Under the Auspices of: KARNATAKA SCIENCE AND …

2-Day Workshop onGEOINFORMATICS FOR NATURAL RESOURCES

MANAGEMENT

For Under Graduate Science LecturersVenue: Department of Geography (GIS), Maharaja’s College

University of Mysore, Mysore

Under the Auspices of:KARNATAKA SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ACADEMY

Department of Science and Technology, Government of Karnataka

A Brief Proposal

Geoinformatics

Geoinfomatics is a multi-disciplinary activity which deals with remote sensing, geographical information systems (or GIScience) and global positioning systems. All of these complement and support technically the field of cartography, which is an art and science of mapping, and has been a technical strength of geographers, geologists, surveyors and even scientists such as those of the botanists, zoologists (biologists) and in recent years engineers, architects, anthropologists and planners. Under the new and emerging discipline of Geographical Information Science, geo-informatics is becoming even more versatile and useful in ontological, semantic and cyber- and web-GIS.

The fundamental principles of remote sensing derive from the characteristics and interactions of Electromagnetic Radiation (EMR) as it propagates from source to sensor. Geographical Information Science (GIS), on the other, is very versatile and has been in use across several disciplines in the years of its evolution and development and surge ahead in the future. Reflection on generalized adoption pathways for different disciplines does shed light on why a one-sized, all-purpose GIScience paradigm is so illustrative of the versatility of the GISystems in several disciplines. Figure 1 below is an attempt at describing alternate pathways for several disciplines.

Geo-Technology Adoption Paths

Figure 1 reflects the similarities among mapping legacies, early applications and initial ownership groups that characterize various pathways to GIS. It is interesting to note that while Natural Resources and Agriculture share common sociological, cultural, political and biological footings, their geo-technology adoption paths are radically different, and in fact, form polar extremes. The Natural Resources community was one of the earliest groups to follow the geographers’ rallying point in the mid-1970s; enticed by the prospect of automating the mapping process. Their extensive paper-map legacy involved tedious aerial photo interpretation and manual cartography to graphically depict resource inventories over very large areas. The early GIS environment was a natural niche for their well-defined mapping processes and products.

Agriculture, on the other hand, had little use for traditional maps, as soil maps are far too generalized and broadly report soil properties instead of nutrient concentrations and other field inputs that farmers manage. This perspective changed in the mid-1990s with the advent of yield mapping that tracks where things are going well and not so good for a crop— a field-level glimpse of the geographical distribution of productivity leading to entirely new site-specific crop management practices.

Figure 1: Adoption pathways vary in mapping legacies, early applications and initial ownership groups to form differing geo-

technology paradigms.

Maps as Images and Information for Decision Making

The alternative perspectives of maps as Images of inventory or as Informationfor decision-making are the dominant determinants of geo-technology adoption paths. GIS entry was early and committed for those with considerable paper-map legacy and well-defined, easily extended applications. While immensely valuable, automation of traditional applications focus on efficiency, flexibility and cost savings and rarely challenge “how things are done,” or move beyond mapping and basic spatial database management.

Disciplines with minimal paper-map legacies, on the other hand, tend to develop entirely new and innovative applications—the adoption tends to be less evolutionary and more revolutionary. For example, precision agriculture is an application that while barely a decade old, is radically changing crop management practices, as well as guidance and control of farm machinery by extending the traditional spatial triad of RS, GIS and GPS to Intelligent Devices and Implements (IDI) for on-the-fly applications.

And, mapping in the traditional sense of “precise placement of physical features” is the farthest thing from the mind of a sales/marketing executive. But a cognitive map that segments a city into different consumer groups, or characterizes travel-time advantages of different stores, or forms a sales prediction surface by product type for a city are fodder for decisions that fully consider spatial information and patterns.

And, contrast this paradigm with that of a Facilities Management engineer responsible for transportation, or an electric transmission network, or an oil pipeline—considerable mapping legacy that exploits basic mapping and spatial database capabilities to better inventory installed assets within a large, structured, utility-based industry. Like Natural Resources, the initial on-the-line mapping entry to GIS is broadening to more advanced applications, such as optimal path routing, off-the-line human/environmental impact analysis and integration of video mapping of assets and surrounding conditions.

