Welcome to the National Vegetation Survey Databank of New Zealand

The National Vegetation Survey Databank (NVS) is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 110,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 27,000 permanent plots. These data can be explored online as well as requested for download. NVS provides a unique record, spanning more than 70 years, of indigenous and exotic plants in New Zealand's terrestrial ecosystems, from Northland to Stewart Island and the Kermadec and Chatham islands. A broad range of habitats are covered, with special emphasis on indigenous forests and grasslands. The physical archive includes plot sheets, maps, and photographs from many years of vegetation surveys. Purpose-built software for entering, validating and summarising data is available.

NVS also supports several useful tools and services to help you collect, manage and analyse NVS datasets. Please read the Getting Started guide for a quick summary of what NVS can do for you.

The original surveys were conducted by the New Zealand Forest Service, Department of Lands & Survey, and the DSIR Botany Division. Ongoing surveys and research by the Department of Conservation, regional councils, universities, private consultants and Landcare Research are continually providing new data to NVS. Such widely sourced information collated in one databank is part of the value of NVS to New Zealand. At the same time, the interests of data providers are protected through written agreements that determine access rights to specific datasets within NVS. For further detail see Wiser et al, 2001 and a PowerPoint Presentation .

Value of NVS information

Data within NVS support reporting requirements for the Convention on Biological Diversity, Framework Convention on Climate Change, Resource Management Act, State of Environment, and the Montreal Process and of government departments, such as Department of Conservation. They also assist land management and ecological restoration. Historical information in NVS has significance in enabling New Zealand to address issues of current concern that were unforeseen at the time of data collection. They include assessing the impacts of climate change on indigenous ecosystems, the storage of carbon in indigenous ecosystems, and setting restoration goals in areas since degraded. Recent examples of uses of NVS include:

• Using classification assignment rules to assess land-use change impacts on forest biodiversity at local to national scales (Affeld et al. 2018)
• Mapping floral resources for honey bees in New Zealand at the catchment scale (Ausseil et al. 2018)
• Alien and native plant species play different roles in plant community structure (Bernard-Verdier & Hulme 2015)
• Tree fern ecology in New Zealand: A model for southern temperate rainforests (Brock et al. 2016)
• Global trait–environment relationships of plant communities (Bruelheide et al. 2018)
• Predicting plant conservation priorities on a global scale (Pelletier et al. 2018)
• The global biogeography of polyploid plants (Rice et al. 2019)
• Soil–climate interactions explain variation in foliar, stem, root and reproductive traits across temperate forests (Simpson et al. 2016)
• A global test of ecoregions (Smith et al. 2018)

Some recently published and unpublished information that used NVS data  (74.1 KB)

Each year the activities associated with NVS are summarised in the NVS annual report.

How to find and view data

This site gives online access to detailed information about vegetation plots that are stored in the National Vegetation Survey Databank.

Searching

You can discover datasets for request and download using the integrated search, which provides a number of ways to locate datasets of interest:

• Search on metadata, species and descriptive information to find datasets.
• Draw a ploygon around an area of interest to display all the included datasets.
• Zoom in to a location on the map to discover plots within the current view.

Filtering

Using the advanced search filters you can filter all datasets within NVS or just the results of an earlier search to narrow down your results. Filters include a range of project, plot and species parameters such as Ecological Region, plot treatment protocol, altitude or sampling year(s).

Viewing data

Summary information, a map of plot locations, a species list, and plot data for a dataset can be viewed by clicking the 'Details' link next to the dataset listed under the dataset tab in the search results. This information will help you determine whether the data will serve your needs.

You do not need to be registered or logged in to browse the data in NVS.

Go to search

Getting access to data

Datasets in NVS are available for request and download by registered users. Datasets have either unrestricted (i.e. are in the public domain for New Zealand users) or restricted access (i.e. require permission from the data owner before they can be supplied to you). Public domain datasets are freely available and can be downloaded immediately through this site, while restricted access datasets require an additional approval from the data owner before downloads can be completed. The download process will notify both owners and requesters by email when a data request requires approval and when these datasets are available for download. In both cases datasets are supplied on agreeement with the NVS Protocol for data use and data use terms.

