In comparison to many of the other data types covered by this good practice guide series, dendrochronological data files are very small and therefore the burden of retention is significantly lower. It should be noted, however, that researchers are increasingly storing high-resolution scans and photos of wood surfaces which can substantially increase the space required for archiving. Even with this consideration, it is good practice to archive all verified dendrochronological data and metadata including photos and research reports. For guidance regarding best practice for the creation and archival of image files, see the Raster Images Guide.

What can be archived varies due to the policies of the repository being archived to. For example the International Tree Ring Data Bank[1] (ITRDB) has strict data-quality control mechanisms resulting in the storage of verified and accurate data sets. The DCCD repository does not implement quality control which implies that the quality of the datasets stored in this repository is unverified and the responsibility of the author(s) of the data.

[1] International Tree Ring Data Bank (ITRDB) – https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/paleoclimatology/tree-ring