Forestry Geodatabase – A Tool to Enhance Teaching and Learning in the Forestry Curriculum

TitleForestry Geodatabase – A Tool to Enhance Teaching and Learning in the Forestry Curriculum
Faculty/College/UnitForestry
StatusCompleted
Duration1 Year
Initiation04/01/2003
Completion03/31/2004
Project Summary

The objective of this project is to create a relational database that will be used faculty-wide as a repository for teaching data. The types of data that will be supported include geographic information systems (GIS) data (electronic forest cover and base coverage), remotely sensed data (geographically corrected satellite and photographic imagery), and historic digital photos, sound and video clips of forests, including those taken during disturbance events such as forest fires and landslides.

Our award winning Natural Resource Conservation program and our new revised and integrated Bachelor of Science in Forestry program are both increasingly data demanding. There are significant problems managing multiple copies of large datasets where data becomes corrupted, lost or altered by multiple users. Datasets need to have detailed documentation (metadata) for students to explore while developing class projects. Data must be current so that students can take their class projects to and from the field. Maps must reflect what exists in the field now, not last month before harvesting occurred. A multi-user, relational database provides a method and means for the students in our Forestry programs to break through current data road blocks and leverage existing research datasets that would otherwise fall into disuse. Centralized data storage and management will allow for much larger and more current databases to be used by students much more reliably in several forest management and conservation courses already being delivered. This project will also allow integration of state-of-the-industry forest management software which will enhance student work skills and employability.

The Oracle Relational Database Management System (RDBMS) will be installed along with the Spatial Database Engine (SDE). SDE allows for management of multiple edits of geographic data (versioning) so that more than one person can be editing map data at the same time and everyone can save their edits back to the same file. While much desired, implementation of this relational database is expensive. Funding is requested to help offset high costs during the start-up phase.

Funding Details
Year 1: Project YearYear 1
Year 1: Funding Year2003/2004
Year 1: Project TypeSmall TLEF
Year 1: Principal InvestigatorStephen Sheppard
Year 1: Funded Amount35,000
Year 1: Team Members

Stephen Sheppard, Forest Resources Management, Faculty of Forestry
Robert Magai, Sr. GeoSpatial Database Manager, Forest Resources Management, Faculty of Forestry
Jerry Maedel, GIS/RS Coordinator, Forest Resources Management, Faculty of Forestry
Ionut Aron, Graduate Student / Research Coordinator, Malcolm Knapp Research Forest, Faculty of Forestry

Student Reviewers:

Travis Dodds, Student, Forestry
Kaori Otsu, Student, Forestry
Celia Chung, Student, Forestry
Emily Whiting, Student, Forestry
Chris Stevenson, Student, Forestry

GIS/RS Committee:

Dennis Bendickson, Instructor, Forest Resources Management, Faculty of Forestry
Larry Carson, Systems Manager, Faculty of Forestry
Valerie Le May, Associate Professor, Forest Resources Management, Faculty of Forestry
Peter Marshall, Associate Dean, Undergraduate Studies / Professor, Forest Resources Management, Faculty of Forestry
Michael Meitner, Assistant Professor, Forest Resources Management, Faculty of Forestry
Stephen Mitchell, Assistant Professor, Forest Sciences, Faculty of Forestry
John Nelson, Associate Professor, Forest Resources Management, Faculty of Forestry
Ken Day, Manager, Alex Fraser Research Forest, Faculty of Forestry
Paul Lawson, Manager, Malcolm Knapp Research Forest, Faculty of Forestry