Esri Technology
NatGeo Map Now Available via ArcGIS.com and other Esri GIS News Esri had been at work on a National Geographic style basemap for some time and now its available to use. The map was developed by National Geographic and Esri and reflects the distinctive... Continue reading

Distinctive Web Map Based on Century-Old Cartographic Tradition

National Geographic and Esri have collaborated to produce this cartographically distinctive basemap that reflects National Geographic’s cartographic design, typographic style, and map policies.
This basemap provides a visually appealing background for web mapping applications for mobile users, consumers, and educational purposes, and is also well suited as a general reference map for many GIS projects.
This National Geographic World Map has been added to the collection of existing ArcGIS Online basemaps that users can access freely for internal and external use.
Get more details about this map and start using it today.

Lots of upcoming activities in the near future...

Good Morning,
There have been several things going on with GIS as of late. OKSCAUG just wrapped up one of our largest conferences ever with 18 vendors, over 280 attendees & all of our training classes were full. Please go check the website http://www.scaug.org to download the presentation, posters, & technical sessions that were presented at the conference. OKSCAUG even provided supplemental training before the conference to address the requests for training. Here is a quick listing of upcoming events SCAUG is hosting, participating in or sponsoring. Hope to see you there.

Nov 10, 2011 - San Antonio GIS Day Meeting - San Antonio, TX

Nov 16, 2011 -GIS DAY Tulsa Community College - Tulsa, OK

Dec 6, 2011 - ESRI Workshop- Extend the Reach of Your GIS - NWC / Norman, OK

Dec 7-8, 2011 - ArcGIS Basics I Training - MNTC / Moore, OK

Jan 11-12, 2011 - ArcGIS Basics II Training - MNTC / Moore, OK

Feb 15, 2012 - OKSCAUG Public Saftey User Group Meeting at Edmond

Geography majors and Friends of Geography

Important legislation to help fund Geography education is moving forward through Congress, but help from Geography educators in Oklahoma and around the United States is needed to make a final push. Reintroduced in March 2011 for the 112th Congress, House Resolution 885 and Senate Bill 434, "Teaching Geography is Fundamental," seeks to improve and expand geographic literacy among kindergarten through grade 12 students by improving professional development programs for K-12 teachers offered through institutions of higher education. Up to $15 million dollars per year for the next 5 years is being requested to fund this vital educational initiative. The goal of this public campaign is simple - to send 10,000 letters to Congress in support of the bipartisan Teaching Geography is Fundamental (TGIF) Act by November 18, 2011. This date marks the ending of Geography Awareness Week 2011 and the last day of the Congressional session before the Thanksgiving recess.



Use the link below to quickly send pre-formatted letters to your elected representatives. It takes about 2 minutes of your time. I think we can all agree that geographic awareness is key to successfully navigating our complex and interrelated world.


http://speakupforgeography.rallycongress.com/4342/teaching-geography-is-%20fundamental-act/

Shared by Robin Wilson and 74 more in GIS

Follow Robin
Free GIS Datasets - New categorised list available
I've published a list of free GIS datasets (see link below). Some of these are datasets that I've used, and some are ones that I've found on the internet through various searches. They are categorised and split into global datasets and individual country datasets.If anyone knows of any other datasets that they think should be added to the list then please contact me using the details on the site, and I'll add them.Cheers,Robin

Watch the short video Community Maps Program Overview and get more details and hear about the benefits of joining the program. For a complete explanation of the program and to hear how the city of Charlotte, North Carolina benefits from being a Community Maps contributor, watch the Community Maps Webinar.

Improve Access to GIS
The Extend the Reach of Your GIS seminar teaches GIS professionals how to expand the access to their authoritative maps and geospatial information. Esri staff will present practical applications and demonstrations that reflect common workflows.
This seminar will help you:
· Identify the expanding audience for the geographic knowledge you create.
· Meet the increased demand for maps by your organization's stakeholders.
· Share your work with anyone on virtually any device.
Seminars in Austin and Houston Coming Up!

2012 SCAUG Conference Registration Coming Soon

2012 SCAUG Conference

Registration Opens this Fall

Marriot Courtyard

Conference Rate: $95 Single/Double

USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection Goes Online

This via the USGS as The National Geospatial Program has launched the USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection. Dy today’s launch, the USGS will offer more than 90,000 of the 200,000+ USGS historical topo maps – some dating back to the Agency’s founding! (126+ years ago). The maps are georeferenced and can be downloaded for free from the USGS Store. Since they are in a GeoPDF format, no special programs are required, and they can be used in conjunction with the US Topo maps.
Some details… Nearly 90,000 high resolution scans of the more than 200,000 historical USGS topographic maps, some dating as far back as 1884, are now available online. The Historical Topographic Map Collection includes published U.S. maps of all scales and editions, and are offered as a georeferenced digital download or as a scanned print from the USGS Store. See the Historical Topographic Map Collection … more details in this official PR

Free GIS Nationawide Seminar

Improve Access to GISFree US Nationwide Seminar
September – November 2011-->
The Extend the Reach of Your GIS seminar teaches GIS professionals how to expand the access to their authoritative maps and geospatial information. Esri staff will present practical applications and demonstrations that reflect common workflows.
This seminar will help you:
Identify the expanding audience for the geographic knowledge you create.
Meet the increased demand for maps by your organization's stakeholders.
Share your work with anyone on virtually any device.
Register to attend the free seminar at a location near you.

Quick Links
Agenda-->Seminar Materials-->
Ask a Question Success with GIS Series-->
Online Community
#GISSeminar
Share with Peers
-->


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GIS Pre-Incident Planning

GIS Pre-Incident Planning - Training Materials Available
On June 14, 2011 NAPSG co-hosted a webcast with Esri that provided training on how to use GIS to create and manage building pre-incindent plans. This training session (titled, "Map the Risks Before the Incident: Learn How to Create Pre-Incident Plans using GIS") provided fire service, emergency management, and local GIS analysts with the skills-based training on how to use GIS for department-wide pre-incident planning. It covered the following specific knowledge & skills required to operationalize GIS for this important capability:
Model practices on the technical procedures and workflows from creating GIS-based pre-incident plans. Including a supporting database model.
How to use available map templates to support the use of GIS-based pre-incident plans.
Technical skills on database schemas and database management needed to support GIS-based pre-incident planning.
How to apply a common flexible framework for incident-level symbology in your pre-plans to enhance situational awareness & mutual aid response.
The following supporting materials & tools are provided below to support your department's efforts to create GIS-based pre-incident plans.
Cloud based preplan editing- A sample web map that incorporates the GIS pre-planning methodology will be available soon via the link above
Link to NAPSG ArcGIS.com - Access is free and includes the following resources:- Smaller version of a geodatabase to collect preplan data- Templates for paper pre-plans- Map Package- ArcGIS Mobile Map application to collect preplan data
Furthermore, provided here is a shortened version of it as a video training tutorial. Click on the link below to access the GIS Pre-Incident Planning Training Tutorial as a video.
GIS Pre-Incident Planning Training Tutorial- High Definition
GIS Pre-Incident Planning Training Tutorial- Regular Quality and Resolution
This video tutorial is a great way to learn key skills that are essential to building your GIS-based pre-incident plans. You can use this video as a training tool in your agency to equip your staff with these essential skills. If you have questions about how to use GIS for pre-incident planning that are not answered in the video or supporting materials & tools, feel free to send an email to questions@publicsafetygis.org with your question - be sure to include "Question on GIS Pre-Plans" in the subject line of the email. NAPSG will do our best to provide answers to your questions within a couple of weeks.
This webcast training, and the video training tutorial linked above, were produced in cooperation with the instructor, Chris Rogers. Chris Rogers is a lieutentant with the Kirkland Fire Department in Washington and a Technical Expert & Regional Coordinator with the National Alliance for Public Safety GIS Foundation. Chris has over 20 years of experience in the fire service. He uses his background in geography and GIS to enhance daily operations for local fire departments. In this capacity he serves as a Technical Advisor & Contractor to fire departments around the country to help them advance their use of GIS for pre-incident planning, computer aided dispatch, and fire service regionalization. Chris is available to provide technical GIS consulting services to public safety agencies on a paid basis and can be reached for these matter at chris@firemapping.com.
NAPSG is grateful for Chris's contributions in time & expertise in making the

