GIS have long been recognized as a valuable tool for resource management and environmental analysis. They provide a powerful environment for modeling natural processes and human impacts on them. This course surveys a number of dimensions of environmental analysis from basic inventory efforts to abstract modeling. Key data sets and data sources are identified. Case studies are presented and explored through hands-on exercises to instill a conceptual understanding of human - environment interactions and how they may be investigated in a GIS.
This course is for those working in environmental or natural resource positions or those desiring a thorough understanding of how geospatial tools are applied in these industries.
Objectives:
Understand the application of GIS to environmental and natural resource issues
Know core data types and sources for environmental databases
Know the principles of Remote Sensing and their value for environmental GIS applications
Be aware of the broad range of natural and human dimensions of environmental applications of GIS
Environmental site assessment
Environmental analysis
The natural resource and environmental database
Remote sensing of environment
Environmental applications
Understand the decision support and predictive values of GIS as a tool for considering complex human/nature interactions
