The first GIS user manual for nature managers in the Dutch Caribbean
DCNA has recently wrapped up its second GIS workshop of 2011. We have now held three GIS trainings for 16 participants from all six Dutch Caribbean islands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, St. Eustatius and St. Maarten). This time we came back to the ABC islands to see how participants from our one-year removed and first-ever GIS training were doing with the powerful mapping and data analysis tool.
For the workshop we unveiled a Dutch Caribbean GIS User Manual that guides our islands’ nature managers step by step through relevant GIS skills while using their own data in ArcGIS and Google Earth Pro. The manual is a tremendous asset to those starting out or those continuing to build their GIS skills.
Fernando Simal of STINAPA Bonaire reviewing a vegetation map of Bonaire
Along with building park capacity, at the DCNA Secretariat we have spent the past six months addressing one of the biggest concerns in terms of GIS use – lack of access to reliable and usable data. With the help of Eseld Imms, our new GIS expert, and many others we have cleaned and put together all of the basic geographic data that we possibly could for the islands. This information, now cloud-shared with six islands gives a solid base in which to grow our GIS and connect it to our monitoring efforts.
For more information on DCNA’s GIS work, to receive a copy of our new User Manual or a complete set of our data just send us an email at projects@dcnanature.org
During the workshop, Kate Walker of STENAPA mapped the highly endangered Statia Morning Glory on St. Eustatius
Is the manual available for download?
Hi Nancy, Yes you can download the manual here – http://www.dcnanature.org/downloads/index.html
Let us know what you think!
Thank you – I certainly will – I am also the GIS officer here at the BVI National Parks Trust and am on the BVI National GIS Steering Committee – I will share your manual with them also so thank you as we have done lots of training sessions also and always have new users to GIS.