” The practical application of knowledge is what moves us forward.”
Remote sensing and GIS have long been used by natural resource managers
in land use planning, natural hazard assessment, wildlife habitat mapping, and timber management. In recent years, these
technologies have been utilized in crime analysis, emergency response planning, land records management, siting of
retail stores, precision farming and infrastructure upgrading. The use of these technologies is truly interdisciplinary,
and can no be considered tools for specialists. With the development of user-friendly interfaces, powerful and
affordable computer hardware and software, and widespread distribution of digital data all resource managers now have
access to broad array of spatial analysis tools.
However, it is important to remember that these technologies are more than simply hardware and software. It is also
about people. As such, they do not lend themselves to traditional classroom teaching alone. Only by a combination
of approaches can critical components, such as principles, technical issues, practice, management, ethics and
accountability be learned. It is the practical application of knowledge that promotes the wise use of our natural
resources.
Specific Interests:
- Remote sensing
- Digital image processing
- Geographic information systems
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