Thursday 18 March - 11.00am to 12.30pm

Tutor: Mike Jones

About:

This course will give an overview of Geographic Information Systems and their use in the forestry sector.

Areas covered:

• Data structures
• Commercial data sources
• GPS
• Aerial imagery
• Opportunities and problems of combining data from different sources
• Principles of map design
• Spatial operations
• GIS database management and a look at some of the most widely used GIS programmes.

About the tutor:

Mike Jones graduated in Forestry in 1982, and spent 12 years working on private estates in Yorkshire, latterly as Head Forester on Garrowby Estate near York. After gaining a teaching qualification, he went to teach forestry at Newton Rigg College, which later became part of the University of Cumbria. In 2007 he joined the Forestry Commission, firstly in Scotland, then North England, where he was responsible for planning and surveys. During a career break from the Commission, Mike spent time as an independent consultant, advising owners on woodland management, and auditing forestry organisations against the UKWAS certification scheme.