Interweaving the CARE and FAIR Principles in Open Quaternary Data Resources: From reflection to initial action
- Leigh Anne Lieberman
- Suzanne E. Pilaar Birch
- Andrea K. Thomer
- John W. Williams
- Meghan Balk
- Jessica L. Blois
- Melissa S. Cradic
- Nicole R. Fuller
- Simon J. Goring
- Jennifer L. Green
- Nicholas Hoffman
- Eric C. Kansa
- Jessica N. King
- Michelle J. LeFebvre
2026-08-29
Open data resources in the geosciences seek to advance broad-scale, integrative, ethical, and reproducible research by making high-quality data available to many user communities through goals summarized by the FAIR Principles. Recent papers call for open data repositories to combine these efforts with support for Indigenous Data Governance (IDGov), as represented by the CARE Principles and similar frameworks, but implementation remains uncommon. Here, we share initial reflections and actions by a coalition of open and public Quaternary data resources (the Neotoma Paleoecology Database, Open Context, and the Florida Museum of Natural History Environmental Archaeology Program) that represent a spectrum of data types, spatiotemporal scope, governance frameworks, and institutional structures. Following a workshop and structured reflection exercise, each community data resource pursued coordinated but distinct activities to advance IDGov. Neotoma expanded its bylaws and data use statements to better protect sensitive data; improved data discoverability for tribal nations; and conducted an audit to identify data most likely to be subject to Indigenous data governance. Open Context conducted a similar audit of data and internal practices, while revising procedures for data intake and working on focused relationship-building with Indigenous partners. FM-EAP re-examined openly published zooarchaeological legacy data for completeness and alignment with FAIR and CARE best practices, establishing a workflow that can be adapted by other data repositories. This work shows how community data resources can effectively and synergistically advance the FAIR and CARE Principles. During this work, new opportunities and challenges have arisen, notably the rapid rise of AI and its intensified burdens on community data resources. Because Quaternary data resources are dispersed, best practices will advance by diffusion within and across nodes in the data ecosystem. While many different approaches are possible, paths taken will necessarily differ among data resources due to differences in governance and positionality. This ongoing work may help inform other efforts to advance Indigenous data governance and ethical open science.