It is commonly recognized that about 80% of all data stored in corporate databases has a spatial component.  As we emerge from the latest recession, it is more important than ever for businesses to leverage their vast data holdings to develop a precise understanding of their market.  Traditional business analytics combined with the power of GIS provides an intelligent view into customer data, market selection, analysis and trend discovery.
 

We are thrilled to begin our next project with the International Crane Foundation (ICF).  Maybe you've read about or seen pictures of ultralight airplanes leading Whooping Cranes on their annual migration.  This year we will be extending ICF's mapFeeder application to support this migration from Florida to Wisconsin and back again! 

Paul was invited to the first ever GeoDesign Summit last week at ESRI's headquarters in Redlands, CA.  The summit was attended by a broad audience representing private sector, academic/education, research and government.  Everyone seemed to walk away with a positive experience, although many still struggling to understand what GeoDesign actually is?  Is it something truely new or simply a rebranding of tasks we already perform?  Architecture+GIS+Engineering?  In any case, you can bet on hearing the term 'GeoDesign' a lot more in the coming year.

NSG has begun developing a new map-based analysis and decision support tool for FireStats, a firm specializing in fire service data analysis and teaching techniques to fire service officers.

 Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced today the adoption of a Wetlands Mapping Standard that provides minimum requirements and guidelines for wetlands mapping efforts. The new standard is designed to guide current and future wetlands digital mapping projects and enhance the overall quality and consistency of wetlands data. Quality data on wetlands are considered critical for planning effective conservation strategies to benefit fish and wildlife resources now and in the future.

Brooke Reams, a Geospatial Analyst at ESRI, has recently started up her own GIS-oriented blog, called GeospatialAnalyst.  It's main purpose is for sharing anything geospatial/GIS related - free GIS tools and data, news, info, ideas, tips and tricks, etc.

You can view Brooke's blog at http://www.geospatialanalyst.com

The most complete terrain map of the Earth's surface has been published.  The data, comprising 1.3 million images, come from a collaboration between the US space agency Nasa and the Japanese trade ministry.  The images were taken by Japan's Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (Aster) aboard the Terra satellite.

The resulting Global Digital Elevation Map covers 99% of the Earth's surface, and will be free to download and use.

I am presenting a workshop at the 2009 Society for Conservation GIS Conference in Big Bear Lake, CA.  This project for the International Crane Foundation created a web-based GIS for data collection, mapping, analysis and distribution.

I will be teaching a course on Quantum GIS at this year's Minnesota GIS/LIS Spring Workshop series.  If you'd like to learn more about this great open source GIS desktop tool, registration is only $75 (including lunch) so sign up now!.  There are other workshops for ArcGIS Server, web mapping and working with LiDAR data.

Redlands, California—A new agreement with Microsoft Corporation gives ArcGIS users fast access to Microsoft Virtual Earth for their geographic information system (GIS) projects. As part of ArcGIS Online at the ArcGIS 9.3.1 release, ArcGIS Desktop and ArcGIS Server users will be able to connect directly to Virtual Earth and quickly start their GIS projects with ready-to-use content.

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