The St Helena Research Institute works with other key stakeholders and the research community to help assure the collection, preservation, and appropriate use and dissemination of research data and findings from research conducted on St Helena.
We recognise that access to data is a sensitive issue and we are committed to protecting the intellectual property rights of researchers. However, access to raw datasets is also essential to ensure that local stakeholders benefit fully from research carried out on the Island, as well as avoiding duplication and highlighting potential collaborations. Datasets that are gathered and never published, or which are published in a heavily summarized form are effectively lost from the Island. If underpinned by clear access management agreements, storing datasets within a central repository can be of mutual benefit to all stakeholders, revealing potential synergies between
projects and enabling multidisciplinary and meta-analytical research that is beyond the scope of individual projects. Indeed, many academic journals now require that original datasets are deposited in open access repositories and data-sharing requirements are currently being rolled out across the South Atlantic UK Overseas Territories.
The Falkland Islands-based SAERI supports the South Atlantic IMS-GIS (Information Management System and Geographic Information System) data centre which acts as a hub for archiving the environmental data collected within the South Atlantic UK Overseas Territories. The metadata catalogue records the name and contact details of the dataset owner, access restrictions and details of where, when and how the data was collected.
Exemptions: SHG recognises that because of their size or nature some datasets will not be appropriate for archiving on-Island (e.g. large atmospheric datasets). However, metadata for inclusion should still be provided. Some datasets may also need post-processing to contextualise them.
Download the St Helena Metadata Form and use it to document your data. The metadata form should be submitted to the St Helena Research Institute Data Manager care of devlin.yon@sainthelena.gov.sh.
We are currently working with SAERI and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) to further develop St Helena’s data management system.
St Helena Data

Biodiversity and Environment
Mapping St Helena’s Biodiversity and Natural Environment (DPLUS052). The project has generated the following report:
DPLUS052: Mapping St Helena’s Biodiversity and Natural Environment; Remote sensing, monitoring and
ecosystem service mapping; Final Report https://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/DPLUS_052_FinalReport_20180723.pdf
Output maps from the project can be accessed via a web map:
https://data.saeri.org/saeri_webgis/lizmap/www/

Natural Capital Assessment
SHG / SAERI / JNCC Natural Capital Assessment land-use model for St Helena.
https://data.saeri.org/saeri_webgis/lizmap/www/index.php/view/map/?repository=02sh&project=saint_helena_web_NCA
The associated report can be found here:
http://data.jncc.gov.uk/data/bcb4e6a3-02dc-44a6-88d1-f59be6c242a1/ot-nca-sup-sat-32-sth-apr2019.pdf
SA IMS-Data Centre Metadata Catalogue
The metadata collected on St Helena can be searched for using the SAERI Data Services – https://www.south-atlantic-research.org/research/data-science/south-atlantic-overseas-territories-metadata/.
The whole catalogue can also be downloaded as a csv file.
This is the metadata collection updated to January 2019.
Visit Us
Canarvon Court, Education Learning Centre, Jamestown, St Helena
STHL 1ZZ
Contact Us
T. 00 (290) 22607
admin@sainthelenaresearch.edu.sh