5 Skills needed to be successful in a GIS career

The Top 5 Skills Needed to be Successful in a GIS Career
In a few weeks, I am giving a webinar entitled “The Top 5 Skills you need to be successful in a GIS career.” Because this is a topic that has been covered by dozens of articles in GIS journals and magazines over the past 20 years, I aim to do something different that stems from my educational work with the GIS community over that time.
I argue that the first skill is curiosity. Successful GIS people are curious not just about geospatial technologies, but they are also curious about the world. They ponder spatial relationships at work in phenomena from the local to global scale, ranging from demographics, land use, and traffic patterns in their own community to natural hazards, biodiversity, and climate around the world. This curiosity fuels the tenacity that is often necessary to solve problems using GIS. This curiosity is also essential because it helps frame geographic questions, and asking the right kind of questions is the first step in the geographic inquiry process that is key to successful work in GIS.
The second skill is the ability to work with data. Those successful in GIS have developed critical thinking skills regarding data. They not only know where to find data, but understand metadata so well that they know the benefits and limitations of working with each type of data. They know the most effective means to gather, analyze, and display geographic data through a GIS.
The third skill is understanding geographic foundations. Successful GIS practitioners know the fundamentals behind all spatial phenomena, including map projections, datums, topological relationships, spatial data models, database theory and methods, ways to classify data, how to effectively use spatial statistics and geoprocessing methods, and more.
Adaptability is the fourth skill essential for success in the GIS field. Now more than ever, as the field of GIScience is evolving rapidly in terms of its consumer audience, sensor network, functionality, the platforms by which it can be accessed on the desktop, mobile devices, and cloud, and in many more ways, successful GIS professionals need to be adaptable and flexible. They need to be not only willing to change but accept and embrace change as an essential and necessary part of the field. They are lifelong learners.
The fifth skill is good communications. Those successful in GIS know how to use GIS and other presentation tools to communicate their results to a wide variety of audiences. They know how to effectively employ cartographic elements, but they also know how to clearly communicate the results of their analysis in oral and written reports, video, face to face, online, and via other means.
Do you suppose these skills will become more important or less important as geospatial technologies grow in their impact on society in the years ahead? Do you agree with this list? If not, which five skills do you believe are the most important? How can the Geospatial Technology Competency Model inform such a list?
- Joseph Kerski, Esri Education Manager

Well what can I say, we finally got some rain and my son and I were so thankful we went out and played in it before work and school yesterday........Awesome! I noticed there are several jobs listed on the SCAUG homepage, good to know there is still work out there.

Not too much to report here other than the campus here at S.F.A. is coming back to life with all of the new students walking around with their parents, who by the way look totally scared, knowing there little angels are about to embark on the huge journey of life.

If you want to check out a few neat sites we put up go to our homepage www.crgsc.org and look at some new interactive web apps. So I guess that's it, here's wishing to more rain to come our way and I hope everyone has a great weekend.

What's New in Oklahoma

Happy Thursday GIS Community:

Summer seems to be winding down which means Fall is just around the corner. For many of us in Oklahoma the thought of Fall brings the anticipation of football games, county fairs and the OKSCAUG conference. This year will be no exception. The OKSCAUG committee is hard at work coordinating the 14th annual event scheduled for Tuesday, October 25. This one day conference is a great way for the OKSCAUG members to learn the latest in GIS technology, visit with vendors about new products, catch up with old friends and hopefully make some new ones. We are offering three new workshops this year on October 24 as well as 3 new training courses on October 26 - 27.

We invite all of the SCAUG members to join us for a great conference on October 25. Fall is a fabulous time to visit Oklahoma. For more information about the conference visit our website www.scaug.org

::The USNG National Implementation Center (TUNIC) at Delta State University::

::The USNG National Implementation Center (TUNIC) at Delta State University::

ArcGIS for Local Government

The ArcGIS for Local Government Resource Center is where you can find maps and apps that help you implement GIS in your local government. The maps and apps you will find here are organized around the work done on a daily basis by local governments to manage geographic information, visualize trends, and publish great Web maps.

You'll find maps and apps that help you with:

• Land Records


• Infrastructure


• Elections


• Planning and Development


• Public Safety
  

This Resource Center is also a place where you can communicate with other local government users, business partners, and the teams within Esri supporting local government. When you join this community, you can collaborate with us on the ArcGIS maps, apps, and best practices for local government.

Job Announcement - Ft. Worth, TX

A company in Ft. Worth, Texas, is searching for an ArcGIS Developer/Programmer. If you're interested in learning more, please contact the recruiter, Lon Lusk, at (972) 518-0198 x29.

Here's some details about what they're looking for:

• Experience developing GIS/mapping-based applications using the Esri suite (ArcGIS, ArcIMS, ArcSDE, ArcInfo, ArcView, ArcGIS Enginge, ArcObjects, ArcToolbox)


• Experience developing applications using Jana/J2EE (JDBC, Servlets, JSP) technologies or .NET


• Understanding of GIS data formats, data conversion and data maintenance concepts as it pertains to the development of custom desktop applications


• Strong client relationship management skills


• Knowledge and experience with project management tools a plus


• Experience in the transportation industry a plus

What's New Louisiana

Well this past Wednesday I had the opportunity to travel to Louisiana to a user group meeting hosted by LAGIC, ESRI, and SCAUG. In this "What's New In ArcGIS 10" session the group was able to hear first hand from Pam the ESRI rep. what exactly they could look forward to in 10. Many of the users were well aware of the functions that 10 allows and some picked up a few new tricks as well. With 32 attendees representing various sectors of La. I can see that interest is definitely there. I was able to meet many new people and hope to be able to provide as many resources as possible to them.

