<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.5726" name=GENERATOR></HEAD>
<BODY>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>
<P><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Dear TDWG
Members and Friends,</SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">TDWG 2009
will be help in Montpellier France from November 9-13. I thought I would take
this opportunity to outline the activities I see as important for TDWG this year
leading up to the conference this November. There are many important things for
us to be doing in the lead up to the meeting.</SPAN></P>
<P><STRONG><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Consolidation of past
work</SPAN></STRONG><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></P>
<P><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">We have made
much progress over the last few years in reworking our standards for greater
interoperability. The LSID work and the associated LSID vocabularies have been a
major part of this. These changes make it much easier to reuse TDWG standards
with different technologies, to embed TDWG data elements in other structures,
and to map other data formats into forms which can be interpreted as
TDWG-compliant data. However this work is still incomplete. We need to formalise
the vocabularies as an agreed high-level ontology or data model to support
cross-project data integration. Many of our projects are awaiting a clear lead
in this area. Please contact me if you are interested in leading some of this
work or contributing to the discussion.</SPAN><o:p></o:p></P>
<P><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">One obvious
example of the importance of this work comes from Annie Simpson's comments
during her presentation in Perth. It should not be difficult<FONT
color=#000000><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f497d"> </SPAN>for a group like GISIN to
adopt TDWG standards and be able quickly to build a network to share data using
those standards. I reiterate the challenge for us to solve this problem this
year, using GISIN's requirements as a<SPAN class=669132404-13022009>
benchmark.</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'"><FONT
face=Arial><FONT size=2><FONT color=#000000>It is encouraging to see that NCD
nears the end of its public review and that TAPIR has just been submitted to the
TDWG standards track. It would appear that the submission of Darwin Core is not
far off either. Please help to ensure that we end up with effective standards
that can be easily adopted by a wide audience.
<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P><STRONG><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">e-Biosphere
2009</SPAN></STRONG><o:p></o:p></P>
<P><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">The
e-Biosphere 2009 conference (</SPAN><A title=http://www.e-biosphere09.org/
href="http://www.e-biosphere09.org/"><SPAN title=http://www.e-biosphere09.org/
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">http://www.e-biosphere09.org/</SPAN></A><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">) will take place in
London in June. This goals of this conference are to:</SPAN><o:p></o:p></P>
<UL type=disc>
<LI class=MsoNormal
style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Present and discuss
the extraordinary progress made in Biodiversity Informatics over the past
decade,</SPAN> <o:p></o:p>
<LI class=MsoNormal
style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Provide
participants with demonstrations of current capabilities in this field,
and</SPAN> <o:p></o:p>
<LI class=MsoNormal
style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Bring stakeholders
together to create a roadmap for the next decade.</SPAN><o:p></o:p> </LI></UL>
<P><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">The main
meeting (1-3 June) has a programme of invited speakers who will provide an
overview of what is happening in biodiversity informatics and promote a
vision for the importance of this work. These sessions will address the
first and second of the goals above. At the end of the week, there will be a
smaller two-day workshop with representatives from a range of biodiversity
informatics projects discussing synergies and efficient collaboration (the third
goal).</SPAN><o:p></o:p></P>
<P><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">e-Biosphere
is significant to TDWG for several reasons:</SPAN><o:p></o:p></P>
<OL type=1>
<LI class=MsoNormal
style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">The opening session
on 2 June will present the benefits of data standards and integration, and we
expect that many of the other sessions will directly or indirectly
highlight<SPAN class=669132404-13022009> TDWG </SPAN>work. We are also
organising a booth to publicise the work of TDWG and hope that this will be an
opportunity to demonstrate the value of our role to a wider audience.</SPAN>
<o:p></o:p>
<LI class=MsoNormal
style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">The e-Biosphere
organisers have established an "Online Conference Community" (<A
title=http://forum.e-biosphere09.org/
href="http://forum.e-biosphere09.org/">http://forum.e-biosphere09.org/</A>) to
engage the wider community in pre-conference discussions. One of the
categories (to be added soon) will be on the role of standards and tools in
biodiversity informatics. We encourage TDWG members to contribute to
this and to the other conference discussions.</SPAN> <o:p></o:p>
<LI class=MsoNormal
style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">TDWG will be
represented in the roadmap discussions on 4-5 June. We trust that this
session will help us all to clarify priorities for the next few years and will
feed into discussions at TDWG 2009 and beyond.</SPAN><o:p></o:p> </LI></OL>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><STRONG><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">TDWG
2009</SPAN></STRONG><o:p></o:p></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">In recent years TDWG
conferences have moved away from their earlier format, with significant emphasis
