The ATRI concept was formed in 1994 by DNR staff and external partners who recognized the need for decision makers to access and integrate environmental information. After considerable analysis concerning the role and structure of ATRI, the program was established by Wisconsin Statute 23.09(2)(km) which directed the Department of Natural Resources to "develop an information system to acquire, integrate and disseminate information concerning inventories and data on aquatic and terrestrial natural resources."

The importance of the ATRI system in enabling Department staff and partners to access, integrate and apply environmental information to landscape scale decision-making is reflected in ATRI being identified as a Department-wide strategic initiative, a performance measure in the Department's strategic implementation plan and a component of the State's Enterprise IT Portfolio.

The six goals of the ATRI project are:

• to establish a current, accurate, integrated and comprehensive information management system of significant aquatic and terrestrial data which is structured to promote efficient and integrated decision-making at a variety of spatial and temporal scales;
• to establish new and maintain existing dynamic, long-term partnerships that result in mutually beneficial outcomes;
• to bring reliability to the use of information through the consistent application of department-wide data standards;
• to optimize usefulness of department inventory and monitoring efforts for broader decision-making;
• to expedite the gathering of new inventory and monitoring data to fill gaps to improve decision-making; and
• to acquire or access existing, discrete data sets for integration into the ATRI system;

If you would like more information concerning the ATRI grant program or would like to explore delivering your data or metadata through the ATRI system, please contact Erin Crain.