Featured Stories: Volume 5 No. 4

• Agricultural Land Assessment using ArcGIS (166KB)
  Soil and climate conditions, farming practices, and economic cycles can all affect agricultural land value and create large differences in property values between (and within) rural municipalities. These differences make it inherently complex to predict agricultural land values. Using ArcGIS Geostatistical Analyst, Saskatchewan Assessment Management Agency (SAMA) has developed a methodology that simplifies the valuation process for agricultural land by analyzing trends in data across neighbourhood boundaries, something traditional methods could not accomplish.
  
  
• Responding to Agri-food Emergencies using GIS (133KB)
  Managing an agriculture and food emergency in Ontario requires that the appropriate information be gathered, organized, shared, and logically displayed to determine the size and scope of any natural disaster or human-caused crisis. The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food (OMAF) has been assigned the responsibility of developing and maintaining preparedness and response plans relating to agriculture and food emergencies. The Ministry is on-call for response 24 hours a day, seven days a week. As part of this ongoing work, OMAF has integrated GIS as a core component of their emergency plans, and has become a leader in the province for using GIS in agriculture and food-related emergency planning.
  
  
• GIS Helps Grizzly Bear Researchers (264KB)
  Oil and gas exploration, forestry, the construction of new roads, and increased recreational use of the land all have the potential to have a negative effect on grizzly bear habitat in westcentral Alberta. Grizzly bear researchers and GIS specialists at the Foothills Model Forest (FMF) are working together to further their understanding of the grizzly bears' habitat use and response to changing landscapes, and to ensure the long-term conservation of the bears in their natural habitat.
  
  
• Applying for Forest Permits Online (241KB)
  British Columbia's forests cover an estimated 48.8 million hectares of land representing more than half of the province's total landmass, an area larger than California. About 95 percent of this area is public land, where the Crown (government) retains title. In order to harvest on Crown land, forestry companies require an agreement with the government, commonly referred to as tenures. Examples of tenures include forest licenses, road permits, woodlot licenses, tree farm licenses, and timber sale licenses. They represent to whom and how rights to harvest timber will be awarded, and outline the compensation, responsibilities, and authorities of the holder.
  
  
• GIS Tools for Forest Certification (341KB)
  Forest certification is a process designed to encourage the sustainable management of forests throughout the world. Independent third party auditors evaluate forest stands to ensure that owners are complying with sound forestry standards established by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). Owners who meet these required standards have their woodlots certified as "well managed". This label provides assurance to both the woodlot owners and consumers of wood products that the forests are being well managed. In 2001, the Eastern Ontario Model Forest (EOMF) brought together several landowners in the region to seek certification from the FSC as a group, and created a GIS as a management tool to assist them in the certification process.
  
  
• Managing Botanic Gardens using GIS (237KB)
  Royal Botanical Gardens (RBG) is a living museum, a rare Carolinian forest, the world's largest lilac collection, a garden of curative secrets, a wilderness, a wetland, and a centre for plant research. Established in 1929, and later granted a Royal Charter by King George V, the Gardens has blossomed into one of North America's largest, and one of the world's most admired, botanical gardens. The Gardens is located in Burlington/Hamilton, Ontario, at the western end of Lake Ontario. There are 120 hectares of collections and gardens, and the remaining property is designated as natural and sanctuary lands. Today, RBG is using GIS to manage more than 1,100 hectares (2,700 acres) of ecologically rich land.
  
  
• Drought Monitoring Online (225KB)
  The Agriculture Division of Statistics Canada has a mandate to collect census and survey information regarding all forms of agriculture in Canada, and provide it in an expeditious manner to clients, often government policy makers. Long ago Statistics Canada realized that new technologies such as satellite remote sensing and GIS could reduce costs and provide valuable information in support of its operations.
  
  
• Sustaining our Water Resources (83KB)
  Canadian governance surrounding water resource management, monitoring, and reporting has changed over the last few years. Surface water quality monitoring is a good example of an area that has experienced changes, including the number of surface water monitoring stations and the number of reports released to the public regarding the state of surface water quality. In response to these changes, local level agencies and community groups are exploring creative ways to enhance monitoring and reporting.
  
  
• GIS - Live on Air! (121KB)
  CG (Canadian Geographic) Kids is an action packed half-hour television show with the main goal of educating Canadian children, ages 8-12, about the country they live in. Heading into its second season, CG Kids is building on its reputation for providing an energetic, informative, and often humourous adventure series by adding a technology component to each episode. ArcView 8.2 will be used to enhance the presentation and education of the geographic topics being covered.