Harmonisation requirements and capabilities towards a European spatial data infrastructure (ESDI): the HUMBOLDT protected areas scenario

Figures & data

Figure 1.  The approach of the HUMBOLDT project to geodata harmonisation with its two-pronged structure made up of a technological side and application momentum converging into the implementation of a Framework architecture.

Figure 2.  Overview of the HUMBOLDT Framework Components.

Figure 3.  Protected Areas Conceptual Data Model and UML Schema.

Figure 4.  Overview of the HUMBOLDT Framework Components architecture, as utilised in Protected Areas Scenario.

Table 1. Classification of geoinformation users and characteristics in relation to the HUMBOLDT Framework and Protected Areas Scenario.

	HUMBOLDT framework users	Scenario only users	Type of client	Users in the Protected Areas Scenario
End user (geodata)	No	Yes	Thin	Decision makers Leisure and tourism operators
End user (geoinformation)	No	Yes	Thin	Citizens (persons)
Data integrator	Yes	No	Thick	Planners and officers Citizens (Associations and NGOs) Researchers
Data provider	Yes	Not relevant	Not relevant	Commercial operators: Geodata providers Commercial operators: Geoservices providers
Data custodian	Yes	No	Not relevant	Mapping agenciesTerritorial governments in charge, e.g. regional

Table 2. Harmonisation issues and needs in the HUMBOLDT Protected Areas Scenario.

Issue	Relevance	Existing solution	Harmonisation strategy
Data/Exchange format	medium	Conversion tools	Creation-modification of Web Services (WMS WFS) with standardised syntax
Spatial reference system, reference grids	very important	Conversion-transformation tools	Among used data, Portuguese data are based on the Hayford-Gauss datum Lisboa Reference while Italy datasets are based on the Gauss Boaga Datum Roma 40 Reference Harmonisation approach • Transformation capabilities of the GIS client • Common reference system Coordinate transformation (Datum transformation, map projection)
Conceptual data model	important	Model and constraints Transformation rules between existing data models	Portuguese and Italian datasets currently are not based on a Data Model • Harmonisation approach • Creation of a Common Protected Areas Target data model
Classification systems/schemas	important	Common nomenclature and classification	Portuguese and Italian datasets have been created on different classification schemas • Harmonisation approach: • Common General Feature Model
Terminology/vocabulary	Medium/low		• Harmonisation approach • Common shared terminology • Thesaurus or dictionary
Multi-linguality	Medium/low		• Harmonisation approach • Automatic translation
Metadata profile	very important		Portuguese metadata profile is based on the ISO 19139 standard and Italian metadata uses the 19115 profile • Harmonisation approach • Metadata catalogue able to access/manage different kinds-versions-profiles of metadata • Create ISO 19115 Common Protected Areas metadata profile
Scale, amount of detail	important	(Cartographic) generalisation	• It is important to be able to deal with the different planning and management levels • Harmonisation approach • Criteria and tools for generalisation
Portrayal (map style)	medium	Using common Styled Layer Descriptor (SLD) or default styling	Different portrayal styles are mainly based on historical reasons • Harmonisation approach • Conversion criteria and tools between different SLDs
Processing functions	Medium-Low	Web Processing Services
Geometric consistency between datasets	important	Data quality actions	The geometry of real-world objects must be consistent between different datasets • Harmonisation approach • General feature model

Figure 5.  Example of Schema Mapping and Alignment with HALE, based on Protected Areas data models and attributes. The features in the ‘Transformed Data’ view are already transformed using the alignment mapping. For every attribute, you can view what value HALE assigns to them. In the figure you can see how the data structure has changed for the ‘name’ attribute of a given Protected Area. In this case we use the dataset for the Protected Areas (Red de Espacios Naturales) in the Community of Castile and León, in Spain.