Data Sensitivity

WYNDD provides comprehensive information on Wyoming species and habitats to all requesters. Some data are sensitive for a variety of reasons, though, and their distribution must be restricted in some cases. The following policies and procedures explain different types of sensitive data and how we will manage them.

Records of species observations managed by WYNDD can be designated “sensitive” for three main reasons: 1) the observed species or feature is easily disturbed; 2) the provider of the observation record wishes it to remain sensitive; or 3) the observation is on private land surface, the landowner has not granted WYNDD permission to distribute the exact location, and the record is not available in any other publicly-accessible data repository.

When any of these conditions apply, the record is labeled “sensitive” in the WYNDD database and is distributed to data requesters with the PLSS Township within which it occurs as its only spatial representation. There are very few conditions under which WYNDD can change or override a sensitive designation of a record and provide the record’s precise location to a requester, and all such instances require careful documentation of permissions.

WYNDD’s management of sensitive observations is complicated and must comply with the Wyoming Public Records Act, particularly Section 16-4-203-h (https://wyoleg.gov/NXT/gateway.dll?f=templates&fn=default.htm). The importance of correctly managing sensitive observations means that WYNDD will distribute observation records only from its central information system. This ensures that all sensitive records are addressed properly and consistently, and also requires that all observations first be entered into the central information system, in accordance with all data quality and evaluation procedures.

The location of observations meeting any of the three sensitivity criteria below is "fuzzed" by expressing the location as the township within which the species was observed. Most text attributes of sensitive observations are withheld.

Private Land – records on private land are sensitive except when the information is available elsewhere in the public sphere (i.e., museum, herbarium, published works, etc.);
Data Donor – the record was provided to WYNDD by a data donor under the condition that the record be treated as sensitive data (sensitivity is automatically lifted when being requested by the donor's organization or when the requesting organization holds a data sharing agreement with the data donor. See also 'Information on "Donor" Sensitivities', below);
Biological – examples of biologically sensitive observations are those that contain information about the location of hibernacula, maternal dens, or plants that are Threatened and Endangered under the ESA.

Information on "Donor" Sensitivities, for Data Donors:

WYNDD understands that in certain instances, observation data may need to be protected for a period of time. We refer to these as "Data Donor sensitivities"; this type of sensitivity is also sometimes known as a "data embargo". WYNDD can place automatic "sunsets" on a Data Donor sensitivity, so that the record will become available to data requesters in a precise form after the period of time specified by the donor. We allow data donors to choose from the following "sharing rules", as needed:

Sharing Rule	Description
Always Show	WYNDD will share the record at a precise scale with outside data requesters immediately, unless biological or private land sensitivities apply.
1-year Township	WYNDD will share the record with its location "fuzzed" to township level, and key attributes hidden, for 1 year, after which it will be shared at a precise scale with outside data requesters, unless biological or private land sensitivities remain in effect for the record.
2-year Township	WYNDD will share the record with its location "fuzzed" to township level, and key attributes hidden, for 2 years, after which it will be shared at a precise scale with outside data requesters, unless biological or private land sensitivities remain in effect for the record.
5-year Township	WYNDD will share the record with its location "fuzzed" to township level, and key attributes hidden, for 5 years, after which it will be shared at a precise scale with outside data requesters, unless biological or private land sensitivities remain in effect for the record.
1-year Hide	WYNDD will not distribute the record in any form for 1 year, after which it will be shared at a precise scale with outside data requesters, unless biological or private land sensitivities remain in effect for the record.
2-year Hide	WYNDD will not distribute the record in any form for 2 years, after which it will be shared at a precise scale with outside data requesters, unless biological or private land sensitivities remain in effect for the record.
5-year Hide	WYNDD will not distribute the record in any form for 5 years, after which it will be shared at a precise scale with outside data requesters, unless biological or private land sensitivities remain in effect for the record.