You want to make a difference in your community. How can you do it with GIS?

Geographic Information System (GIS), an advanced technology pervasive in our daily lives, has become an indispensable tool for various applications catering to individual needs. For instance, farmers utilize GIS to gather information about their land and its usage, the government gets good revenue and is also able to level planning for the development of the Power plant / New Road and Railway planning / Urban & Rural Development /Forestry Planning / Hydrography & Water Reservoir planning and much more benefits. At the same time, travellers use it to track locations, utilities, and other relevant data. In recent times, GIS technology has also emerged as a viable means for monitoring vehicles and activities and resolving legal issues.

Using GIS to make a difference in our community can be a powerful way to address various social, environmental, and economic challenges: - Engage community members in participatory mapping projects to identify local assets, resources, and issues. - Use GIS to support urban planning efforts by analyzing land use patterns, population demographics, transportation networks, and infrastructure needs. - Develop GIS-based tools and maps to support emergency preparedness, response, and recovery efforts in the event of natural disasters, such as floods, wildfires, or earthquakes. - Use GIS-based interactive maps and online platforms to engage community members in decision-making processes.

GIS integrates data, software, and people to analyze and visualize geographic information. It helps answer questions about location, relationships, change over time, patterns, and best scenarios. GIS aids in understanding complex phenomena, identifying problems, evaluating alternatives, and communicating results.

GIS is incredibly versatile and powerful for analyzing spatial relationships and patterns. Where is something located?: You can pinpoint the exact location of features, whether it's a building, a natural resource, or a specific event. What is the relationship between different features?: GIS helps in understanding how various elements interact with each other, such as how proximity to a river affects land use or how different environmental factors contribute to biodiversity in a region. Additionally, GIS allows you to visualize data in various formats, like maps or 3D models, and perform spatial analysis to derive insights that support decision-making in fields ranging from urban planning to environmental management.

GIS is the most efficient technology to answer various questions related to locations and relationships with one geographical feature to another. GIS can answer various questions in almost every field such as agriculture, health, urban planning, asset management, conservation, natural resource management, disaster management etc. It can visualise and help you understand complex datasets.

There are several options available for learning GIS. One who wants to pursue a career in GIS can take a full time educational program from a university. And one who is a working professional already working in any field and wants to utilise GIS in decision making, can opt to pursue a short term certificate program or an online certificate program from different platforms such as ESRI, Coursera, Udemy etc.

Identificando os problemas mais importantes, definindo rotas e localiza??es. Acredito que o primordial é identificar as dores, e assim direcionar a solu??o. Ex. Uma comunidade que n?o possui assistência médica, identificar os pontos de apoio é primordial, logo o SIG seria uma op??o importante

Enroll in formal education programs or online courses from platforms like Esri, Coursera, or Udemy. Practice with free software like QGIS or ArcGIS Online and access open data sources. Join online communities and network with other GIS users to learn and share knowledge.

Programs like certificates, diplomas, or degrees provide structured, in-depth learning. They are offered by universities and technical institutions and often include hands-on experience and projects. You can practice using free or open-source GIS software, such as QGIS, GRASS, or ArcGIS Online, which allow access to powerful tools without a hefty price tag. Explore free data sources like OpenStreetMap, Natural Earth, and USGS to practice real-world applications. Joining forums like GIS Stack Exchange, Reddit's GIS community, and LinkedIn groups allows you to interact with other GIS professionals, troubleshoot issues, and learn from their experiences.

There are many options for GIS learning like face to face trainings, online courses (Coursera) , MOOCs (Esri), webinars and also learning alone by doing The most important part in learning is to choose the learning method that suit us and help us to learn more easily

Define problems, collect relevant data, analyze with GIS tools, and visualize and communicate results. Use GIS for environmental monitoring, urban planning, disaster risk management, and more. Empower communities to contribute data and make informed decisions through GIS platforms.

Imagine leveraging geodata to map air quality, pinpointing areas with high pollution levels. This insight could drive targeted environmental initiatives, from planting urban greenery to regulating industrial emissions. Mapping environmental noise can highlight urban zones in need of noise reduction measures, leading to the creation of quieter spaces. Beyond environmental monitoring, GIS empowers communities to create and share data on local events and initiatives. A community-driven GIS platform can serve as a dynamic hub where residents contribute information on neighborhood activities, from street clean-ups to cultural festivals. This fosters a vibrant community ecosystem, encouraging active participation and decision-making.

