Web-Based Open Source GIS: Decision Support Tools for Natural Resource Management

Web-Based Open Source GIS:

Decision Support Tools for Natural Resource Management

OCEANSystem and TREESystem

Presented by Aaron Racicot – GIS Programmer

aaronr@ecotrust.orgApril 18th, 2006

A Citizen of Salmon Nation

Outline

Introduction - Ecotrust Benefits/Limitations of Open Source OCEANSystem

Vector based DST Technology Overview

TREESystem Raster based DST Technology Overview

Where is it all going?

Who am I…B.S. Computer

Science

Split Personality

Telemark/BC SkiingRafting Guide Mountain Rescue

M.S. Environmental Science

Open Source User/Developer

GIS Programmer

Ecotrust - Salmon Nation

Conservation Economy

The many faces of Ecotrust

Why Open Source? Freedom!!!Four basic freedoms (The Free Software

Foundation):

The freedom to run the program, for any purpose.

The freedom to study how the program works, and

adapt

it to your needs. Access to the source code is a precondition for

this.

The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help

your

neighbor.

The freedom to improve the program, and release

your

improvements to the public, so that the whole

community

benefits. Access to the source code is a precondition for this.

Benefits/Limitations of Open Source

Benefits Software cost = $0 Source code is available and modifiable User and development communities flourish Development cycles are VERY fast

Limitations Total cost is NOT = $0 Many applications are not as polished as the

proprietary counterparts Compatibility with proprietary software can be an

issue

Work Flow – Real-Time Web DST

Web User Request

Web User Response

StaticData Storage

WebService

sData Gathering

Data Formatting

Data Processing

Map Formatting

Map Production

Real-Time Web Decision Support Tools

Work Flow – What OSGIS is good at

Web User Request

Web User Response

StaticData Storage

WebService

sData Gathering

Data Formatting

Data Processing

Map Formatting

Map Production

The Problem Is The Arrows! Connecting a web request to server side GIS analysis is tricky

Real-Time Web Decision Support Tools

Vector Example - OCEANSystem

Mapserver

User driven… Web interactive tools… GIS analytical computing…

PostGIS

Vector Example - OCEANSystem

Rockfish – SFA - 2001 Rockfish – SFA - 2003

Shelf Closure mid-2002

Raster Example - OCEANSystem

Fisheries Interview Data

Raster Example – TREESystemSiuslaw Watershed Restoration Initiative

Data Gathering

Data Formatting

Data Processing

Raster Example – TREESystemMapserver on the front end… GRASS on the back end…

Web-based Query

Ecotrust – Future Directions

At Ecotrust we are trying to help pull it all together in an Open Source context

- Mapserver as a web-based GIS- Chameleon as a client user interface- GRASS as a server side GIS for raster data layers- PostGIS as a server side vector processing engine- OGR/GDAL to pre-process data- R-Statistics & GMT for graphing and statistics

OCEANSystem – Work in ProgressSpatial User Interaction…

Spatial Interaction

Chameleon

R-Statistics/GMT

User Interactive DST

Integration with simulated annealing algorithms for Marine Protected Areas and site assessment.

Where is it all going?

• Real-Time Decision Support Tools• Integration of OS software across

organizations• “Google” type interfaces (smooth user

experience)– AJAX driven– Streaming media– Seamless datasets

• Large datasets require more pre-processing• Pressure on large private companies to

become more responsive to end user needs• Integration of OSGIS with proprietary

software – required for migration path…• Start of services based business…

The Future of GIS in Salmon Nation

QGIS/GRASSGIS

Web-BasedMapserver

R-StatisticsGMT

Fully Integrated Open-Source GISQGIS/GRASS GIS – Fully

functional server GIS doing the heavy lifting. Runs on the server located at Ecotrust.

UMN Mapserver – Making data accessible via the web. Geo-spatial server viewed through a web browser. Taking our vision to a growing audience.

Adding the analytical glue to make smart decisions based upon sound GIS analysis.

Making GIS analysis

accessible and affordable for Salmon Nation

Where to go for more infoOSGIS

Maptools - http://www.maptools.org FreeGIS - http://freegis.org/ Open Source GIS - http://opensourcegis.org/

Standards OGC - http://www.opengeospatial.org/

Desktop GRASS - http://grass.itc.it/ QGIS - http://qgis.org/ UDIG - http://udig.refractions.net/confluence/display/UDIG/Home JUMP – http://jump-project.org/ OpenEV - http://openev.sourceforge.net/

Server/Web Mapserver - http://mapserver.gis.umn.edu/ GRASS - http://grass.itc.it/ PostGIS - http://postgis.refractions.net/

Tools Remote Sensing - http://remotesensing.org/tiki-index.php GDAL/OGR - http://gdal.maptools.org/index.html PROJ.4 - http://proj.maptools.org/ R-Statistics - http://www.r-project.org/ GMT - http://gmt.soest.hawaii.edu/

The End

Tool Screen Shots Follow

Backup - GRASS

Backup - QGIS

Backup - OSSIM

Backup - UDIG

Backup - JUMP

Backup – R-Statistics

Backup – PostGIS

Geometry

WKT Geometry