How to Request Data - F.A.Q.
Can I get site specific information?
If you want locations of species occurrences for your site or project
area, send us a letter by mail or by fax (see address and fax number
below).
Your letter should include:
• The location of the site (preferably with a vicinity or
project boundary map)
• Public land survey information (township, range & section),
or explicit directions, and the name of the USGS quadrangle on which
the site occurs.
• A general description of the nature of the project.
Can I get species lists, habitat, or general distribution
information?
Yes. Call, or e-mail us (see below), or browse available data
on our “Reports and Forms” page.
What data formats do you support?
Most of our responses will be in the form of correspondence, but
we can often provide data in electronic spreadsheet or GIS format
as a convenience to you, if you request it in advance.
Can I get a data dump?
No. Data in the Element Database is constantly changing, so dumps
can quickly become obsolete. In addition, some species data have
been provided to us on condition that the raw form of the data not
be released without permission from the provider.
How long will it take to get a reply?
We respond to requests within 10 working days, but we will try to
work with you if you have a shorter deadline. Please note that this
applies only to uninterpreted database searches: we search for records,
we report record summaries. ONHI biologists handle interpreted data
responses and this may take longer than 10 days.
What will it cost?
Basic information on rare species or natural communities is provided
on request to individuals free-of-charge. We also provide limited
quantities of available booklets, maps, and species lists without
charge. However, we do not have funding to supply organizations,
groups or schools with large quantities of free materials.
Is ONHI a regulatory agency?
No. We are not a regulatory agency, only an information source for
any interested persons or organizations. ONHI is actually a program
of the Oklahoma Biological Survey, which is a research unit and
state office located at the University of Oklahoma in Norman. Regulatory
agencies for endangered species in Oklahoma are The U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service in Tulsa, and the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife
Conservation in Oklahoma City.
To learn more, please contact ONHI:
Information Requests
Oklahoma Natural Heritage Inventory
Oklahoma Biological Survey
111 East Chesapeake Street
Norman, OK 73019-0575
405.325.1985
Fax: 405.325.7702
E-mail: ian_b [at] ou [dot] edu, Subject: Information Requests
DISCLAIMER
Data provided by the Oklahoma Natural Heritage Inventory are based
solely on existing information in our databases. In the absence
of field surveys, we cannot tell you whether a given site harbors
rare species or significant natural communities.
The Element Database is the most current and comprehensive information
source about the rare biota of Oklahoma. However, such databases
are only as complete as the information that has been collected.
For this reason we suggest you also contact the Oklahoma Department
of Wildlife Conservation Natural Diversity Section, or the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service in Tulsa, Oklahoma, as they may have
information of which we are unaware.
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