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UNE trains Government resource managers

February 25, 2005

GIS.thumb.jpgThanks to the University of New England, NSW Government resource managers and planners can now all take advantage of the latest technology in mapping the State’s natural resources.

This week, UNE conducted its first training course in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for staff of the Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources from throughout the State.

Dr Lalit Kumar, the Director of UNE’s Centre for Spatial Sciences, said the four-day course had introduced the participants to new software and methodologies that would allow them to complete mapping tasks much more quickly and efficiently than in the past. Dr Kumar, who coordinated the course, said: “Now they are familiar with the new software, they will be able to use it for a variety of natural resource management tasks. For example, preparing a vegetation map from a series of computer images will take far less time than collating information from paper maps.”

Twenty-eight people from as far afield as Jindabyne, Murwillumbah and Wagga Wagga took part in the course. One of them is Sue Rea, GIS Coordinator for the Department’s North Coast Region, based in Grafton. “We’re hoping that, with the help of UNE, we can have a consistent, State-wide approach to our GIS training needs,” Ms Rea said. “In the past, the various regions have done their own training.”

“We’ll work with the University in arriving at a course that meets all our needs,” she continued.

Dr Kumar said he was excited by the prospect of providing all the GIS training needs of a Government Department. “And this course has been so successful that we’re now thinking of running similar courses for other Departments and for Catchment Management Authorities,” he added.

UNE’s School of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resources Management is a leader in GIS education, conducting an “Introduction to GIS” as well as an advanced course on “Spatial Analysis and Modelling” as part of its degree programs. These courses can lead to a Graduate Certificate and a Master’s degree in GIS.


Media contact: Dr Lalit Kumar, School of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resources Management, UNE (02) 6773 5239 or Jim Scanlan, Public Relations, UNE (02) 6773 3049.

The photograph of Dr Lalit Kumar and Sue Rea displayed here is available from Jim Scanlan. Please ring (02) 6773 3049.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at February 25, 2005 09:21 AM