How to request data for download

• To download data first locate one or more datasets of interest using the search features of this site. Information found on the details page for each dataset will help you determine whether the data will serve your needs.
• Users must be registered and logged in before a request can be submitted.
• Use the 'Add to Cart' buttons found on the dataset details page or the search results page to add each dataset to a dataset Request Cart.
• The Request Cart can be viewed at anytime by clicking 'View Cart' found at the top of each page.
• Once all datasets of interest have been added to the Request Cart, a request can be submitted by following the prompts on the Request Cart page.
• You will be notified by email when your data request is ready for download. 

Data can be supplied electronically in three formats: delimited ASCII text files, MS Excel spreadsheets, or that required by NVS Express.

Why register?

To request data, upload NVS Express files, or view your own data in My NVS you will need to be a registered user. The registration is only used to obtain basic contact details so we know where to send your data requests or who to contact to clarify any data related issues that may arise during the data upload process. You may edit the information about yourself at any time when you are logged in.

You do not need to be logged in to browse the data, but will only be asked to do so when you want to submit a requests.

Additional Assistance

If your data request is too complex to be made online or perhaps you need access to hard copies of a dataset for reference then please lodge an assisted data request.

Costs

For moderate data requests (i.e. data from fewer than 10 projects) there is no cost of supply; larger or complex requests may incur a cost. If hard copies of any dataset items are required there will be a nominal charge to cover the cost of copying these materials.

How to participate

NVS is a growing databank and welcomes contributions of new data and revisions to existing data. NVS also welcomes corrections to existing data as well as comments, dataset annotations, and feedback in general. Please visit Contribute Data for more information.

Tools and services

NVS provides software tools and data access services to help you enter, summarise, and access vegetation data in formats compatible with the databank. NVS Express is one of these tools, is freely available, and designed for entering and summarising vegetation data compatible with NVS. NVS Express accepts data collected using standard vegetation inventory methods (i.e.'Recces') and monitoring methods using fixed-area plots.

Resources

NVS has a wide range of resources and services available to assist you with collecting, submitting, and analysing NVS data. These include hard-copy fieldsheets to assist collection of field data, manuals and reports to provide information about undertaking standard vegetation inventory and  monitoring methods, workshops, and additional information about taxonomic names. Please see the Resources for more information.

What kinds of vegetation data does NVS contain?

The National Vegetation Survey Databank (NVS) contains general vegetation survey data, from plots that are usually not permanently marked. These data include reconnaissance descriptions ('Recces') and Protected Natural Areas data. They are suitable for vegetation description, studies of species distributions, and studies needing only coarse measurement of changes in vegetation. More than 57,000 survey plots in NVS comprise:

• Point-based compositional (and usually) structural description of vegetation
• Relative abundance in fixed structural tiers (usually included)
• Location information (80% have NZMS grid references).

Permanent plot data where fixed area plots or transects have been established, and the vegetation has been measured precisely (e.g. tagged trees, sapling and seedling counts, species lists). Fixed area plots may be circular, square quadrat, rectangular, or cruciform. Assessments of about 19,000 permanent plots in NVS are ideal for monitoring vegetation changes and the effects of management.

• Nearly all follow standard methods, e.g. in forests all trees within a fixed quadrat area (usually 400 m²) are permanently tagged to allow repeat measurements.
• Most forest plots contain permanently marked seedling subplots to determine changes in seedling and herbaceous composition with time.
• Permanent plots in grasslands have been sampled with a number of methods, which are primarily transect based.
• Most are along objectively located transects.
• More than 80% have NZMS grid references (for forest plots, >95%).

Examples of potential uses:

• Vegetation description, detecting biodiversity trends, studying weed invasions, and relating species distribution to environment
• Forest plots: growth, mortality, and recruitment of tree species, changes in structure and composition
• Grassland and shrubland plots: change in structure and composition

Ongoing developments of NVS focus on three major areas:

• State-of-the-art data management,
• Synthesis of data for research,
• Outreach and capacity building.

