Code of Conduct for EDDMapS Reviewers and Reporters

Purpose of this document: To inform EDDMapS users of their responsibilities while using the EDDMapS website. Users who do not comply with this Code of Conduct may have their Reviewer and/or Reporter privileges suspended and/or revoked at the discretion of EDDMapS personnel.

Reviewers and/or Reporters should:

• Review only records submitted for the organization or region they have been assigned.
• Always review under their own log in. If you are working with others who should have reviewer privileges contact EDDMapS or your jurisdiction’s EDDMapS coordinator.
• Review records as soon as possible. Ask for help if you are ever feeling overwhelmed by the number of reviews you are assigned or by the species you are asked to review. The review process adds weight to the data being reported. Until you review and
release a report, it will not be available for the public’s use.
• Contact EDDMapS or your regional Coordinator if you do not have the subject expertise required to carry out the review in the required area, i.e. plants, aquatic plants, mammals, reptiles, insects, etc., when applicable.
• Be aware that the locations of some infestations may be sensitive and keep this information confidential. These should be marked as ‘Private’.
• Request any incomplete or missing data, such as location or images, from reporters in a timely manner.
• Report any suspicious or possible fraudulent reports to the proper regional supervisor, such as county weed coordinators or state departments of agriculture regulatory staff.
• Always be professional and respectful when communicating with or about other reporters or reporters.
• Examples of behavior that would be considered unprofessional and disrespectful: Do not make personal comments about EDDMapS users either publicly or through the site based on their reporting or verification work. Do not contact EDDMapS users for non-site-related purposes, such as using a reporter’s email address to send emails advertising your own professional services.
• You also have the right to expect professional and respectful behavior from other EDDMapS users on the site. Report inappropriate conduct by other reviewers or reporters to EDDMapS personnel.
• Recognize that EDDMapS manages the review process in coordination with partners and retains the right to modify reviewing privileges at its discretion.
• Recognize that your position as a verifier may be dependent on your professional position. In some jurisdictions only professionals from state or provincial regulatory agencies have verification privileges for certain taxa.
• Whenever possible a different reviewer should review reports submitted by you.
• If you have or may have a conflict of interest with respect to reviewing certain records, contact your regional EDDMapS coordinator or EDDMapS personnel.
• Do not publicize reports that have not been verified and made public on EDDMapS without the permission of the landowner and regulatory agency.

Last Updated on October 24, 2018