This report outlines the current state-of-play for the management of environmental research data at the Irish Environmental Protection Agency. The key step in harnessing the potential of environmental research data is capturing them quickly after they have been collected or generated. There is a risk that the reuse value of the data will be greatly reduced if a significant amount of time passes after the conclusion of the project. Every project funded under the STRIVE programme is obliged to submit all significant data sets and information generated during the project to the EPA at the conclusion of the research project7. To support researchers in meeting this requirement, the EPA has developed a large-scale computer system named the ERC Server for the upload, storage, management, dissemination, and long-term preservation of these data resources. This development was assisted by the ERC Postdoctoral Fellowship Environmental Research Data Management which ran from 2004 until 2007. One of the key deliverables of this fellowship was the establishment of a software-based data management system for use by the environmental research community. The SAFER-Data system (http:// erc.epa.ie/safer) was developed. SAFER-Data is a fully web-based interface to the ERC Server for use by STRIVE-funded researchers and the environmental science community to upload and manage data resources generated during their research. SAFERData is also the principal point on the EPA website for the dissemination of environmental research data generated by STRIVE-funded research projects. This report describes the development of the environmental research data archive by the EPA and the development of SAFER-Data to provide web-based access to this system. SAFER-Data provides a one-stop shop for any stakeholder looking to access data resources generated by EPA-funded research projects. SAFERData is more than just another web-based data management system. The report shows that SAFERData has very quickly established itself as an important part of the STRIVE programme?s support infrastructure while also establishing itself as an important source of data within the environmental science research community. The report also shows that data from SAFER-Data have been downloaded by visitors to the system from all over the world. SAFER-Data is more than just a web-based system. Rather, it is the realisation of the research data management vision of the EPA and the STRIVE programme. SAFER-Data emphasises the philosophy of open and barrier-free access to environmental research data to any stakeholder

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Please Read Carefully Before Downloading

It is important for the EPA and the Environmental Research Community to know that the data and information products we distribute are useful to the user community we support. One way of doing this is by tracking the use of data and information in publications. Parts of or all of the datasets, data, or digital information products available here can be freely downloaded for further use in scientific applications under the condition that the source will be properly quoted in published papers, journals, websites, presentations, books, etc. Whenever possible the EPA strongly urge you to cite the use of these data, information, and web resources in the reference section of your publications. For convenience an automatically generated citation is available below which can be used immediately for citation purposes.

EPA SAFER Data Download Disclaimer: Before downloading any of the data or information objects below you are kindly asked to read the data download disclaimer Read Disclaimer (Opens in New Window). Downloading data or information objects from SAFER-Data indicates an acceptance of the data download disclaimer and the conditions outlined within it.

Suggested Citation Information

The information supplied in the table below should be provided with all citations to this electronic resource. You are requested to format each of the fields below as required by the specific bibliographical style you are using.

An example of this citation in proper usage:

Mooney, P.   "A Report on Managing Environmental Research Data at EPA". Associated datasets and digitial information objects connected to this resource are available at: Secure Archive For Environmental Research Data (SAFER) managed by Environmental Protection Agency Ireland https://eparesearch.epa.ie/safer/resource?id=339e8256-9750-102c-9c91-0a68ec663af0 (Last Accessed: 2025-01-20)

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SAFER-Data Display URL	https://eparesearch.epa.ie/safer/iso19115/display?isoID=115
Resource Keywords	SAFER Environmental Data Metadata Research
EPA/ERTDI/STRIVE Project Code	2002-CC-2FS
EPA/ERTDI/STRIVE Project Theme	Environmental Technologies
Resource Availability:	Public-Open
Limitations on the use of this Resource	This report can be distributed provided that the front covers, acknowledgements, and information sections are not removed or altered. There are no datasets, data files, or information objects attached to this metadata resource. If the attached report documents are used in journal article or other means of publication the original authors should be informed of this usage and an appropriate acknowledgement or citation is included within the published article. The EPA advise that this acknowledgement should take one of the following forms dependent upon how heavily the published work relates to the downloaded report: * Co-Authorship(s) for the original author(s)* Written acknowledgement within the body of the article* Written acknowledgement by means of the inclusion of a bibliography entry which clearly cites the original authors. The EPA as a/the primary funder of the research should be acknowledged.
Number of Attached Files (Publicly and Openly Available for Download):	3
Project Start Date	Friday 1st October 2004 (01-10-2004)
Earliest Recorded Date within any attached datasets or digital objects	Friday 1st October 2004 (01-10-2004)
Most Recent Recorded Date within any attached datasets or digital objects	Monday 1st December 2008 (01-12-2008)
Published on SAFER	Thursday 21st May 2009 (21-05-2009)
Date of Last Edit	Friday 22nd May 2009 at 10:04:09 (22-05-2009)
Datasets or Files Updated On	Friday 22nd May 2009 at 10:04:08 (22-05-2009)

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Description of Geographical Characteristics of This Project or Dataset
This report outlines the development of the SAFER-Data (Secure Archive for Environmental Research Data) system. It is a data/information collection and management system. There is no spatial or geographical linkages. SAFER-Data collects data and information primarily from researchers in Ireland but is open to access and use from all of the European Member States.

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In this section some supplementary information about this resource is outlined. Lineage information helps us to understand why this project was carried out, what policy or research requirements did it fulfil, etc. Lineage is important in understanding the rationale behind the carrying out of a project or the collection of a specific dataset etc. Links to web sites, applications, papers, etc are outlined to provide you with additional information or supplementary reading about the project or dataset

Any links supplied by the resource owner are stored such that they will open in a new window. Following such a link may lead to a 3rd party website over which EPA has no control in regards to contents or suitability.

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The following is a list of projects, datasets, and resources on SAFER-Data from which users downloaded attachments from soon after downloading attachments from this resource A Report on Managing Environmental Research Data at EPA. You can view the full description for projects, datasets, and resources by using the links supplied.

• Present and Future Technology for the Treatment of Sewage Sludge in Ireland View Full Metadata Description
• Critical Analysis of the Potential of Mechanical Biological Treatment for Irish waste Management View Full Metadata Description
• Anaerobic Digestion: Decision Support Software View Full Metadata Description
• CO2 flux data and meteorological data from UCC Flux Sites View Full Metadata Description
• Biodiversity in Ireland Plantation Forests (BIOFOREST) View Full Metadata Description

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