On a side note.... the food, as always in La. is awesome, Johnny Brown suggested this little grill restaurant with home cooking and the Wednesday special was chicken fried steak.... yummm. Back on point, Louisiana is full of GIS professionals that will without a doubt, bring an array of knowledge to the SCAUG family. I intend on helping in any way possible to provide a bridge for them to get the most out of SCAUG. I can't wait to see what the future holds for my new friends in La. Until next time this is Shane Diaz (SCAUG Louisiana Rep.) Come on Don......bring some rain PLEASE!

Now Available

Esri Community Analyst is a SaaS mapping solution that provides GIS capabilities in a simple and easy-to-use framework. Thousands of demographic, health, economic, education, and business data variables, combined with instant reports and interactive color-coded maps, allow you to quickly explore the geographic characteristics of any area.

Designed specifically for government agencies, policy makers, civic organizations, and non-government organizations, Community Analyst allows you to analyze data in a geographic context as granular as congressional district, block groups, census tracts, or ZIP Codes.

http://www.esri.com/software/arcgis/community-analyst/index.html?utm_source=aprimoemail&utm_medium=11605&utm_campaign=communityanalyst

Mapping Severe Weather

Dozens of tornados, hailstorms, and heavy rain have recently slammed the United States. In Joplin, Missouri, for example, a tornado devastated much of the city, killing more than 130 people. Esri's Severe Weather Map;shows how feeds from the National Weather Service; data from Televent; and crowdsourcing information from Twitter, YouTube, and Flickr all combine to tell the story of these unfolding events. Learn more about this application.

Map Sharing

Tip of the Month

Share a Common Map for Your Organization
Get step-by-step instructions on how to share a common map for your organization to use with desktop, web, and mobile applications. Read this tip.

GIS SPATIAL ANALYSIS WORKSHOP
This three day/four-hour workshop series provides an overview of applied spatial pattern analysis using GIS and SPSS. The selected readings and the replication data sets may also be of interest in itself for some participants. The workshop is FREE for students. The course is oriented to spatial analysis for students & others committed to applied research in spatial analysis. Attendees, by replication, will develop confidence to scan different literature on analytical procedures or specific computing routines. This is a free, hands-on workshop. Please see the attached flyer.

These workshops will cover the following areas:
Monday: Spatial Autocorrelation (Concepts & Examples and Exercises & Case Studies)
Tuesday: Spatial Autocorrelation (Continuation) and Identification & Visualization of Univariate and Multivariate Outliers
Wednesday: Classification & Visualization of Georeferenced Information and Intro to Spatial Regression

When: Monday-Wednesday, June 27-29, 2011, 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Where: Room UH 004 at University Hall, UT-Arlington location map
Cost: FREE for students
RSVP: Marjorie Dick at marjorie@uta.edu or 817.272.3301
INFO: Ard Anjomani at anjomani@uta.edu


82nd TEXAS LEGISLATURE WRAP-UP
Please join us as we welcome Cathy Cunningham of Boyle and Lowry, Jonathon Bazan of the City of Irving, and Amanda Wilson of NCTGOC for a networking lunch to learn about how the 82nd Texas Legislature will affect planners.

Cathy and Jonathon will provide a brief overview of the legislative process and political happenings during the session. In addition, they will provide an update on the 82nd Texas Legislature regular and special sessions and cover issues related to the planning profession. Amanda will provide an update on how transportation issues were addressed during the session. Speakers will also address issues that may return during future legislative sessions. Please see the attached flyer.

When: Friday, July 8, 2011; registration 11:30 a.m. – Noon, presentation Noon – 1:30 p.m.
Where: Transportation Council Room – North Central Texas Council of Governments location map
Cost: $10 APA members / $15 non-members. Box lunch from Jason’s Deli included
RSVP: Amanda Wilson at awilson@nctcog.org or 817.695.9284
AICP: CM Legal credits have been requested. Approval is pending.



Clayton Husband AICP
Secretary - Midwest Section TexasAPA
email: clayton.husband@arlingtontx.gov
phone: 817.459.6668
www.midwest-texapa.blogspot.com

One-Stop Mapping Center

Do you need to know how to choose the right symbols for your map; select the appropriate geographic transformation; or decide which digital elevation model (DEM) dataset to use, given your map scale? Esri Mapping Center can help. In this article, Aileen Buckley, team lead for the center, offers a tour of this free online resource, which is dedicated to helping people make great maps with Esri's ArcGIS software.

SCAUG Mixer at ESRI UC

Come join your fellow GISers from Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas at the SCAUG Mixer on Tuesday, July 12th from 5:30pm to 7:00pm in the San Diego Convention Center Room 6F.

Bill Text: TX House Bill 1147 - 82nd Legislature Regular Session | eLobbyist

GIS Colleagues: If you haven't heard about Texas House Bill 1147, you need to check it out. You must now put a disclaimer on any map or website that contains parcel data. It goes into effect September 1st.

Bill Text: TX House Bill 1147 - 82nd Legislature Regular Session eLobbyist

SCAUG meeting during Esri User Conference

If you're feeling sad because you haven't seen your SCAUG buddies since April, get ready for some good news. SCAUG is hosting a meeting and social during the upcoming Esri International User Conference! Come join us at 5:30pm PST on Tuesday, July 12th in Room 6F at the San Diego Convention Center. Add us to your Outlook calendar by clicking here: http://events.esri.com/uc/2011/infoWeb/OnlineAgenda/?fa=ofg_export_vcs_act&ScheduleID=2425

Hope to see you in San Diego!!

SCAUG Participates in Coastal Conference

Several SCAUG officers recently participated in the Coastal Development Strategies Conference in Biloxi, Mississippi. Lauralee Gann, MS rep, did a great job hosting us & getting the conference amenities taken care of. We saw a few familiar faces along with several new ones that were unfamiliar with SCAUG. This hopefully laid some very important framework in the area & provided us the much needed foot in the door for both Mississippi & Louisiana. Lauralee Gann, Shellie Willoughby (VP), Shane Diaz (LA Rep), & Charles Brady(President) attended the conference. In addition to having a booth at the conference, Shellie & Charles gave a presentation highlighting the benefits of SCAUG. It was a great conference and we look forward to more opportunities to work with GIS professionals in the coastal region.

Mobile Now Included with Your ArcGIS10 License

ArcGIS customers can now extend their GIS to the field using their existing ArcGIS 10 product license.
What do I get?

As of the release of ArcGIS 10, one license of ArcGIS Mobile is included with each ArcGIS Desktop 10 (ArcInfo, ArcEditor, or ArcView) license. This is in addition to the already unlimited licenses of ArcGIS Mobile included with ArcGIS Server Advanced Enterprise.
Why use ArcGIS Mobile?

Use ArcGIS Mobile to improve the efficiency of your field operations while increasing the accuracy of your GIS data. Access mobile technology from ArcGIS Desktop to

View and navigate mobile maps.

Collect, edit, and update information in real time.
Manage data, maps, tasks, and projects.

Rapidly deploy mobile capabilities without needing to develop your own solution.

How do I get ArcGIS Mobile?

