The University of Georgia Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health created the Early Detection and Distribution Mapping System (EDDMapS). The National Predictive Modeling Tool Initiative (NPMTI) uses EDDMapS as the data warehouse for all pest and disease occurrence information from their Research Area Committees (RACs). EDDMapS works with each RAC to ensure that data is made available with all appropriate metadata. We also collaborate with each RAC to reduce time needed for data management, provide additional data quality controls, and to determine if new approaches can reduce the time from field data collection to availability in the data warehouse and integration with current pest and disease models. Finally, we work with modelers, data scientists, and other researchers to make sure they are aware of existing data sets and can easily access what they need.
The focus in the past years has been establishing stable lines of communication with each RAC, helping them develop their data standards, and refining the way data is being collected. At present, we have the initial data from the RACs including ~34,000 records over 4 years. These data sets are in the final stages of review before they will be available within EDDMapS. This season, we are piloting use of a smartphone app (EDDMapS Pro) for collection of some field data as well as some other digital first approaches to data entry. Feedback from these early adopters, the ability to perform data quality control before leaving the field, and the reduction in effort for data aggregation within the RAC prior to sending to the data warehouse are good incentives for adoption by other RAC members in future years.