Active development of the NVS database and website is an ongoing effort to encourage more ready access to data, to provide easier means of entering and depositing data, to ensure that data stored in NVS meet set quality standards, and enable integration with other databases.

Recent enhancements include the development of a relational database system for storing all NVS electronic data; development of tools to manage this database and tools (NVS express) that allow end-users to capture, manage and analysis their own data remotely. The most recent development has been the release of this current web site. This site extends past capabilities to include improved data and metadata search and browse, including the ability to discover and explore plot locations on dynamic maps; the ability for registered users to directly download public domain datasets; a personal portal where data owners and requesters can view details about their data and transactions, and manage their data and grant data use access to others. Future plans include linking the NVS scientific plant names list with the New Zealand Organism Register (NZOR) for improved taxonomic names resolution, and developing online data access and anaytical services.

More broadly, a major goal of biodiversity informatics is to link information systems together, to allow increasingly broad and novel data syntheses. Our efforts in these areas are described more specifically on the NVS IO page of the Ecosystem Resilience OBI website. Our directions have been formulated over the last ten years based upon frequent involvement of diverse end-users. Our researchers have an established history of collaboration between scientists, information specialists, developers, end-users, and data providers.

To set the directions for future developments of NVS Landcare Research was contracted by the TFBIS (Terrestrial and Freshwater Biodiversity Information System Programme) to assess the needs of different types of biodiversity practitioner for data entry and retrieval from the databank using a questionnaire and interviews. We devised appropriate technological solutions based on our previous experience, knowledge gained from interactions with those attempting to solve similar problems internationally in vegetation data banking and from a pilot study on data management using Internet computing technology. Our findings and recommendations were discussed at a workshop held at Landcare, Lincoln in Feb. 2004.

The TFBIS NVS user needs report (1.4MB Acrobat file) summarizes our findings and outlines our recommendations for the future development of NVS.

Who funds the National Vegetation Survey Databank (NVS)?

In 1998 the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology accorded NVS the status of a Nationally Significant database.  Upkeep and maintenance is supported by Core funding for Crown Research Institutes from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s Science and Innovation Group (MBIE).

Additional funding for incorporation of new datasets archived alongside NVS data and for technological enhancements is provided by the TFBIS (Terrestrial and Freshwater Biodiversity Information System) Programme, Department of Conservation, MBIE-supported research programmes, the Ministry for the Environment and other agencies.

Governance

The NVS Databank  is managed by Landcare Research according to policies and rules decided by funding agencies in the interest of New Zealand’s Public Good.  The NVS Databank management team engages with key stakeholders - Department of Conservation, Ministry for the Environment, regional councils, researchers and other interested parties - for input and guidance to ensure that NVS continues to meet the needs of stakeholder groups.

Purpose of the National Vegetation Survey Databank (NVS)

The goal is to develop NVS as New Zealand's prime repository for ecological data on vegetation structure and composition, and specifically to:

1. enhance archival data storage of nationally important datasets;
2. enhance availability of archived data to users, while protecting the interests of data providers;
3. encourage users of stored data to provide some benefit that enhances NVS, as an in-kind contribution

Protocol for data deposition and storage in NVS

1. Hard copies of data, electronic copies where available, and documentation about the data should be provided.
2. No costs will be associated with data deposit, storage and retrieval by the provider.
3. Landcare Research will not normally purchase data for inclusion in NVS.
4. Issues of ownership of, and access to, data are of concern to data providers. Specific conditions regarding issues of ownership and access will be clearly defined in a Memorandum of Understanding between Landcare Research (as curators and custodians of NVS data) and providers (as per the attached Agreement on Confidential Disclosure of Information and Memorandum of Understanding). All datasets provided will be assigned one of the access levels listed below in consultation with Landcare Research.

