INAUGURAL SYMPOSIUM FOR STATEWIDE COLLABORATION IN GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS (GIS) IN VERMONT


INTRODUCTION


The use of spatial data and their manipulation thereof, has permeated across the lines of academia, public industry and the private sector, creating common interests in the types of information that can be derived. The State of Vermont has recognized the utility of standardizing and centralizing various types of public data at the Vermont Center for Geographic Information. There still remains, however, other issues of concern among the members of the spatial data users community. As such, a symposium was convened under the auspices of the Office of the State Climatologist (Department of Geography, University of Vermont) and the Vermont Spatial Data Partnership, to assemble GIS and spatial data users from the public and private sectors, as well as from academe. This meeting was held on December 9, 1997 at the University of Vermont.

GOALS TO BE ADDRESSED


The following goals were identified by the symposium steering committee to guide the dialogue among the data users:

  1. To foster communication among agencies, commissions and academic institutions;
  2. To identify and prioritize the needs of GIS, remote sensing and spatial data professionals;
  3. To develop a sustainable plan that would facilitate continuity in terms of data availability and interaction among spatial data groups.


PROCEEDINGS


Presentations during the morning session included the following:
  1. Forging partnerships between public and private sectors - Jay Appleton
  2. GPS technology: The future, today - Milo Robinson
  3. The UVM School of Natural Resources Spatial Data Lab (SAL) - Dr. Leslie Morrissey
  4. The applications of remote sensing and meteorology to other fields - Dr. Gerry Livingston
  5. GIS in ARD's domestic and overseas projects - Lenore Budd
  6. Vermont Spatial Data Partnership: Gateway to the future - Leslie Pelch
  7. Vermont Center for Geographic Information: A focal point for integration - Bruce Westcott
  8. The challenge of spatial interaction - Dr. Lesley-Ann Dupigny-Giroux

The afternoon's discussion centred around the challenges involved in implementing GIS in the workplace, as well as the ways in which the various members of the community could foster communication among themselves and the larger Vermont community.


SUMMARY OF KEY CONCERNS


There were three major groupings of issues raised:

EDUCATION

  1. the desirability of the co-education of CAD and GIS users;
  2. the raising of awareness of the usefulness of GIS technology;
  3. outreach activities to legislators, the public and GIS professionals.

DEVELOPMENT

  1. the necessity for data centralization;
  2. the use of standards for maintaining and updating data.

FUNDING

  1. for GIS data archival;
  2. for inter-agency co-operation;
  3. for the creation of new data;
  4. for the maintenance and updating of existing data;
  5. for incentives for data sharing.

CONCLUDING REMARKS


This symposium represents the first in a series of meetings designed to showcase GIS-related activities around the region, and to facilitate interagency collaboration. The complete version of the proceedings will be available from the Vermont State Climatologist shortly. To request a copy or for more information, please contact:

Dr. Lesley-Ann Dupigny-Giroux
Vermont State Climatologist
University of Vermont
Department of Geography
Old Mill Building
P.O. Box 54170
Burlington, Vermont 05405-4170
(802) 656-3060 (phone)
(802) 656-3042 (facsimile)
ldupigny@zoo.uvm.edu

MORE GIS LINKS FROM AROUND THE STATE

Coming

Vermont Spatial Data Partnership

Last updated 27 January, 1998