Selected from more than 200,000 organizations worldwide, the NOAA Coastal Services Center is being honored for its work in geographic information system (GIS) technology. The Special Achievement in GIS award is presented by the Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI®), the world leader in GIS software, mapping components, and spatial database management tools.
"Each year the Special Achievement award commemorates a select few organizations using GIS technology. I believe their work will be inspirational in leading the world into the next millennium," says Jack Dangermond, ESRI president.
GIS is a computer-based tool for mapping and analyzing objects and events. It combines the power of a database with the visualization capabilities offered by maps. GIS provides the power to solve complicated problems, experiment with scenarios, and present ideas. Although geographic analysis and mapping are not new, a GIS performs these same tasks better and faster, says Dangermond.
"GIS is a natural fit for the coastal resource community," says Miki Schmidt, head of the Center's GIS unit, "for most coastal resource management issues revolve around competing demands being made on finite coastal resources. With GIS, information from a variety of sources about a number of topics can be placed on one interactive map. This is a tremendous help to the decision maker, and consequently the environment."
The Center's use of GIS is extensive. The organization is involved in over 100 projects per year, and a large percentage of these include a GIS component. The Center also employs two ESRI-certified trainers who lead beginning and intermediate GIS classes specifically for coastal resource managers.
