Data Advisory Group

• DAG Co-chairs: Richard Ostler (Rothamsted Research) (+ VACANCY)
• Secretariat Lead: Stephen Turner
• Secretariat Support: Gayatri Suman
• Read about our latest activities

The Data Advisory Group (DAG) is a collaborative forum which was set up to increase awareness of environmental observations and to bring organisations together to discuss data sharing initiatives at the UK, EU and global level.

The UK Vision for Data Sharing
"People/organisations in "UK plc" actually share and reuse environmental observation data to inform policy decisions, expand knowledge, contribute to international activities, stimulate markets for innovation, improve operational capabilities and improve their responses to the changing environment." 
Sharing Environmental Observation Data Think Tank 2008

UKEOF began by articulating the issues and produced a paper, Sharing Environmental Observation Data - the Issues, which outlined the legal, institutional, cultural and technical aspects of data sharing. In September 2008, the paper was presented at a Think Tank with senior government officials to highlight the issues and agree a vision.

Following consultation at a Data Solutions Workshop, the DAG was established.

Through the DAG, UKEOF provides a neutral space to discuss and coordinate knowledge exchange between data and information initiatives. It is vital to understand the policy and practice of existing initiatives to enable the UK environmental data and information resources to be used effectively.

As part of regular DAG meetings, members provide updates about their organisations' initiatives to inform the wider community of developments, events or new areas of work.

One of the mainstays of the programme was the development and operation of the UKEOF Environmental Observations Activity Catalogue, developed in the early days of UKEOF and operated  until 2022. The DAG were consulted about technical developments to meet the expressed needs of users of the catalogue. The DAG are currently considering options to redevelop the UKEOF Catalogue. If you used the catalogue in the past and have any views on it’s potential replacement please contact office@ukeof.org.uk.

The DAG series of Advice Notes set out the basic principles for data and information collection, management and application in a series of key areas:

Additional DAG outputs:

• Places to Look for Environmental Data (v3, Feb 2023)
  There are many sources of environmental data and information funded and used by the UK. This document aims to list and describe major environmental and non-environmental datasets and sources of information which can be used to support environmental research and vice versa
• INSPIRE directive resources
  The INSPIRE directive aims to create a European Union (EU) spatial data infrastructure which will enable the sharing of environmental spatial information among public sector organisations. The UKEOF Data Advisory Group agreed to coordinate UK implementation of the INSPIRE Annex III Environmental Monitoring Facilities (EF) theme on behalf of the UK Location Programme (UKLP)
• Technologies Workshop (2013)
  UKEOF, together with SEPA and Cameras, held a workshop in Edinburgh (24 September 2013) on New Technologies for Environmental Monitoring
• Vision for Sharing Environmental Observation Evidence (2010)
  A vision for the UK’s cultural shift in sharing environmental observation evidence
• Data Solutions workshop (2009)
  Aimed to enage people in shaping UKEOF data initiative plans, provide updates on INSPIRE and SEIS and share best practice for sharing environmental data
• Sharing Environmental Observation Data Think Tank (2008)
  Resources relating to a meeting held in London in September 2008

If you would like to get involved or find out more information please contact the secretariat on office@ukeof.org.uk.

Current member organisations are:

• British Library (Jez Cope)
• British Oceanographic Data Centre (Clare Postlethwaite)
• Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Tim Ashelford, Jason King, Ellie Martell, John Newington)
• Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Northern Ireland (Iain Davies, Martin McAleese)
• ELIXIR Europe (Jonathan Tedds)
• Environment Agency (James Finigan)
• Geospatial Commission (t.b.c.)
• HR Wallingford (Quillon Harpham)
• Joint Nature Conservation Committee (Melissa Lawrie)
• Marine Environment Data and Information Network (Gaynor Evans)
• Met Office (Stuart Matthews)
• National Biodiversity Network Trust (Sophia Ratcliffe)
• Natural England (Matthew Funnell)
• Natural Resources Wales (t.b.c.)
• Office for National Statistics (Adam Dutton)
• Rothamsted Research (Richard Ostler)
• Science and Technology Facilities Council (t.b.c.)
• Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Peter Singleton)
• Scottish Government (Shona Nichol)
• Semantics Arts (Peter Winstanley)
• UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (t.b.c.)
• UK Hydrographic Office (David Tomaney)
• University of Leicester (Jonathan Tedds)
• University of Nottingham (Jeremy Morley)
• Welsh Government (Oliver Massey)