IMAZON uses GIS to view, understand, question, interpret, and visualize data in order to reveal relationships, patterns, and trends in the Amazon (ESRI 2008). GIS allows IMAZON to answer questions and solve environmental problems; “the ultimate aim of GIS is to provide support for making spatial decisions” (Malczewski 15).GIS connects science and policy.
GIS (in Portuguese “SIG,” pronounced “sigy”) is a simple three letter word for an intricate system known as Geographic Information Systems; “GIS should be viewed as a process rather than as merely software or hardware” (Malczewski 16).
5 Main Components of a GIS:
1. Hardware (computer)
2. Software (computer program)
3. Data
4. Procedures
5. People
Ultimately, GIS integrates decision support systems and spatially referenced data in a problem solving environment (Cowen, 1988). My internship at Imazon aims to create a sound and meaningful reforestation policy plan for Paragominas using GIS. (More to follow on my experiences using GIS, but at the moment I haven't started!).
Sources:
Arima, E. (2008). "Fundamentals of GIS: Introduction Presentation." Hobart and William Smith Colleges.
Cowen, D. (1998). "GIS versus CAD versus DBMS: What are the Differences?" Photogrammetric
Engineering and Remote Sensing. 54(2); 1551 - 1555.
ESRI (2008). "What is GIS?" Available at: http://www.gis.com/whatisgis/index.html
Malczewski, J. (1999). GIS and Multicriteria Decision Analysis. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment