Day: September 27, 2011

Analysis of MODIS NDVI Time Series to Calculate Indicators of Mediterranean Forest Fire Susceptibility

/ Matt Artz

GIScience & Remote SensingGIScience & Remote Sensing, Volume 48, Number 2 / April-June 2011

V. Chéret and J.-P. Denux

“This study was conducted to assess fire susceptibility of Mediterranean vegetation by analyzing a time series of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Terra images from 2000 to 2006. Synthetic indicators of vegetation status were defined based on analysis of annual variations of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and an understanding of phenological cycles. Spring and annual greenness indicators were calculated by combining NDVI values measured at different key phenological stages. The various fire susceptibility indicators were used to characterize fluctuations of vegetation activity related to changes in photosynthetic activity and fuel dryness. Susceptibility indicators were also mapped, and statistical relationships with meteorological conditions were identified.”

Health-Related Geospatial Data and Social Media: Can You Harvest Geosocial Data?

/ Matt Artz

Journal of Map & Geography LibrariesJournal of Map & Geography Libraries, Volume 7, Issue 3, 2011

John A. Olson

“Social media has been at the forefront of everyone’s mind lately. Some of us are still wondering how to leverage and use social media to further our library’s goals in reaching out to our patrons and users, let alone personal goals. But for some researchers, the question has been, “How can we mine these data and harvest the geospatial components to create meaningful datasets for mapping a specific topic or other need?” This has been on my mind as well. This column will begin to explore what is currently available to help mediate, sift, harvest, package, and display these geosocial data. I hope the sources and links shared here will encourage others to explore more deeply how social media data can be harvested and displayed from various outlets.

Twitter Add-In for ArcGIS Explorer (used with permission from Esri).

Twitter Add-In for ArcGIS Explorer (used with permission from Esri).

“We will focus on searching for health-related data on the Web, determining their currency and assessing the correct level of geography to map it to. Just finding health-related data in this context can be quite a challenge! These health-related data sources will be for specific time periods and are finite in content and size. Conversely, with social media data the content is always growing and moving at a feverish rate, and it is difficult to tease out specific topics related to health. So, let us begin with some of the basic resources first.”

Esri Receives Jane Goodall Global Leadership Award

/ Matt Artz

GIS Company Acknowledged for Contributions to Conservation

Jack Dangermond, Esri, receives the Jane Goodall Global Leadership Award

Jack Dangermond, Esri, receives the Jane Goodall Global Leadership Award

On September 24, 2011, conservationist and primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall, United Nations (UN) Messenger of Peace and founder of the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI), presented Jack Dangermond, president of Esri, the Jane Goodall Global Leadership Award for Excellence in Conservation Science during the Institute’s program, A Conversation with Jane Goodall,in Hollywood, California.

The award pays tribute to extraordinary people and organizations. Esri, the world leader in geographic information systems (GIS), works with organizations throughout the world by supporting conservation research, education, policy development and sustainable practices.

Founded in 1977, the Jane Goodall Institute (www.janegoodall.org) continues Dr. Goodall’s pioneering research on chimpanzee behavior—research that transformed scientific perceptions of the relationship between humans and animals. Today, the Institute is a global leader in the effort to protect chimpanzees and their habitats. It is also widely recognized for establishing innovative community-centered conservation and development programs in Africa and Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots, the global environmental and humanitarian youth program, which has groups in more than 120 countries.

“By combining Esri’s geospatial technologies with JGI’s decades’ worth of practical knowledge and experience successfully engaging local communities and decision makers, we were able to design a landscape plan around Gombe National Park in Tanzania that better balances the needs of chimpanzees and people,” says Dr. Lilian Pintea, JGI’s vice president of conservation science.

“The Jane Goodall Institute has made people aware of their connection with species and habitats,” says Dangermond. “It inspires a sense of responsibility that leads us to take positive actions toward preserving the inhabitants of this amazing planet. Esri is honored to be recognized by this outstanding organization.”

Esri’s conservation activities include donating GIS software to conservation organizations around the world; training hundreds of conservationists to use GIS software; providing a free mapping service for data, as well as maps and applications valuable for environment, habitat, and species analysis; and hosting the Society for Conservation GIS.

[Source: Esri press release]