ArcGIS Mobile is available for download from the Esri Customer Care portal where all the other ArcGIS 10 downloads can be found.
You will not need a separate authorization code to unlock ArcGIS Mobile. Entitlements are

limited to the number of core ArcGIS licenses your organization owns.
The primary maintenance contact for Esri in your organization is the person authorized to

download ArcGIS Mobile for your organization.
If you don’t have access to the Esri Customer Care portal, please contact the primary maintenance contact for Esri in your organization. If you need assistance, please notify mailto:service@esri.com?subject=Esri.

FREE WEBINARS, INFORMATIONAL LINKS & DOWNLOADS:
Download - Apps for Smartphones
Download - ArcGIS API for Microsoft Silverlight/WPF - Beta
Download - ArcGIS API for Windows Phone version 2.2 Beta now available!
Download - ArcGIS for iOS App Update Now Available
Download - Extend Your ArcGIS Maps and Tools to SharePoint

NEXT WEEK 21st Annual SCAUG Conference San Antonio, Texas - April 4-8, 2011 Crowne Plaza Riverwalk - 111 East Pecan Street Attendee Registration to the conference: Click Here

Overview of the Esri Technical Certification Program
Thursday, March 24, 20119:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., and 3:00 p.m. (PDT)
Join us for this online seminar to learn more about the new Esri Technical Certification Program. Find out what steps you need to take to become certified and how earning a certification can benefit you and your organization.
Instructions for Viewing the Seminar
Log in up to 30 minutes before the seminar begins.
You will need an Esri Global Account. If you don't have one, you can create one now.
You can access the live training seminar sample presentation now to test your connection.
Can't attend the live seminar? View it in the recorded training seminars archive shortly after the live session.

Enhance Your Business

Join your colleagues at a user group meeting focusing on helping you understand GIS and how it can be applied in commercial business. Share GIS knowledge and understand best practices in a growing community of local industry leaders and experts.
This event is free when you register for the annual South Central Arc User Group (SCAUG) Conference. You must be registered for the conference to attend.
Attend presentations on topics including
Data Management - Learn how to convert addresses into knowledge to better understand your business.
Territory Design - Discover how to use Esri Business Analyst to design, analyze, and manage geographic territories.
Network Analysis - Gain an understanding of how to better manage service areas for customers.
Questions? Contact Betsy Leal at 210-499-1044.

Learn the Benefits of Earning an Esri Technical Certification

Esri will host an online live training seminar this month that outlines the Esri Technical Certification Program and explains the advantages of earning a certification.

Overview of Esri’s Technical Certification Program will air March 24, 2011, at 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., and 3:00 p.m. Pacific daylight time.

The Esri Technical Certification Program, launched earlier this year, recognizes people skilled in desktop, developer, and enterprise use of Esri technology. Earning a certification means an individual is proficient in best practices for using Esri software. Certifications currently being offered are ArcGIS Desktop Associate, ArcGIS Desktop Professional, Web Application Developer Associate, Enterprise Geodatabase Management Associate, and Enterprise Administration Associate. Eight more certifications will be added in the future.

During the hour-long seminar, attendees will learn about the

● Program goals and five certifications

● Benefits of earning a certification

● Process for earning an Esri Technical Certification, including the preparation
phase

This seminar will be of interest to geographic information system (GIS) professionals and consultants, managers whose staffs use GIS, and Esri partners and distributors.

A broadband Internet connection and an Esri Global Account are needed to participate in the training seminar. Creating a global account is easy and free: visit esri.com/lts, click Login, and register your name and address. A few weeks after the live presentation, this seminar will be archived and available for viewing on the Esri Training website.

WHAT IS GIS?
A geographic information system (GIS) integrates hardware, software, and data for capturing, managing, analyzing, and displaying all forms of geographically referenced information.
GIS allows us to view, understand, question, interpret, and visualize data in many ways that reveal relationships, patterns, and trends in the form of maps, globes, reports, and charts.
A GIS helps you answer questions and solve problems by looking at your data in a way that is quickly understood and easily shared.
GIS technology can be integrated into any enterprise information system framework.

GIS ESRI Community

How Japan Shifted See how much the earth shifted in Japan after the March 11, 2011 magnitude 9.0 earthquake.

ESRI Japan Incident Map

Japan Incident Map
On March 11, 2011, at 05:46:23 UTC, a magnitude 8.9 earthquake hit off the Oshika Peninsula of Japan. This is the largest earthquake to hit Japan in recorded history and one of the largest in the world since records began. The earthquake has triggered tsunamis, which have hit coastal areas of Japan.
The goal of this web site is to disseminate information widely, inform the general public of the worst hit areas, and facilitate recovery planning. Map layers are being added over time as more data becomes available.

View ESRI Developer Summit Plenary Online!

The ESRI Developer Summit is being held this week in Palm Springs, California. Videos of the Plenary - Welcome and Development Vision and Part 2 are now available for viewing online. First, Jack Dangermond offers a welcome and Scott Morehouse delivers an overview of what's new in cloud-based GIS, along with ArcGIS web and mobile APIs. During the Part 2 segment, Tim O'Reilly provides an overview of developer resources, including information about ArcGIS 10.1 beta; presentations on ArcGIS Server, sharing analysis, Python, and desktop development.

Click on the link to view the videos and gain access to additional information and resources from the event: www.esri.com/events/devsummit/videos-and-photos/index.html

Nominations Being Accepted for URISA's Hall of Fame

Nominations for URISA's GIS Hall of Fame are being accepted until May 1, 2011. URISA established the GIS Hall of Fame in 2005 to recognize and honor the most esteemed leaders of the geospatial community. To be considered for the GIS Hall of Fame, an individual or orgnization's record of contribution to the advancement of the industry demonstrates creative thinking and actions, vision and innovation, inspiring leadership, perserverance, and community mindedness. In addition, nominees must serve as a role model for those who follow. URISA Hall of Fame Laureates are individuals or organizations whose pioneering work has moved the geospatial industry in a better, stronger direction.

URISA welcomes nominations from any profession and is not restricted to those having a past or current relationship with URISA. The award is not given every year, and some years there may be multiple recipients.

The selection criteria for this honor are:

• At least 25 years of sustained professional involvement in the GIS field.
• Original and creative contributions to the field.
• Well known and respected by a wide range of peers.
• Consistent demonstration of sound professional and personal ethics.

Nominations must be submitted to URISA by May 1, 2011. For details and to learn more about current members of URISA's GIS Hall of Fame, visit: www.urisa.org/hall_of_fame

Open Source Geospatial Conference Announces Workshop Lineup

The Free and Open Source Software for Geospatial (FOSS4G) conference has released a lineup of 24 hands-on workshops for the 2011 conference, which will be held September 12-16, in Denver, Colorado. FOSS4G is the premier international conference focused on open source geospatial software.

The bulk of the workshops provide an opportunity for in-depth insight into different tools of the open source geospatial stack from leading developers and practitioners. Many of the workshops focus on the customizing of code to match specific needs. There are also several introductory course to help the novice gain familiarity with the capabilities and applications of this robust software. A full lineup of workshops, with descriptions, can be found online at http://2011.foss4g.org/workshops/.