on working group meetings, to become more of a reporting conference on the
activities of TDWG-related projects. This has had some benefits, but has
also in some ways weakened the organisation by reducing our focus on the core
activity of developing and promoting standards. The vitality of our
working groups in large measure depends on the conference providing a focus for
their activity.</SPAN><o:p></o:p></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">For this reason, TDWG
2009 will be structured differently. Monday and Friday of the conference
have been reserved for plenary sessions, but for the rest of the conference we
plan to run three parallel (and, I hope, intersecting) streams of
activities. One of these will be on the use of biodiversity informatics to
support agriculture and crop diversity. Another stream will be for TDWG to
initiate activity in response to the roadmap developed at e-Biosphere
2009. The third stream is still be be selected. Each stream will
include a range of activities (e.g. symposia, seminars, task group sessions,
hackathons) planned to address key issues and to result in real deliverables to
progress biodiversity informatics in the area.</SPAN><o:p></o:p></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">We are establishing a
Program Committee to plan the conference in detail and will keep you informed of
progress.</SPAN><o:p></o:p></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Best
wishes,</SPAN><o:p></o:p></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Donald</SPAN></P></DIV></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV><o:SmartTagType name="Street"
namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:SmartTagType><o:SmartTagType
name="City"
namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:SmartTagType><o:SmartTagType
name="address"
namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:SmartTagType><o:SmartTagType
name="country-region"
namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:SmartTagType><o:SmartTagType
name="place"
namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:SmartTagType>
<STYLE>
st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) }
</STYLE>
<STYLE>
<!--
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0cm;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}
@page Section1
{size:595.3pt 841.9pt;
margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt;
mso-header-margin:35.4pt;
mso-footer-margin:35.4pt;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</STYLE>
<DIV class=Section1>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<TABLE class=MsoNormalTable
style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; mso-table-lspace: 2.25pt; mso-table-rspace: 2.25pt; mso-table-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-table-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-table-left: left; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm"
cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=left border=0>
<TBODY>
<TR style="mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes">
<TD
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0cm; PADDING-LEFT: 0cm; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0cm; WIDTH: 108pt; PADDING-TOP: 0cm"
vAlign=top width=144>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="mso-element: frame; mso-element-frame-hspace: 2.25pt; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-height-rule: exactly"><SPAN
style="COLOR: blue"><IMG height=104 src="cid:669132404@13022009-14D8"
width=129 v:shapes="_x0000_i1025"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P></TD>
<TD
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0cm; WIDTH: 314.5pt; PADDING-TOP: 0cm"
width=419>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="mso-element: frame; mso-element-frame-hspace: 2.25pt; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-height-rule: exactly"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Donald Hobern,
Director, Atlas of Living <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:country-region
w:st="on">Australia</st1:country-region></st1:place></SPAN><SPAN
style="COLOR: navy"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="mso-element: frame; mso-element-frame-hspace: 2.25pt; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-height-rule: exactly"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">CSIRO Entomology,
GPO <st1:address w:st="on"><st1:Street w:st="on">Box 1700</st1:Street>,
<st1:City w:st="on">Canberra</st1:City></st1:address>, ACT
2601</SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: navy"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="mso-element: frame; mso-element-frame-hspace: 2.25pt; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-height-rule: exactly"><SPAN
lang=FR
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: FR">Phone:
(02) 62464352 Mobile: 0437990208 </SPAN><SPAN lang=FR
style="COLOR: navy; mso-ansi-language: FR"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="mso-element: frame; mso-element-frame-hspace: 2.25pt; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-height-rule: exactly"><SPAN
lang=FR
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: FR">Email:
</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><A
title=mailto:Donald.Hobern@csiro.au
href="mailto:Donald.Hobern@csiro.au"><SPAN lang=FR
style="mso-ansi-language: FR"><SPAN
title=mailto:Donald.Hobern@csiro.au>Donald.Hobern@csiro.au</SPAN></SPAN></A></SPAN><SPAN
lang=FR
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: FR"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="mso-element: frame; mso-element-frame-hspace: 2.25pt; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-height-rule: exactly"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Web: <A
title=http://www.ala.org.au/
href="http://www.ala.org.au/">http://www.ala.org.au/</A> </SPAN><SPAN
style="COLOR: navy"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P></DIV></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV></BODY></HTML>