Latest Contributions by MichaelBialousz

Check out the new Parks Infrastructure Management ArcGIS Solutions which deliver a set of capabilities for Parks, Land Management, and Conservation agencies to inventory assets, maintain asset condition, and communicate asset condition and relative impact on related services. This article gives a nice overview and will get you the resources you need to take advantage of these great Solutions which we were built in partnership with conservation as well as state and local parks agencies.  https://www.esri.com/arcgis-blog/products/arcgis-solutions/local-government/park-infrastructure-management-solution-released/ ... View more

It's already May and so we are busy working on prepping for the Virtual Esri User Conference (UC) 2021! We could use your help this year in planning our Natural Resources and Environment Special Interest Group (SIG) meeting. We have a short survey below to gather feedback that will help inform how we develop the SIG - which is all about the community! What's a SIG? Well, we know that across our industry many agencies and organizations face similar challenges and every year we attempt to showcase a few examples of how the user community has addressed those challenges and present their story to the benefit of the rest of the community. That's why, every year, we request feedback from that very same community for planning purposes! Please fill out this survey by Monday, 5/16/2021, if possible. It's short and sweet! Additionally, make sure you register for the Virtual UC this year! It's FREE! We look forward to "seeing" you all at the 2021 UC and the SIG!  Thank you! ... View more

Please join the ArcGIS Solutions team on Thursday 11/19 at 11:00 AM PST as they discuss and demo the Recreation Outreach ArcGIS Solutions.  The Recreation Outreach solutions deliver a set of capabilities that help you understand recreation license trends, engage the public about their recreation experiences, and promote recreation opportunities to the public.  See the link below to access the event! https://www.meetup.com/ArcGIS-for-Government/events/272959762/  ... View more

We had an awesome Environment and Natural Resources Special Interest Group (SIG) meeting at the 2020 User Conference with some great presentations from natural resources agencies in Missouri, South Dakota and South Carolina!  We had over 550 participants during the live event and we received a lot of excellent feedback.  To that end, we have been asked by several folks if the recording could be made available and we are all in luck as we were able to obtain it and post to YouTube!  The links are below for the full event as well as the individual agency presentations.  Enjoy and please connect with us if you have any questions or would like more info.  Also, if you haven't done so already please join the Environment and Natural Resources Community via this story map as this is a way for us to continue connecting and collaborating.   Full SIG Meeting: https://youtu.be/11m2IogXioE Missouri DNR (Asset Inventory and Management): https://youtu.be/ZOvpF6AzFg4 South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (R3) : https://youtu.be/CT4qunmWdco  South Carolina DNR (Natural Heritage): https://youtu.be/Uc6wVGBL0Oo ... View more

ArcGIS technology is applied in many ways in support of Recruitment, Retention and Reactivation (R3) strategies and initiatives at all levels.  Check out the following resources: Case Studies: South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks Boosts Participation in Outdoor Recreation Wisconsin Provides a Map-based App to Guide Hunters Key Solution Offerings and Examples: Increase Participation/R3 Outdoor Recreation Hub Template State Park and Wildlife Trends Story Map Main trends that we are seeing GIS technology being applied to within Parks, Fisheries and Wildlife agencies...much of which is dealing with outdoor recreation participation. Texas Parks Dashboard: Tracking Revenue, Visitation and Capital Construction Data  This is a Parks example but the tracking and visualization of revenue vs. other factors is also a consistent need with R3 Readily Available Content: Demographics Tapestry Segmentation Living Atlas of the World Authoritative collection of geographic information that includes maps, apps, and data layers to support your R3 work. ArcGIS Insights: An Introduction (Video) ArcGIS Insights is an excellent tool to enrich your R3 strategies and critical maps and apps with the authoritative content list above. ... View more

ArcGIS Hub offers a tremendous amount of potential for engaging with the public and partners at all scales around natural resources initiatives, and bringing together the key resources needed by all these folks.  Check out this user story of how this approach was put into action with the leadership of the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) for the 2020 update of the Montana Forest Action Plan.  Collaboration was critical to not only the support and success of developing the plan, but also ensuring this success for the long term.  Hub has been essential to this and as pointed out in the article: "Hub has enabled us to reduce the friction between data and the people that need to be informed by it. We’ve removed some of the technical knowledge and staff power needed to leverage and access geospatial information on Montana's forests." ... View more

Check out these two recent Case Studies from Florida and Indiana highlighting the role of GIS in support of the collaboration and dissemination of food security and access resources.  The Agricultural community has been hit hard by the pandemic and GIS is a vital tool in the response, as well as navigating through these ever-changing conditions.   ... View more

Check out this new article on the use of geospatial technology by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to help relocate non-native mountain goats from Olympic National Park.  From data collection and monitoring to spatial analysis, GIS has played a critical role in these efforts.   Smart Maps Help Find Suitable Homes for Relocated Mountain Goats  ... View more

Parks are key to healthy, thriving communities.  So it's important for state and local governments to manage and maintain these open spaces while improving the overall experience for visitors. Join us online Thursday, March 19 from 2-3 p.m. ET/11 a.m.-noon PT to learn how organizations are applying geographic information systems (GIS) to modernize workflows, analyze park use and conservation, and enhance local parks. Is Your Park Smart? How GIS Can Revolutionize Parks  ... View more

If you haven't already done so, check out the recently released ArcGIS Solutions for Conservation.  These configurable solutions are designed to help conservation agencies of all kinds improve operations and effectively manage protected areas.  From capturing wildlife and invasives observations and analyzing related trends to tracking and monitoring illegal activities to engaging with communities, these solutions support several common workflows among conservation organizations.  Check them out and take them for a test drive today! ArcGIS Solutions for Conservation  ... View more

With last week's release, several existing ArcGIS Solutions were enhanced and new Solutions were deployed, including a new Citizen Science release.  Citizen Science is a collection of maps and apps that can be used by conservation staff to collect sightings of plants and animals from citizen scientists and monitor citizen science programs.  The Solutions include: Citizen Science Survey which is based on Survey123 and can be used to report sightings; Citizen Science Manager which is used to review and verify reports; and Citizen Science Dashboard which is used by staff to explore reports.  Check them out and take them for a test drive today! Citizen Science | ArcGIS Solutions for State Government  ... View more

Check out this article by the National Park Service about how they are leveraging Survey123 to enhance citizen science efforts in Glacier National Park.  A group of very active citizen scientists from the Park’s Common Loon Citizen Science Project is using the app which not only streamlines and improves the collection of data, but is also bringing the ability to make critical management decisions to protect and sustain common loon populations.  Web maps provide a real-time display of loon observations from a variety of citizen scientists allowing the park staff to have greater understanding supporting critical decisions and to target areas for surveys.  The Survey123 App: Enhancing the Citizen Science Experience (U.S. National Park Service)  ... View more

Check out this Esri Blog Article to learn how the Finnish Forest Centre is leveraging GIS and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to simplify, automate and perform the majority of forest maintenance tasks.  Faced with a declining workforce in a country loaded with forested lands, it has become increasingly important to be more efficient overall and reduce the need for costly field inspections.  GIS and AI are proving to help solve this situation continuing to provide sustainable forest management practices while preserving the environment.   ... View more