The event has strong support from major sponsors that include ESRI, Google, OpenGeo, MapQuest, and Newmont and is organized by the Open Source Geospatial Foundation (OSGeo) with support from an all-volunteer organizing committee and professional conference management from GITA. The 2011 FOSS4G event in Denver marks the first North American event in four years, with the prior three events taking place in Barcelona, Sydney, and Cape Town.

GIS Day in Oklahoma

Happy Friday SCAUG Members,

Thank you to all the OK SCAUG members who joined us at GIS Day at the Capitol on March 2. It was a record turn out with 51 exhibitors and over 200 people in attendance. It was great to visit with all the SCAUG members who stopped by the exhibit. We hope to see each of you at an upcoming User Group meeting or the OK SCAUG conference in the fall. If you were unable to attend the event, the sponsors of the event, the OK GI Council, has posted several pictures on their website. http://www.okmaps.onenet.net/GIS_day_11/index.htm

Have a great weekend and don’t forget early registration for the SCAUG conference ends today.

Shellie

2011-12 SCAUG Academic Scholarships

Are you aware the deadline for the 2011-2012 SCAUG Academic Scholarships is rapidly approaching? Help spread the word to our future GIS professionals!

Applications must be submitted by March 11, 2011. Winners will be announced at the 2011 Regional Conference Opening Breakfast on April 6. You can find more information here.

Job Opening in Tulsa, OK

If you're in the market for a new career opportunity, check out this job posting in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) is seeking a GIS Server Administrator to:

· Maintain, administer, test and document Esri-based GIS program and server to support Association products & services.
· Collaborate with IT, staff, & other specialists to assure databases/atlases of maps & images are current & retrievable.
· Resolve user difficulty & improve products & services.
· Drive strategic development activities of GIS content/system resources & products.

Successful candidate will have:
· Bachelor’s degree in IT field
· Exceptional customer service skills
· Minimum 5 yrs experience with Esri software & related technologies; web based application development; SQL usage; & 1yr with Esri tools and API’s including ArcObjects
· Advanced skills with Esri software including ArcGIS server & enterprise geodatabase with ArcSDE & ArcGIS Desktop
· Advanced skills with HTML, JavaScript, & REST technologies including Silverlight or Flex
· Knowledge of object-oriented methodologies & test frameworks I.e. Agile.

Send resume with salary requirements to:
hr@aapg.org

or mail to
AAPG – GIS: Attention HR
1444 S. Boulder
Tulsa, OK 74119

Got GIS? A niche technology goes mainstream

by Robert Mitchell is a National Correspondent for Computerworld.

Consumers may think of geographic information systems (GIS) as Web applications they use to get maps and directions, but GIS tools do a lot more than help people get from location A to location B. Businesses are adding a spatial dimension to data to help make critical decisions in this tough economy. General Motors and other automakers, for example, used GIS tools to help it figure out which dealerships the car maker should close.

You may never have heard of ESRI. Its tools have long been the province of specialists in areas such as land management, government and transportation logistics. But as Web-based front ends and Web services technology have evolved, the GIS tools have become easier for business analysts to use. Last month, ESRI launched its new MapIt service to make business analysis using GIS tools easier for Microsoft shops. And cloud-based GIS services are broadening access to GIS, allowing analysts to use GIS services without maintaining a GIS server in house.

I spoke with Dangermond, ESRI's president, for a Computerworld profile of Dangermond that ran in print. What got left out? An important discussion about why business GIS goes way beyond what you see with Google Maps, how GIS is solving a wider array of business problems, and how mash-ups with GIS and ERP systems are resulting in new applications that add a very visual, spatial dimension to business decision making. Dangermond thinks GIS has the potential to become another key pillar in the IT infrastructure.

Here's why.

You've said that GIS services that go beyond simple maps and images are coming. Can you give an example of where you see things going? There will be lots and lots of services available both inside the enterprise and on the open Web. We're already seeing this, and the services will be standards-based, open and interoperable and mash-able. People will orchestrate multiple services to support new applications, and this orchestration will include things like integrating ERP databases with maps or embedding maps inside of ERP applications using SOAP and traditional Web services architectures. Multiple kinds of data sets, map layers and database tables will be brought together dynamically in these lightweight applications as rich Internet applications.

GIS has traditionally been viewed as a niche technology. In the future, how important will GIS be in business? In the state of California the new CIO just released a policy that makes GIS one of the six major IT platforms at the enterprise level for the state [and] 80% of states are integrating GIS as part of their enterprise plan. We see that in business, we see in the whole CIO community that GIS has gone mainstream. I think it's important to your readers that they don't niche it as it has been in the past and begin to consider the power of geographic information systems to make their businesses better.

Are the consumer mapping and visualization offerings from folks like Google and Microsoft complementary to what you do -- or competitors? There's a distinction between consumer geospatial visualization stuff, applications that both Google and Microsoft have pioneered, and the professional GIS space.

To have the high volume, scalable visualization and mapping services these consumer applications represent, the data and the technology must be designed to perform there. That means very simple data models and very simple and limited things one can do with that data. That's distinct from the rich modeling and analytic environment that a GIS server represents.

Google and Microsoft both spend millions of dollars on content layers. We view them as huge content providers for the GIS market and we use them and exploit them for that very reason.

Do you see GIS as an enterprise information system on the same level as, say, ERP? GIS is an information system just like the others, transactionally maintained as geography changes, with multiple views, maps and analytic views and reports that provide information.

What is the implication of locating here? How do I manage my forest? Where do I drill? Where do I route my trucks? Seeing situation awareness, integrating my mobile workers around geographic information, is extremely valuable, with big returns on investment.

How has the Web opened up access to GIS? Today they go to their GIS people and say I'd like to figure out the best location for something and [the GIS staff] run a model and come back with map with the result. They apply the geographic approach. Those capabilities are now available in a Web server. I can run a model half way around the world in a browser that forecasts for example flooding in Southern Texas given a certain rainfall event. I can also mash up that model with base maps that come out of other servers and get really powerful visual and analytic results. People will increasingly want to do that more sophisticated analysis, both in the consumer space and in the professional space.

That has implications because it means that one has to have a different data model, a different technology foundation than is commonly in these hundred million views a day mapping sites.

How is GIS being integrated with traditional business analytics? It is already happening with MapIt. This is a mapping intelligence product that is designed for the Microsoft stack. It uses SQL Server as a database and provides map reports out of SQL Server as a restful service. These maps can be embedded into things like SharePoint. The service has a full Silverlight API client so developers can customize this new kind of mapping intelligence in their existing applications.

This approach is different than traditional GIS. It's really mapping for the whole business intelligence community and it comes with map layers that can be loaded into SQL Server, associated with enterprise data and served as maps into SharePoint or a Silverlight application. It includes geocoding tools and a restful map service that can be mashed up with other kinds of services across the enterprise.

[MapIt] is very much oriented toward the business intelligence world [where] there are reports and tables and analytics and charts -- and now there's maps. Microsoft thinks of it as a way to distinguish its business intelligence platform.