Levels of proprietary ownership

Open access: (Recommended) No limitation on availability of data. The provider puts no conditions on use of the data;

Permission required - taxon occurrences open access: The existence of these data will be shown on data listings, but use may be restricted by the provider. Taxon occurrences will be openly available on the Global Biodiversity Information Facility*. Written approval must be obtained from the provider before data will be supplied;

Permission required: The existence of these data will be shown on data listings, but use may be restricted by the provider. Written approval must be obtained from the provider before data will be supplied;

Permission required - plot location restricted: The existence of these data will be shown on data listings, but the plot locations will not be shown on the map display. Use may be restricted by the provider. Written approval must be obtained from the provider before data will be supplied;

Private access: Confidential or commercially sensitive (the existence of data will not be advertised; they will be archived in NVS predominantly for data security).

* The Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) is an international network and data infrastructure aimed at providing anyone, anywhere, open access to data about all types of life on Earth GBIF.

Protocol for data use

1. Data contained in NVS hardcopy and/or electronic files are copyright and subject to License Agreements where used by any party. Licensed users of NVS data may not use the data for any purpose other than the purpose specified in the Licence Agreement, or subsequently agreed in writing between Landcare Research and the Licensee. 
2. Licensed users of NVS data may not grant any other party the right to use this data unless this use is specifically provided for in the License Agreement, or subsequently agreed in writing between Landcare Research and the Licensee.
3. Data are provided on a single-use basis unless otherwise negotiated.
4. Modification or addition of ancillary data does not confer ownership of the original data to the user.

Cost of data retrieval

Costs of data handling (e.g. retrieval, copying, analysis) must be met by the user.

Acknowledgements

A clear acknowledgement of NVS as a data source must appear in any products (e.g. publications, unpublished reports) in the following terms:

We <or User/Institution name> acknowledge the use of data <or other information> drawn from the National Vegetation Survey Databank (NVS) on <date of data supply>.

Additional acknowledgement of the original collector or organisation may also be necessary as a condition of use.

Data accuracy

Landcare Research attempts to hold the most up to date and complete copies of data in NVS, but does not guarantee that all data are error-free. Users are encouraged to furnish copies of data or corrected data or plot remeasurement data within a sensible time frame for the purpose of updating records.

User lists

Landcare Research will maintain a log of data users for reporting purposes. Information on other users of requested data may be provided at cost and to the extent allowed by Licence Agreements.

This protocol was last revised on 01 July 2013

The NVS protocol was extensively reviewed in 2007.  Download the report here.

RECCE PLOTS

Can ground cover estimates sum to more than 100%?

Yes, as ground-cover includes everything below 135 cm and there may be several layers present.

Are recce plots always bounded to the edge of a fixed-area quadrat?

No, recce plots may be bounded or unbounded, and serve different purposes. It is important to note on the field sheet and in the metadata which type are being measured.

How do I estimate the % cover of trees with leafy foliage occurring in more than one height tier. Are they scored only in the tier which the top of the tree reaches, or in each tier where leaves are present?

Leafy branches should be recorded in each tier that they are found.

STEM DIAMETERS

What is the recommended minimum diameter for tagging tree stems?

Typically tree stems of 3.0 cm DBH or larger should be tagged using nails and aluminium tags. Earlier versions of the permanent plot manual recommended 2.5 cm but stems that small are often permanently damaged by nailing.

Is diameter at breast height over bark (DBH OB) 135 or 140 cm?

135 cm.

What should be done when a tree tag is found to be missing in the field?

Make a new tag with the original number using a Dynotape maker. Never replace with a different numbered tag.

Should we tag tree ferns?

Yes, tree ferns can be tagged with long (>75 mm) nails and tags, or a loop of thin wire twisted around the trunk and a tag attached.

Are pre-printed diameter plot sheets with earlier data available to take into the field during a remeasurement exercise?

Yes, they can be supplied as hard copies or electronic file. See here for further information.

COUNTS OF SEEDLINGS & SAPLINGS (UNDERSTOREY)

For seedlings and saplings do I count individual stems of multi-leadered plants or treat them as single plants?

If branching occurs above ground level count as one plant, if branching occurs below ground count branches as separate individuals.

Is the height of a seedling measured as it stands, or pulled up straight?

As it stands.

Should trees or saplings that occur in seedling plots be recorded on the seedling sheet?
No, only stems less than 135 cm are recorded on seedling sheets as all others will be recorded on sapling or tree sheets.

