The TDWG Executive Committee announces the official ratification of Darwin Core (http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/index.htm) as a TDWG standard.

Darwin Core joins four other TDWG standards- http://www.tdwg.org/standards/ that provide a reference for sharing information about biodiversity. Lead author, John Wieczorek, and his co-authors, Markus Döring, Renato de Giovanni, Tim Robertson, and Dave Vieglais have done an amazing job in writing, organizing, and dealing with feedback during the review process. We can only have a small insight into the effort that John and his team have invested in Darwin Core.

We also appreciate the work that Gail Kampmeier has done as Review Manager since her appointment in February 2009. There was an initial peer review followed by two months of public review, punctuated by ongoing discussions and periodic updating of the draft standard now being ratified by the TDWG Executive Committee.

John, Markus, Renato, Tim, Dave and Gail deserve contributions of good French wine in Montpellier! Thank you and congratulations to all who contributed.

Donald Hobern, Chairman, TDWG.