Demonstration of openNSPECT, an Open Source Version of the Nonpoint-Source Pollution and Erosion Comparison Tool by Dave Eslinger of NOAA Coastal Services Center

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Thursday, February 24, 2011

Demonstration of openNSPECT, an Open Source Version of the Nonpoint-Source Pollution and Erosion Comparison Tool by Dave Eslinger of NOAA Coastal Services Center (February 24, 2011 at 2 pm US EDT/11 am US PDT).  OpenNSPECT is a new, open-source version of the Nonpoint-Source Pollution and Erosion Comparison Tool (N-SPECT), which required ESRI ArcMap and Spatial Analyst for operation.  The new version of the  tool, openNSPECT,  uses MapWindow (http://mapwindow.org/), similar to the EPA's BASINS suite of tools.  OpenNSPECT  helps coastal mangers and local officials investigate potential water quality impacts to rivers and streams from development, other land uses, and climate change. Users first enter information about their area (land cover, elevation, precipitation, and soil characteristics) to create the base data layer. They can then add different land cover change scenarios (such as a development) to get information about potential changes in surface water runoff, nonpoint pollution, and erosion. Learn more about N-SPECT at http://www.csc.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/tools/nspect/index.html and OpenNSPECT at http://nspect.codeplex.com/.  Register for the webinar at https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/784088480.

Demonstration of EMDS by Keith Reynolds of the US Forest Service

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Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Demonstration of EMDS by Keith Reynolds of the US Forest Service (March 30, 2011 at 2 pm EDT/11 am PDT/6 pm GMT).   Ecosystem Management Decision Support (EMDS) is an application framework to help make knowledge-based ecological assessments at a variety of geographic scales.  The system integrates the logic engine of NetWeaver (provided by Rules of Thumb, Inc.) to perform landscape evaluations and the decision modeling engine of Criterium DecisionPlus (provided by InfoHarvest, Inc.) to evaluate management priorities.  Specific questions that EMDS addresses are:  1) What can we conclude from our data about the state of the landscape? 2) What is the explanation for the conclusion? 3) How much influence do missing data have on obtaining a logically complete analysis?  4) Considering the logistics of getting the missing data, which missing data should be the highest priority? and 5) How much priority should be given to a particular landscape feature when planning possible management activities?  Learn more about EMDS at http://www.spatial.redlands.edu/emds.  Register for the webinar at https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/230485497. 

Demonstration of Habitat Priority Planner by Chrissa Waite and Danielle Bamford of NOAA Coastal Services Center

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Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Demonstration of Habitat Priority Planner by Chrissa Waite and Danielle Bamford of NOAA Coastal Services Center (February 8, 2011 at 2 pm EST/11 am PST/7 pm GMT).   Does your organization need to make sound decisions on natural resource  management, but you're not sure how to get folks involved?  The Habitat Priority Planner packages spatial analysis and stakeholder engagement in one geospatial tool.  This ESRI-based toolbar has been used for strategic conservation planning, to create species monitoring plans, and to plan for climate change adaptation.  This webinar will show, using a case study example, how users can customize base data, select a series of spatial analyses, and work with stakeholders to prioritize areas for management action.  Learn more at http://www.csc.noaa.gov/hpp.  Register for this webinar at https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/857242505.

Presentation on the Coastal Adaptation to Sea Level Rise Tool (COAST) by Sam Merrill of the New England Environmental Finance Center