What does 'relocated' mean when written on a remeasured seedling plot sheet?

'Relocated' is an ambiguous term which has sometimes been noted when a seedling peg was not found in the ground at its mapped position, and was then relocated or re-established to represent the original position. Use 're-established' rather than 'relocated'.

What does 'e' or 'ep' or 'eph' entered in the <15 cm tier on some seedling plot sheets?

They refer to ephemeral often cotyledonous very small seedlings and assumed to be short-lived. As these seedlings are often short lived, seasonally dependent, and sometimes difficult to identify they are generally not entered into the data files.

GRASSLANDS

Are all grassland transects 20 m long?

Grassland transects, with associated ring-counts, are normally 20 m or 40 m long. As ring-counts of species presence/absence are spaced at 40 cm there are either 50 or 100 samples recorded.

DATA HANDLING (data formats, data entry etc.)

Can the NVS archive supply data to end-users as spreadsheet files?

Yes, data can be supplied in spreadsheet- or database-compatible formats, but the request will take longer to process.

What is 'metadata' and why is so much information needed when depositing data to NVS?

Metadata are information about the data (e.g. who collected it, using what methods, and why). Metadata provide the information required for long-term use of the data and also allow users to determine data quality and whether datasets are appropriate for their needs.

Are all data stored in NVS recorded in standard formats?

No. Although there have been efforts to standardise methods over time and the bulk of data comply with a few standards, not all datasets in NVS conform to standard methods. Metadata and associated text files help to clarify methods for each set of data.

If data is entered by NVS data entry staff, can additional data fields be added?

Additional fields may be added to standard data formats, but arrangements need to be discussed with NVS operators on a case-by-case basis. Please contact the NVS team for further information.

If I deposit hard-copy data to NVS will it be digitised at some time?

Hard copies of data deposited into the NVS databank for archiving may eventually be digitised, but the backlog for entry of such data is currently more than a year. However, the NVS team can enter data at a cost. Please contact the NVS team for advice on the options for data entry or an estimate of the cost of data entry by NVS staff.

INTERACTIONS WITH NVS

What advantages are there to me providing data to contribute to NVS?

The National Vegetation Survey Databank (NVS) is a nationally recognised archive in which vegetation data can be securely curated for posterity and the public good. Archived data are kept up to date with available technology (e.g. data originally deposited in older highly coded file formats have now been migrated to a relational database) and ongoing systems that ensure that data can continue to be deposited and retrieved in formats that facilitate ease of data use. In addition, systematic error-checking and correction exercises undertaken by NVS staff have improved the quality of data archived in NVS.

How much does it cost to extract copies of data, electronic or hard-copy, from NVS?

NVS complies with the Crown Research Institute policy of providing access to data for public good or personal use (see Wiser et al. 2001 732KB), but charges may be incurred for cost of supply. Costs may range from nominal for simple queries to significant where considerable manipulation of data is required. Usually, no costs are passed on to the user in straightforward requests, and no costs are associated with storage, or are incurred by providers requesting their own data. NVS charges for cost of data extraction, format conversion, or fieldsheet copying if appreciable time or materials is required to carry out those tasks.

Can I get copies of original fieldsheets and plot location descriptions from NVS?

Yes, if present, copies of original raw fieldsheets and maps can be supplied. These can be provided as mailed photocopies, scanned files, or faxed. Please note that copying fieldsheets is often time-consuming and NVS may have to charge for the time involved.

QUESTIONS

If you have any questions related to the above please let us know here.

Reconnaisance descriptions, Recce plots or Recces (Allen 1992), are similar to ecological relevés (as used by Mueller-Dombois & Ellenberg 1974) or phytosociological descriptions. In addition to a relevé plant list and habit or habitat data (Lincoln et al. 1982), Recces normally include information on stand height tiers and species cover, and they may be bounded or unbounded.

