the-shelf technology, the Portal Toolkit from ESRI. This technology is also used by the National Geodata.gov Portal. The NED Portal will provide data to the National Portal. The benefit of a regional portal is twofold: the region can decide what data is important to it and focus on developing data resources that are not necessarily of national interest, and regional Channel Stewards can help to refine data quality to meet regional requirements, a necessary service that National Portals do not provide.

To find out more about the Portal, send feedback, or get help - click on the buttons at the top right of the Portal home page.