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Thursday, April 21, 2011

Presentation on the Coastal Adaptation to Sea Level Rise Tool (COAST) by Sam Merrill of the New England Environmental Finance Center (April 21, 2011 at 2 pm EDT/11 am PDT/6 pm GMT).  Most GIS tools developed to respond to the challenges of climate change focus on the damage caused by sea level rise (SLR) or increased storm surges and do not calculate or visualize the economic benefits of the adaptive actions municipalities could take in response to different levels of SLR and storm surge.  The Coastal Adaptation to Sea Level Rise Tool (COAST) approach assesses costs and benefits of adaptations to SLR scenarios by incorporating a variety of existing tools and datasets, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' depth-damage functions; NOAA's Sea, Lake, and Overland Surges from Hurricanes (SLOSH) model; and other flood methods, as well as projected SLR scenarios over time, property values, and infrastructure costs, into a comprehensive GIS-based picture of potential economic damage.  COAST displays the location-specific avoided costs associated with particular adaptive actions, along with the costs incurred by implementing those actions, to assist coastal municipalities in selecting appropriate strategies.  COAST also has applications for inland areas that include analyzing and displaying the economic impacts of any potential hazard event that can be mapped (e.g., extreme rainfall, fire) as well as the social and environmental impacts of those events. COAST bundles processes in Excel and the ArcGIS ArcGlobe application in the ArcGIS 3D Analyst extension. It has been designed to eventually become a stand-alone ArcGIS Desktop extension.  Learn more about COAST at http://efc.muskie.usm.maine.edu/docs/coast.arcuser.pdf.  Register for the webinar at https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/501237225.

Presentation on the Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard by Kathy Goodin of NatureServe

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Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Presentation on the Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard by Kathy Goodin of NatureServe (April 5 at  2 pm EDT/11 am PDT/6 pm GMT).  Coastal planners and resource managers working in the marine environment routinely face challenges related to data availability and consistency. Often, different types of data from multiple sources must be integrated to fully characterize an area. The Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard (CMECS) is an ecological classification system that provides a framework for this integration.  It is universally applicable for coastal and marine systems and complementary to existing wetland and upland systems.  CMECS Version 3.1 broadly classifies the environment into aquatic settings, or systems differentiated by salinity, tidal zone, geomorphology, and depth. Within these systems are five underlying components (benthic biology, substrate geology, geologic formations, sub-benthic soils, and the water column) that describe different aspects of the seascape. These components can be identified and mapped independently or combined as needed.  CMECS is currently being considered for approval as a national standard by the Federal Geographic Data Committee.  It has been developed by a coalition of organizations including NOAA, NatureServe, EPA, and USGS.  Learn more at http://www.csc.noaa.gov/benthic/cmecs.  Register for the webinar at https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/686465233. 

Demonstration of Coral Reef Scenario Evaluation Tool (CORSET) by Jessica Melbourne-Thomas of the University of Tasmania

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Thursday, May 26, 2011

Demonstration of Coral Reef Scenario Evaluation Tool (CORSET) by Jessica Melbourne-Thomas of the University of Tasmania (May 26/27, Various times- see below).  The Coral Reef Scenario Evaluation Tool is a generic, biophysical model for coral reef systems which couples dynamics from local to regional scales. Interactions between benthic and consumer functional groups at local scales (hundreds of metres to kilometres) are linked across regional scales (hundreds of kilometres to thousands of kilometres) by larval dispersal. The approach is bottom-up; simple components are combined to create a portable framework which can be applied for reef systems anywhere in the world. Model components and outputs are understandable for non-experts, but the system is able to generate complex, emergent patterns. Moreover, there is the facility to incorporate larval connectivity data from sophisticated dispersal models. CORSET is equally applicable as a research tool or as a decision support tool for coral reef management.  Learn more at https://reefscenarios.org/.

 

Webinar #1:

May 26 at 4 pm US EDT

May 26 at 1 pm US PDT

May 26 at 8 pm GMT

May 26 at 10 am in Honolulu, Hawaii

May 26 at 3 pm in Kingston, Jamaica

May 26 at 4 pm in Santiago, Dominican Republic

Register at https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/303931688.

 

Webinar #2:

May 26 at 7 pm US EDT

May 26 at 4 pm US PDT

May 26 at 11 pm GMT

May 26 at 1 pm in Honolulu, Hawaii

May 27 at 7 am in Perth, Australia

May 27 at 9 am in Brisbane, Australia

May 27 at 9 am in Sydney, Australia

May 27 at 9 am in Guam

May 27 at 11 am in Suva, Fiji

Register at https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/405725128.