Allen RB 1992. RECCE An inventory method for describing New Zealand's vegetative cover. Forest Research Institute Bulletin No. 176. 25 p

Lincoln, RJ; Boxshall, G.A.; Clark, P.F. 1982. A dictionary of ecology, evolution and systematics. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press. 298 p

Mueller-Dombois D; Ellenberg, H. 1974. Aims and methods of vegetation ecology. New York, John Wiley & Sons. 547p

If you retrieve data from the National Vegetation Survey Databank, you will be issued with the following copyright statement:

© Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research 2002-2020.

All data and information contained in NVS data files or sourced from this website are copyright and may be subject to licence agreements. They are the property of Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research, the Department of Conservation and other registered providers (the Owners) and shall not be disclosed to any third party without the prior written consent of Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research, who act on behalf of the Owners. Data and information sourced from this website may not be used for any purpose other than that described in the applicable licence. You may seek the permission of the Owners (through Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research) to use the data and information for other purposes and such permission will not be unreasonably withheld. Alternative uses may, however, be the subject of a separate agreement.

Terms of Use

These are the Terms of Use (Terms) of the National Vegetation Survey Databank (NVS) website and its content, which are provided by Landcare Research New Zealand Limited.

Terms of Use of the Content

Landcare Research has compiled the metadata, datasets, maps and other information available on this site from data derived from numerous sources within Landcare Research, the Department of Conservation and other registered providers (the Owners). Landcare Research does not warrant that the information is complete, correct or up to date and does not accept responsibility for any actions taken in reliance on it or consequences arising from the use of it.

Vegetation data provided by this website may be owned by a third party. As such all users of data content, including location information, vegetation measures, and any information products produced or derived from these sources and provided by this site, must comply with the NVS Data Use Protocol and any other restrictions placed on use by the third-party owner.

Links from these pages may have separate terms and conditions and it is your responsibility to be aware of and comply with them.

Disclaimer

The National Vegetation Survey Databank website and all content provided within is available for use on an 'as is' and 'as available' basis and without any warranty of any kind, either express or implied.

No Warranty

Except as required by law, Landcare Research does not warrant the performance or results you may obtain by using the NVS website. No warranties, express or implied, are given as to non-infringement of third-party rights, merchantability, or fitness for any particular purpose.

Limit of Liability

Subject to any liability which may not be excluded or limited by law, Landcare Research shall not be liable on any legal basis (including, without limitation, negligence) and hereby expressly excludes all liability for loss or damage howsoever and whenever caused.

Terms of Use of the Website

The National Vegetation Survey Databank (NVS) website is protected by copyright and may not be reproduced in whole or in part except under licence from Landcare Research.

By using this site you agree, and are deemed, to be bound by the following Terms. If you choose not to be bound by the following Terms, then, Landcare Research does not grant you the right to use this site.

You acknowledge that Landcare Research acts as the provider of this website and distributor of data and related information.

You agree that you will not attempt to alter this site or employ any robot, spider, or other device or process or means whatever to use this site for any unauthorised purposes. You agree not to:

• make excessive traffic demands;
• deliver viruses or forward any other system that is of a destructive nature or capable of so being whether alone or in combination;
• otherwise engage in any other behaviour that may be reasonably expected to inhibit other users from using and enjoying the site; or
• damage or destroy the reputation of Landcare Research.

Landcare Research accepts no obligation to monitor the use of this site. However, Landcare Research reserves the right to disclose any information as required by law, to block access to you, your agents, associates or your company and take such other action as may be reasonably necessary to prevent any breach of these Terms or any applicable laws. Landcare Research will in its absolute discretion fully co-operate with the relevant authorities with respect to any investigation of suspected unlawful activity or violation of the website's security.

Landcare Research does not warrant that the National Vegetation Survey databank (NVS) website or the Internet generally will be uninterruptible or error free or that any information, software or other material accessible from this site is free of viruses or other harmful components.

Landcare Research is not responsible for any information contained on sites that this website provides links to nor any third-party content that can be accessed through this website. The inclusion of any link to a website is not an endorsement of the linked site.

You acknowledge that Landcare Research may suspend the operation of the National Vegetation Survey Databank (NVS) website for repair or maintenance work or in order to the contents or functionality of the website.