With everything moving into the cloud, how far do you envision GIS evolving as a software as a service delivery model? We have implemented this online as a Web service using the SaaS approach. Our product is called Business Analyst Online. We make tens of thousands of analyses every day over the Web through an e-commerce address where people put in an address, generate drive time trade areas around that address and overlay those areas on different demographic and other factors to generate standardized reports. Commercial real estate agents use that. We also provide it to small business retailers for evaluating different properties.

How are software as a service models for delivering GIS applications changing the way businesses use GIS? Historically ESRI has provided a lot of data in the box, like a base map of the world or geodemographics. We put millions of dollars of data sets into the maps and data CD. People love that. ArcGIS Online is online maps and data, and in some cases geoprocessing services, that are available to users as part of their software. ArcGIS Online is GIS in the cloud.

Our next release will allow users to host their data in the cloud and use the ArcGIS server in the cloud, rather than as an on-premise implementation. This certainly is not for everyone. But for very small organizations, for example, they can take advantage of this and have a smaller footprint of technology and data that they have to maintain.

What are some of the newer and more innovative ways in which businesses are using GIS data beyond traditional niches? When I think of GIS traditionally I think of government and land use planning and management. The applications that have been promoted in the private sector have been largely logistics. The automotive industry is using GIS to reconfigure dealership boundaries and to help with making those very difficult decisions. But there are many other applications.

Insurance companies use it as a standard way to look at risk. They do claims analysis, overlaying where a claim comes in and comparing it to the actual disaster that hit. They're improving the way that they do target marketing, what kinds of target populations would buy what kinds of insurance policies.

In the manufacturing area a lot of users track the location of shipments. This is particularly true in the chemical business. In the manufacturing business there's a lot of interest in supply chain analysis. People want to understand their own supply chain and its vulnerabilities.

Have some GIS experience? If so, this is the training for you!

The City of Longview GIS Division is pleased to announce ArcGIS Desktop II has been scheduled for February 15th, 16th, & 17th in the GIS training room at the City of Longview Public Works Service Center.

If you would like to register please contact Justin Cure (jcure@longviewtexas.gov) by February 10th. Space is limited to 12
ArcGIS Desktop II Course Description: The second of three courses in the ArcGIS Desktop Foundational Training Curriculum, this course teaches how to use essential ArcGIS Desktop tools to visualize, create, manage, and analyze geographic data. In course exercises, you will use ArcMap and ArcCatalog (the primary applications included with ArcGIS Desktop) to perform common GIS tasks and workflows. By the end of the course, you will understand the range of ArcGIS Desktop functionality and be prepared to work with the software on your own to create GIS maps, work with geographic data, and perform GIS analysis. http://training.esri.com/gateway/index.cfm?fa=catalog.courseDetail&CourseID=50111385_9.X

Hope to see you there!
Our domain name (URL) and email address has changed. Please update your records with our new information.

Justin Cure, GISP, CTT+

GIS Manager ESRI Certified InstructorCity of Longview, Texas P.O. Box 1952 Longview, TX 75606903.237.1041 HelpDesk 903.237.2700 Office 903.738.3396 Mobile 903.553.1859 FaxJCure@LongviewTexas.gov GIS.LongviewTexas.gov/GIS GIS@LongviewTexas.gov

Mappers erasing DeSoto County blind spots

Mappers erasing Desoto County blind spots

For Matt Hanks and Scott Trapolino, DeSoto County's geographic information system gurus, there's no such place as nowhere. Especially when lives are at stake.
"Everything is somewhere, so any place can be mapped," says GIS analyst Trapolino.
Also a volunteer firefighter in Eudora, he knows when addresses, maps and dispatch communications don't mesh, trouble begins: "I've gone to a trailer park with just a lot number, and that's not enough. You can drive past a home four times and miss it. You can always see smoke and fire, but not an injured man who's down inside."
He and GIS director Hanks are helping put DeSoto on the E-911 map as one of the first counties in the state with a unified, computer-aided dispatch system that utilizes "point addresses" to pinpoint emergencies and better direct first responders. With this system in place, a call to a trailer park would pull up data that includes private road crossings to precisely place the lot number.
The two-man GIS office expects the address collection and verification effort, aided by volunteers, to be completed by the end of the year. Students at the GIS Club at Lake Cormorant High School, for example, helped collect data last year for Walls and areas of Horn Lake and the county, Hanks said.
There's been 90 to 95 percent accuracy in verifying address information from Hernando and Horn Lake, said Trapolino, who added the task for Hernando was wrapped up this week. Olive Branch and Southaven compiled data earlier, and soon the effort will focus on the eastern part of the county.
"Local knowledge" is being factored in so that the same roadway that may be known as Miss. 305, Cockrum Street or Germantown Road in different segments causes no confusion, said Hanks.
Point address progress is welcome news for responders such as Bobby Storey, DeSoto fire marshal and Emergency Management director. He said his office this week is completing computer installation in its vehicles, including the staff command vehicle.
"When GIS gets done, we'll get dispatch information that our onboard computers can run up, and we see it 'layered' with details such as road crossings, and where hydrants or gas lines are," said Storey.
"We're dealing with about 70,000 point addresses across the county," said Hanks, but he pointed out that a single such address might serve for a mall or apartment complex with many tenants.
"We're saving the county quite a bit of money by handling this in-house," he said, noting that Shelby County recently issued a request for proposals on securing point-address data for its E-911 system. The estimated $1 million project will take up to two years, Hanks said.
The only other area in the state trying to match DeSoto's project are the hard-hit Gulf Coast counties of Harrison, Hancock and Jackson, in the aftermath of Katrina.
"Here in DeSoto we're trying to be proactive," said Hanks.
A Mississippi State University graduate and Grenada native, Hanks came to DeSoto's GIS office in 2006 and became director the following year. Trapolino, originally from Houston, Texas, was a GIS analyst for alma mater Delta State University before joining Hanks last year. Both just turned 30.
Hanks and Trapolino issue regular data updates to the county's seven-member E-911 Commission.
Everything starts with accurate information "to get first responders where they need to be," said commission member Chris Shelton of Southaven.
-- Henry Bailey: (901) 333-2012 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (901) 333-2012 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
--------------------
The Geo Code
Point address and centerline files are two types of layers used in emergency response, says DeSoto County GIS director Matt Hanks, and they become particularly functional once they are "geocoded."
Geocoding, Hanks said, is the process of assigning geographic identifiers to map features and other data records, such as street addresses. When implemented into a dispatch map, these two layers, along with others -- such as fire hydrants and gas transmission lines -- create an effective base map that is useful to emergency responders.
"A point address is a single point on a map that marks exactly where an address is located," said Hanks. Most often, this point will be created digitally on top of the structure, so once the address is entered, it will display at that exact location, he said.
Centerlines typically have address ranges that are used to locate addresses along streets. When an address is entered, the computer locates the address on a street segment.
Since the majority of addresses are human-generated and address ranges in a centerline file are most often computer-generated, Hanks said, these addresses can potentially display inaccurate locations. Point addresses help responders to fill in this discrepancy.
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New ESRI Certification Programs Now Avaliable