GIS is useful to solve many issues in our communities (environnement conservation, disaster risk management) and it enables us to show our outputs (after analysis) in many formats like charts, maps, web maps, dashboards and story maps which contribute in spreading information and facilitate collaboration

As aplica??es que eu mostraria para a comunidade s?o os mapas, tabelas e gráficos. Após uma análise inicial da comunidade eu utilizaria também aplicativos móveis, drones e dashboards para resolver problemas.

Communities in different geography can take advantage of different mapping results. What I can think of based on my limited past experience are examples such as sea level rise mapping helping communities living near sea shore, or water flow analysis for communities taking care of mangroves etc. These requires extensive GIS analysis and then converting them into cartographic map that can be shared with the communities to read and understand easily.

There are many fields that require GIS use in communities : 1/ Agriculture development 2/ Tourism development 3/ City planning and management 4/ Air and water quality 5/ Climate change mitigation 6/ Disaster risk reduction

Let's go back in time a bit! ? The RADAMBRASIL project, launched in the 1970s, was one of the earliest large-scale GIS initiatives that transformed how we understand Brazil's landscape. Using advanced radar and aerial technologies, it mapped the entire country, especially focusing on the Amazon region. This pioneering effort provided crucial data on terrain, vegetation, and resources, shaping environmental policies and sustainable development strategies. RADAMBRASIL set the stage for future GIS projects, demonstrating the power of technology in understanding and managing our natural world.

Um dos exemplos que já utilizei na comunidade que eu morava, foram mapas que eu desenvolvi para prote??o de recursos hidricos, florestas e delimita??es de parques públicos para a comunidade. Isso fez com que o índice de área verde por habitante aumentasse.

There are many ways to share your GIS work with the world: 1. create cartographic map result and post it on platforms such as LinkedIn where there are many that will appreciate it. 2. create a github repo/jupyter notebook/GEE app link and share with others on the Internet. 3. join communities such as The Open Geospatial Consortium to share and learn.

Eu mostro a maioria dos meu trabalhos e conhecimentos nas redes sociais, principalmente o Linkedin, onde posso compartilhar cursos, conquistas e conhecimentos.

To spotlight your GIS contributions and their community impact, consider: - Developing a diverse portfolio through digital platforms like websites, blogs, or YouTube. - Engaging in GIS-related competitions, hackathons, and challenges to display your problem-solving capabilities. - Networking and collaboration can be significantly enhanced by joining or initiating GIS-focused groups. - Participating in or organizing professional events offers a stage to share insights and inspire others. These avenues not only demonstrate your GIS expertise and achievements but also amplify the real-world applications and positive changes driven by your work in the community.

I believe that in order to engage the greatest number of people, both inside and outside your field, you need to understand people's pain and their various limitations (because we all have them). Whether you're demonstrating something simple, regardless of the person's level of education, the simpler you are and the more practical and accessible your demonstration is, the better it will be received by different audiences. Whether it's decision-makers (who almost always aren't from your area of expertise) or people from poor or marginalized communities (who deserve just as much attention as anyone else).

Think of GIS not just as maps, but as our community's voice and compass. Here’s why it’s a game-changer: ?? Engaging locals in mapping reveals hidden stories, unlocking the true potential of our neighborhoods. ?? Real-time data transforms abstract numbers into actionable wisdom, guiding us to smarter, quicker decisions. ?? For local businesses, GIS insights are like secret recipes for growth, pinpointing where opportunities thrive. ?? Mapping health services isn’t just practical; it’s a lifeline, ensuring equitable access for all. ?? Championing green spaces with visual data is our stand for a cleaner, healthier environment. GIS turns challenges into tangible impacts. It's not just where we are; it's our future.

The story maps feature is a great tool for engagement. I’d recommended it to Mission Blue/Sylvia Earle Alliance as a way to build community around Hope Spots. We’re starting to incorporate it at the Lake Earle Conservation Trust too- first by mapping and categorizing trees and then capturing the stories behind them.

Utilize social media platforms like LinkedIn to share your GIS expertise, courses, achievements, and knowledge. Showcase your GIS contributions through diverse digital portfolios, including websites, blogs, or YouTube channels. Engage in GIS-related competitions, hackathons, and challenges to demonstrate problem-solving capabilities. Join or initiate GIS-focused groups to network, collaborate, and mentor other GIS enthusiasts. Participate in or organize professional events such as conferences, seminars, or workshops to share insights and inspire others. Through these avenues, amplify the real-world applications and positive changes driven by your GIS work in the community.