Overview

The Fish and Wildlife Information Exchange (FWIE) is a Division within the Conservation Management Institute which is housed within the College of Natural Resources at Virginia Tech. It is a technical assistance center, data analysis center, and information clearinghouse for fish, wildlife, and land management agencies and organizations. The FWIE also assists with the planning, development, implementation, and maintenance of information management and delivery systems. We maintain and distribute information and offer training in computer applications, database management, and use. The FWIE has helped dozens of agencies and organizations to better manage their information resources to more effectively conserve wildlife, plants, and natural communities in North America. Our funding is derived from contracts and grants with cooperating agencies and organizations.

Information System Development

The Fish and Wildlife Information Exchange (FWIE) has a long history of assisting state agencies in the development of fish, wildlife, and land management information systems. These geographic and tabular systems are currently in daily use in hundreds of offices in North America. Our systems have been applied to species management, habitat planning, environmental assessment, permit review, GIS/gap analysis, watershed planning, research, extension, education and web development. We have assisted State, Federal, nonprofit, and private agencies with information management and web development projects, ultimately helping to conserve our natural resources.

Information Retrieval

The FWIE has been involved in dozens of major information compilation and computerization projects. Minor projects such as "Analyze available data on forest habitat in Virginia to detect potential problems with major species groups". Major projects might include an objective such as "Compile all available information about vertebrates in New Mexico". These projects are accomplished by FWIE staff using computer based literature review and interaction with local, regional, and/or national experts. Check out our Species Information System and Master Species File which will take you to numerous data sources and projects. What are some of the major problems with information and data sharing among various agencies? Read Jeff Waldon's response to this troublesome question at Surveys and Planning.



Focus on Nature TM by Rochelle Mason "Focus on Nature TM" is a nationally-published endangered species column featuring beautifully-detailed illustrations and text about our local, state, national and international species. The descriptive text includes the species common and scientific names, diet, habitat, present range, and how we can help the species survive. The FWIE species section webpages are used extensively in collecting information about endangered species for this site.

For more information contact:

Lila Borge Wills, Division Coordinator
Conservation Management Institute
College of Natural Resources, Virginia Tech
1900 Kraft Dr., Suite 250
Blacksburg, VA 24061
lborge@vt.edu
(540) 231-8996 voice
(540) 231-7019 fax