CNDDB News Blog

The CNDDB program is embarking on a robust process to assess functionality of the CNDDB system, tools and products, with the end goal of making our system more relevant and current. As the entity that houses data on California’s rare plants and animals, the CNDDB program is one of the largest of its kind in the nation. CNDDB staff use rigorous methodology to provide users with accurate data. However, we realize there is always room for improvement. The CNDDB Program would like to invite our external partners and subscribers to participate in this assessment effort. A short survey will be sent out tomorrow, July 21, to external partners and subscribers. The survey results will help us assess processes and functionality. If you receive this email, we would very much appreciate you providing us your thoughts. If you don't receive the email and would like to provide input, please email us. The deadline for the survey is August 12, 2022. We are looking forward to seeing your input!

The following Vegetation Classification and Mapping Program (VegCAMP) documents have been updated:

• Natural Communities List Arranged Alphabetically by Life Form (PDF)
• Natural Communities List Arranged Alphabetically by Life Form (Excel)
• Sensitive Natural Communities Only by Life Form (PDF)
• Sensitive Natural Communities Only by Life Form (Excel)
• Recent changes in Natural Communities (PDF)
• Recent changes in Natural Communities Rarity (PDF)

These documents are updated twice a year and reflect VegCAMP's current lists of vegetation Alliances, Associations, and Special Stands, as well as their global and state rarity ranks. Sensitive communities are marked with a "Y" under the "Sensitive" column in the lists. Links to the Natural Communities lists can be found on the VegCAMP Natural Communities web page. If you have any questions about these lists, please email us at VegCAMP@wildlife.ca.gov.

If you are a CNDDB subscriber, you are likely very familiar with BIOS 5 as the quickest online access to CNDDB data, as well as other datasets in the CDFW BIOS collection. We are happy to announce the release of BIOS 6. This next version of the CDFW BIOS viewer is built on the latest Esri ArcGIS JavaScript API and will eventually replace the current BIOS 5 viewer.

During the transition, both viewers will be available for a short time. We encourage you to start using the new viewer for your work now to familiarize yourself with content before the old viewer is no longer available. Most major functionalities are preserved from BIOS 5 to 6. You will be able to move your selections between BIOS 6 and RareFind. In RareFind, the BIOS tab will have a radio button in which you can choose to open BIOS 5 or BIOS 6.

We have provided a full user guide (PDF) for you, as well as a condensed version of basic functions to help you get started (PDF). If you have questions and comments about BIOS 6, you can submit them to BIOS@wildlife.ca.gov.