The Esri Technical Certification Program creates a workforce highly skilled in applying Esri best practices to advance the goals of their organizations.
Individuals
Benchmark skills against an established level of competency
Differentiate themselves in a competitive job market
Demonstrate their contribution within their organization
Define a personal development path
Hiring Managers
Assess a candidate's skills against industry-accepted standards
Create personal development plans for professional staff and entire departments
Organizations
Ensure staff skills and knowledge are leading edge
Maximize their investment in Esri products by employing a workforce certified in using best practices
Consultants
Gain a competitive advantage by leveraging their certification credentials
Demonstrate their skills and knowledge in using Esri best practices
Differentiate themselves

Street Mapper Conference, New Orleans February 2011

StreetMapper User Conference USA 2011
3D Laser Mapping and IGI, in conjunction with GeoDigital and Terrametrix, have announced a StreetMapper 2011 International User Conference. Timed to coincide with the North American International LIDAR Mapping Forum (ILMF), the StreetMapper Conference will take place on the 10th of February 2011 in New Orleans.
The StreetMapper 2011 User Conference is designed to attract both existing and potential users of mobile mapping systems. The Conference Programme will feature a range of technical presentations detailing the latest developments in laser scanning and mobile data capture including technical specialists from both 3D Laser Mapping and IGI who are at the frontline of system design and development.
Real-world users of StreetMapper mobile mapping systems will also be presenting at the conference. Describing projects from across the globe they will share their experiences and expertise giving valuable tips to aid with project planning, execution and data processing.
The StreetMapper 2011 User Conference will also provide the perfect opportunity for delegates to meet with laser scanning specialists and network with mobile mapping professionals from around the world in a relaxed and friendly environment.
The StreetMapper Conference follows on directly from the ILMF, which takes place from the 7th – 9th of February at the Astor Crowne Plaza in New Orleans. ILMF is a long established premier LIDAR event that attracts professionals from around the world focusing on sharing information on LIDAR technology and Mobile Mapping Systems.
Please note that attendance is strictly by invitation only. To request your invitation, please email
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info@3dlasermapping.com
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or call +44 (0) 1949 838004 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +44 (0) 1949 838004 end_of_the_skype_highlighting. Alternatively, download the booking form below and return by fax to +44 (0) 870 121 4605, or by post to Cyn Rene' Whitfield, Terrametrix LLC, 4852 S 133rd Street Suite 105, Omaha, NE 68137-1773.
Downloads
Booking form
2335 Kb

Mississippi Company Introduces New GIS Book

"Digital Quest Twitters Its Way to New Book Release! "
Third book in an introductory GIS series for 16 Career Clusters uses innovative networking tool to find contributors. For Immediate Release Contact Eddie Hanebuth, 601-856-2237 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 601-856-2237 end_of_the_skype_highlighting, eddieh@digitalquest.comShare With Others: RIDGELAND, MS: A national leader in GIS education is releasing a new book using top experts found via Twitter. Digital Quest, Inc.’s new book, A Geospatial Industry Series in Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics, was written by in-house authors along with contributions from three experts networked on Twitter. “We know GIS, being that we’ve written several books on the subject,” said Digital Quest president and founder, Eddie Hanebuth. “But rather than simply explain how we want GIS to be, we desired to explain how it actually is. Twittering let us accomplish that by identifying expert contributors and that’s exciting!” Digital Quest’s primary focus is supplying educational institutions with turn-key courses in skill training for students in the new and increasingly vital field of geospatial technology. Digital Quest’s new classroom-delivered course is designed to show STEM skills through Green and Sustainability disciplines. Students answer questions using ESRI's ArcGIS Desktop software on topics including: • What alternative energies are abundant in my area?• Can we preserve green space in our community?• Where can a biodiesel fuel company “strike oil”?• How can geospatial technology be beneficial to conservation biology?• What is the biomass potential of a forest?• Which watershed will receive funding?• Where do we create, restore, enhance, or preserve a wetland?• How do carbon emissions change over time? Five of the book’s ten lessons were written with assistance from three Twitter-connected experts. Marc Seelinger, a wetland scientist and proprietor of the Swamp School (Twitter name: SwampSchool), contributed to lesson six on conservation biology, lesson eight on watershed management, and lesson nine on wetland mitigation. “Marc’s expertise in these fields truly enhanced our own understanding of these important environmental issues. With all of our books, we want to show a scenario that mimics real world activities. Marc was integral in helping the team understand regulation and process for real world lessons. The idea of GIS lessons that are true to industry requirements is very exciting,” said Austin Smith, Digital Quest's Vice President of Development and Support. Jason San Souci, (Twitter name: JasonAFE) a remote sensing scientist and owner of AFE Advisor who works as a spectral analyst for Decisive Analytics Corporation, “took time out of his schedule to assist the creative staff at Digital Quest in implementing one of his projects in lesson seven on biomass potential,” added Smith. Finally, Don Meltz, principal planner and owner of Don Meltz Planning and GIS (Twitter name: DonMeltz) “graciously shared not only his planning expertise, but also data files for a real world case study that made lesson four on green space possible,” Smith said. A fourth contributor was Kevin Gurney, associate professor at Purdue University, Lead on Project Vulcan. Gurney runs a program that provides hourly carbon emission data broken down in to sub sector. Digital Quest hopes that the inclusion of data from this project can show the world one of the great resources that has been built to help make better decisions about our world. The staff of Digital Quest decided to write the current book, “aGIS in Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics: Green & Sustainability Focus”, due to national trends revealing the desire to better educate American students in the STEM fields. “How do we get more students involved in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics?” asked Scott Weller, the company’s director of national sales and marketing. “We feel that students who see the growing relationships between skills in GIS and these four vital academic areas will be further motivated and energized to study or specialize in one of those fields.” This is the third book in a series based on the 16 Career Clusters, created by State Career Clusters’ Initiative, to show how GIS can be applied and used in these career clusters. The series is called “aGIS,” or “a Geospatial Industry Series.” Digital Quest’s other major book series include: • “SPACE,” or “Spatial Projects And Community Exchange,” which shows students how to apply geospatial projects to their own, local community. SPACE is taken in a conventional classroom, the workplace, or at home. • “STARS,” or “Spatial Technology And Remote Sensing,” which is both a curriculum series and the leading national, industry-backed, entry-level certification program for students seeking to enter a GIS-related career, as developed in cooperation with the US Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship. STARS is taken by students in colleges, community colleges, or technical schools. More than 300 students have completed STARS certification to date. Digital Quest is Mississippi-based and operates out of MsET’s the Center of Excellence in Geospatial Technology at NASA’s John C. Stennis Center. The company is a member of the SkillsUSA National Geospatial Competition technical committee, and it also founded the Spatial Technology and Remote Sensing Geospatial Apprenticeship Program (STARS GeoAP), which offers a standardized way for schools, individuals, and employers to train skilled workers for geospatial jobs. To learn more about the new book, GIS in STEM, find it on amazon.com or call 1-877- 5REMOTE begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 1-877- 5REMOTE end_of_the_skype_highlighting (1-877-573-6683 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 1-877-573-6683 end_of_the_skype_highlighting) , email salesusers@digitalquest.com, or visit www.digitalquest.com. President of Digital Quest, Eddie Hanebuth, twitters as GISGuy.