Landcare Research reserves the right to modify or terminate the National Vegetation Survey Databank (NVS) website for any reason without notice at any time.

Enquiries or Complaints

If you have any enquiries or complaints about the information or services provided by this website then please send us your feedback or visit our support pages for further information on how to contact us.

We will only record your email address if you send us a message. Your email address, if supplied to us, will only be used for the purpose for which you provided it. We will not use your email address for any other purpose, and will not disclose it, without your consent.

These terms were last reviewed on 28 Feb 2015

The following provides details about Landcare Research's Privacy Policy ('Policy') in the context of the NVS web site.

Landcare Research has a legal obligation to comply with the Privacy Act 1993. Under the Act, organisations that are in possession of an individual's 'personal information’ must observe certain restrictions and standards concerning the collection, use, disclosure and security of that information.

Consent

We may collect certain personal information from you in the course of providing this service to you. By using our web site, you consent to the collection and use of the information as described here.

Variation

Landcare Research may change, or modify this Policy from time to time and will notify you of these changes on this website. Any such change, or modification will be effective immediately upon posting on the web site. We advise you to check this Policy on a regular basis and your continued use of this web site represents your agreement to be bound by the new terms of the revised Policy.

What identifiable information is collected?

Contact information such as your email address, postal address, name, username, and organisation is gathered directly from you when you register. When you submit requests for NVS data we will keep a record of the details of that request and any correspondence that may arise during the processing of the request. If we decide to collect information from elsewhere on the site, we will include a link to this Privacy Policy on that page.

Landcare Research may also collect information about its customers through their use of the services on this web site, which may include information relating to their use of the web site and the content they access.

How is the information used?

Our primary goal in collecting this information is to allow dataset requests to be processed, approved and subsequently sent out, and to help improve our web site and provide a better information resource for users. Specifically, for data requests your name, email and physical address will be provided only to data request approvers to aid their acceptance of your data use request. 

You agree that we may use your personal information to assist us to provide these services to you, for internal research purposes, to verify your identity, for promoting and marketing other Landcare Research NVS data products to you, and for any other use you authorise.

If any user web site statistics are collected, identifying features will be removed before this information is compiled and analysed on an aggregated basis.

Who is collecting information?

This information is only collected by NVS as part of providing a service to you. If the data is to be collected and/or maintained by anyone else, you will be notified prior to the time of the data collection or transfer. If you do not want your data to be shared, you can choose not to allow the transfer, but this may reduce the service that NVS can provide. Your login details may also be used to provide access to other Landcare Research web resources. You will be asked at the time of registering for any additional services whether your contact details may be shared. At no time will personal details be shared beyond these services or beyond Landcare Research without your consent.

Please be aware that the information practices of websites that may be linked to the NVS web site or are provided as links by the NVS web site are not covered by this privacy statement. Landcare Research is not responsible for the content or privacy practices of these web sites. We suggest that you review the privacy policy of each site you visit.

With whom will the information be shared?

You acknowledge that Landcare Research will only release your account and other personal information when we believe release is required to:

1. Comply with the law;
2. Comply with Court proceedings;
3. Enforce our Terms of Use;
4. Enforce compliance with a specific Data Agreement;
5. Protect the rights, property or safety of Landcare Research, our staff and our users.

We will not sell or allow third parties to access your personal information without your consent.

How can you edit your information?

You may correct or otherwise amend your information online through the NVS website. Alternatively please visit our support pages for further information on how to contact us directly about updating such information.

Upon request, your information can be deactivated but doing so will result in your not being able to access past or future dataset requests. You will still be able to search and view NVS datasets.

What security precautions are in place to protect the loss, misuse or alteration of information?

Access to your contact details is password-protected so that only you, the NVS curator, and the web site administrator will have access to the information.

We recommend that you do not divulge your password to anyone. We will never ask you for your password in an unsolicited phone call or in an unsolicited email.

Privacy Complaints

You should first direct any complaint of an alleged breach of the Privacy Act to our Privacy Officer. The contact details are as follows:

Please visit our support pages if you need further help or guidance.

This privacy policy was last reviewed on 31 May 2021