GIS at PDA

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GIS at PDA

• Sean Crager
• GIS Coordinator
• PA Dept. of Agriculture

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What is GIS?

• Geographic Information Systems
• GIS is a system of computer software, hardware,
  data, and personnel to help manipulate, analyze
  and present information that is tied to a spatial
  location.
• Spatial Location usually a geographic location
• Information visualization of analysis of data
• System - linking software, hardware and data
• Personnel a thinking explorer who is key to the
  power of GIS

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What GIS is not

• A global positioning system or GPS
• A static map
• Either paper or digital
• A software package
• These are components that help to make a GIS
  complete but individually they are not a GIS

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What is GIS?

• A method to visualize, manipulate, analyze and
  display spatial data
• SMART MAPS
• Linking a database to the map

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What is GIS?

• Simply put, a GIS combines layers of information
  about a place to give you a better understanding
  of that place.

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Why use GIS?

• Improve Organizational Integration
• One of the main benefits of GIS is improved
  management of your organization and resources. A
  GIS can link data sets together by common
  locational data, such as addresses, which helps
  departments and agencies share their data
• Make Better Decisions
• The old adage "better information leads to better
  decisions" is true for GIS. A GIS is not just an
  automated decision making system but a tool to
  query, analyze, and map data in support of the
  decision making process.
• Make Maps
• Making maps with GIS is much more flexible than
  traditional manual or automated cartography
  approaches. A GIS creates maps from data pulled
  from databases.

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GIS at PDA

• GIS Coordinator
• Oversees all GIS activity in the Department
• Looks to expand GIS capabilities into more Bureau
  programs
• Currently use ESRI software
• ArcMap, ArcSDE, ArcIMS
• Largest GIS software distributor globally
• Centralized GIS server
• Has over 60 base layers of data
• Current streets, counties, streams, flood zones,
  townships, ag stats, contours, aerial
  photography, etc.
• Can be accessed via the web or by using software

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GIS at PDA

• ArcMap
• Most Powerful option
• Allows more functionality
• Provides more tools
• Steep learning curve
• Must purchase individual software licenses
• Can only be accessed with a computer where it is
  installed

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GIS at PDA

• ArcIMS (internet mapping service)
• Allows for access on any PDA networked machine
• Uses a standard web browser
• Internet Explorer, Netscape, Mozilla, etc
• Easy to use tools
• Virtually no learning curve
• Free to the user

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GIS Examples at PDA

• Plastic Pesticide Container Recycling
• State Data Viewer
• Plum Pox

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How does GIS fit into my program?

• Nearly 80 of all data has a spatial aspect to it
• Virtually everything has a location
• The three Ws of geography
• WHERE is it
• WHY is it there
• WHY do I care

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How do I collect data?

• Existing databases
• Provide addresses
• Address can be main link to other attribute data
  such as owner, licensee, type of facility,
  incident, etc
• Locations are derived from a process called
  GEOCODING
• This allows street and zip code data to be run
  against a GIS database that contains the
  locations of addresses
• Puts a point on a map to represent the address
• There are restrictions to this method!!

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How do I collect data?

• GPS
• Global Positioning System
• Based off satellites
• Gives an X, Y coordinate
• Latitude and Longitude
• The most accurate
• Easy and inexpensive
• Most regions and some Bureaus already have GPS
  units
• Training provided in-house

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How do I collect data?

• Hand-held computers
• Can run GIS software and connect to databases to
  store data
• Uses a GPS receiver that plugs into unit to
  collect X Y coordinates

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Problems with data

• Databases that contain addresses
• Not everyone has an actual locational address
• RR 2, PO Box 342
• These types of addresses cannot be geocoded
• Bad or invalid formats
• Do not mesh well with a GIS
• Human error
• Mistyped or blank entries

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Problems with data

• Databases must be created with GIS in mind
• Separate columns for situs address not just
  mailing address
• E 911 initiative will provide ALL locations with
  a situs address in the future
• Currently about 27 counties are in progress
• Columns created for X, Y data
• Either solution can be added to existing
  databases
• It will take man hours to correct existing
  databases
• Overall it will provide not only a GIS compatible
  database but one that is more functional for
  daily business operations

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Homeland Security

• Critical data layers are being identified for HLS
  
• A current list is being developed by PDA
• Amusement parks
• Licensed kennels
• Farm markets and roadside stands
• Farms
• Fertilizer manufacturing and storage facilities
• Food processing facilities
• Land zoned for agriculture
• Veterinarians
• Zoos / petting zoos / animal preserves

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Any questions?

• Sean CragerGIS CoordinatorGIS Lab Room
  103705-8897c-scrager_at_state.pa.us