MS Urban Foresty Council

Sponsored in part by the MS Forestry Commission, the USDA Forest Service and the Southern Chapter of State Foresters



You will not want to miss this event. This will be the only chance to hear this line up of speakers. Learn more about grants, jobs, better communities and neighborhoods, plus green initiatives for land owners. Go Green, $ee Green. The event is partially paid for with grants, so registration is at an all time low and scholarship are available.
You may register at the door.

February 9th-10th, 2011
9AM-5PM Each Day
Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, 2148 Riverside Drive, Jackson, Mississippi
Register Now- Seating Limited

Featuring Nationally Renowned Authors and Speakers:
Randall Arendt, Conservation Planner
Buck Abbey, ASLA and Great Neighborhoods, Healthy Neighborhoods- Rick Duke, Director, Trent Lott National Center for Excellence in Economic Development and Entrepreneurship


This event will feature nationally renowned author, Randall Arendt – ENVISIONING BETTER COMMUNITIES, SEE MORE OPTIONS and his latest book, Making Wiser Choices, Transforming Your Town: Towards a Smarter, More Sustainable Future. Randall Arendt is a landscape planner, site designer, author, lecturer and an advocate of "conservation planning." He is the country's most sought-after speaker on the topic of creative development design as a conservation tool. Also featuring, Buck Abbey who has taught within all areas of community development but in recent years has focused on teaching within natural systems and landscape technology. Presentation includes site engineering, (site grading, structures and systems), plant materials, planting design, professional practice and the green law seminar and author of Green Laws and Super Tree Ordinances and Landscape Codes.
Conference participants will receive a free‘Green Infrastructure’ Tool Kit consisting of resource guides,grant sources, model policies and ordinances, Virtual makeoverCD,MississippiTrees CD andComprehensive “green planning” CD.





Celebrate the 85th annual Mississippi Arbor Week by attending the conference to learn about the newest aspects of “Greening Your Community, Home or Business.” Your registration covers touring the museum, visiting a conservation design development and a chance to enjoy networking. The conference will cover a wide variety of topics and strategies of interest to community leaders, homeowners and business owners. Creating greener and healthier communities improves economic development, creates better places to live and play, leaving a legacy for many generations. Registration is below. For more information contact the Mississippi Urban Forest Council, Executive Director, Donna Yowell at (601) 672-0755 or dyowell@aol.com.
Agenda:
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
8:30AM- 9AM Registration – Mississippi Museum of Natural Science
9:00AM- 9:15AM Welcome to the Conference- Mayor Rod Nicholson
9:15AM-9:30AM The Connection of It All - Donna Yowell, MS Urbna Forest Council
9:30AM-10AM “Concept 2050-Utilizing Green Infrastructure to Achieve Environmentally Responsible
Development” – Jack Moody, Ms Development Authority
10AM-Noon Enhancing the Appearance of Downtown and Highway Business Corridors – Randall Arendt
Noon- 1PM Picnic Lunch at the MS Museum of Natural Science
1PM- 2:30PM Greener Neighborhoods, Either Revitalized or New – Randall Arendt
2:30PM-3:15PM Sustainable Site Development & Energy Conservation – Bob Brzuszek, MS State University, School of Landscape Architecture
3:15PM-4PM Enhancing Conservation and Income Potential on Community Forests – Daryl Jones,Ph.D., Natural Resource Enterprise Program
4PM- 4:45PM How to Incorporate Green Infrastructure Principles into Local Strategies”- Shelley Johnstone, AICP, Director of Community Development, City of Hernando
5:30PM-9:00PM President’s Reception & “ReLeaf and Rhythm” hosted by the Renaissance,Ridgeland,MS. Walking Tour and Scavenger Hunt in the Renaissance, Ridgeland MS. Hosted by the Ridgeland Convention and Visitors Bureau and the stores of the Renaissance. The walking tour will include a presentation about the “green” aspects of developing the Renaissance and prizes.

Thursday, February 10, 2011
9:30AM-10:15AM Placing Value on Trees and Landscapes – Dr. Stephen Dicke, MS State Extension Forester
10:15AM- 11:30AM Sustainable Urban Forestry and Developing Green Policy – Buck Abbey, LSU Green laws
11:30AM-12:00PM Trees and Watershed Health – Janet Chapman, MDEQ
12:00PM Lunch on Your Own – MUFC Membership Meeting

1:00 PM-5:00PM Go Green, $ee Green Workshop– This workshop will be presented by a team of experts covering subjects such as running a community forestry program on a budget, obtaining grants and financial assistance, free green infrastructure, creating gardens and green spaces, developing effective local teams, converting unsightly areas into assets, re-vitalizing your community, improving the quality of community spaces, creating the best comprehensive plan, and much more.
1. Grants and Finding the Money for Greening – Tony Anderson, Director, The Lets Raise A Million Project, Atlanta, Georgia
2. Green Remediation and Brownfields, Trey Hess, Ms Department of Environmental Quality
3. Great Neighborhoods, Healthy Neighborhoods- Rick Duke, Director, Trent Lott National Center for Excellence in Economic Development and Entrepreneurship
4. Types of Green Space and Gardens In Your Community – Donna Beliech, Ms State Extension Service
5. Developing an Urban Forestry Management Plan - Stephen C. Grado, Ph.D., College of Forest Resources, MS State University
6. Why Hire An Arborist? – John Kushla, Ms State Extension Service

Continuing Education Hours:
Elected officials, planners, foresters, arborist, parks & recreation, engineers, landscape architects and others.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Registration Form
February 9th-10th, 2011
Name:_________________________________________________ ____________________
Company/Organization_________________________________________________________
Phone________________________E-mail________________________________________
Please check appropriate fee option(s):
Full Registration (9th-10th) $85.00_____
Optional One Day: Select 9th___ or 10th___ $50.00_____Full Registration for MUFC Members $75.00_____
MS Urban Forest Council Membership(Optional) $25.00 _____(Membership Levels Below)
Exhibitor (9th-10th) $50.00_____
Students $25.00_____
Total: __________

Mississippi Urban Forest Council’s Membership Levels (Tax Deductible)
Individual...........................$ 25
Municipal.......................... $100
Affiliates............................ $100
Small Business...................$200
Corporate......................... $ 500
Students……………………………$15

Mail with check or P.O. to: Mississippi Urban Forest Council, 164 Trace Cove Drive, Madison, Mississippi 39110
Host Hotel:
Hyatt Place, 1016 Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland, MS, 39157 (888) 492-8847, Room Block for $99, ask for MUFC, book by January 31, 2011. Directions: Take Exit 105C off I-55 North onto Old Agency Road, Ridgeland, turn right into the Renaissance Shopping Center (by fountain), go straight until dead end and take a right, hotel on your left.
The Mississippi Forestry Commission and Mississippi Urban Forest Council do not dis­criminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability in employment or provision of services.