The 2-Day Workshop

A 2-Day Workshop on GEOINFORMATICS FOR NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT for Under-Graduate Science Lecturers is being organized at the request of the Karnataka Science and Technology Academy of the Department of Science and technology, Government of Karnataka during March 12-13, 2012, Monday and Tuesday.

The 2-Day Workshop is indeed a planned means of accessing and informing Under-Graduate Science lecturers about the usefulness of Geo-informatics in their own teaching and research, especially in the context of Natural Resources Management, such that they become informed and educated about it. To keep the geo-technologies (or geospatial technologies) simple enough for appreciation and adoption, the 2-day workshop attempts at giving the UG science lecturers a hands-on experience through (a) lectures using power points, (b) demonstrations of its capabilities at the laboratory and also (c) survey outdoor for generating spatial datasets using GIS for mapping.

The technical sessions for the 2 days of workshop (March 12-13, 2012) are planned in a way that there will be enough exposure to the concepts, working and applications of geo-informatics (6 hours), by way of introducing:

1. Basics of Cartography, Mapping, Visualization and Applications2. Basics of Remote Sensing (and visual interpretation of satellite images)3. Basics of Geographical Information Systems (and possible applications)4. Basics of Global Positioning Systems (including applications) 5. Geospatial Applications in Natural Resources Management 6. Mapping with GIS, Printing and Reproduction of Maps

While the power-point based lectures are slated for morning hours, demonstrations and hand-on are planned for the afternoons with demonstrations of how cartography, remote sensing, GIS and GPS work and what applications in natural resources management have been attempted in the last four years by the Department of Geography (GIS). Student and Faculty researches will be used as demonstrations. A demonstration of use of GPS and a survey outdoor using GPS will be conducted as part of the workshop. The technical presentations in different sessions are as follow:

Basics of Cartography, Mapping, Visualization and Applications

This presentation introduces the participants to traditional manual mapping and elaborates how the science of cartography has evolved in automated cartography and further into cyber cartography. The focus is on different kinds of visualization that maps make possible and the applications in spatial and temporal patterns analysis.

Basics of Remote Sensing (and visual interpretation of satellite images)

This presentation introduces what is remote sensing and how electromagnetic spectrum is used in the capture of spectral signatures that provide us with the images of the world. The elements of an image and how the image is visually interpreted using the elements are also informed with illustrations. Resolutions of the images and the Indian remote sensing program are discussed in some detail such that the participants gain knowledge of development in remote sensing technologies.

Basics of Geographical Information Systems (and possible applications)

A geographical information system is first defined and then its components are discussed threadbare. The data structures and models used are elaborated to show how spatial analysis of geographical phenomena is possible. Spatial querying is demonstrated using a simple example even as several examples of applications in natural resources management, facility management and so on are indicated.

Basics of Global Positioning Systems (including applications)

This presentation introduces global positioning systems and their everyday uses, even as it speaks of space, control and user segments. The satellite network in place for helping to determine coordinates, time

and speed and how they operate are explained. Certain calculations (distance, time, speed) and tracking of vehicles are also discussed.

Geospatial Applications in Natural Resources Management

This presentation speaks of the geospatial applications in natural resources management, taking specific examples of land, soil, water and other resources using geo-informatics, namely, remote sensing data, GIS and GPS. Applications such as land use and land cover change and mapping, biodiversity estimation, crop estimation, urban sprawl, urban facilities and other services and infrastructures are indicated to.

Mapping with GIS, Printing and Reproduction of Maps

This presentation focuses on the compilation of data for mapping, design and analysis of maps and production of atlas, wall and tourist maps. The cartographic processes involved, map and image inputs that are used and final production and printing of maps are elaborated from map producer’s angle and viewpoint. Mapping projects undertaken for mobile and tower networks, customer service districts and village level assembly of mobile users are used as case studies for demonstration of the uses of geo-informatics.

Demonstrations of Cartographic, Remote Sensing and Spatial Analysis using GIS

Participants are introduced to different cartographic, remote sensing and GIS software and the way they work. Student and faculty research studies are used to demonstrate how applications are done step-by-step and how they may be used in our decision-making.

GPS demonstration and survey

Participants are introduced to GPS (hand-held, differential) instruments and how they work and are then taken outdoors to conduct a survey using handheld GPS. Essentially coordinate data logging, time and speed measurements are demonstrated.

The Technical Session Experts

1. Dr. H. Honne Gowda, Director (Technical), DST, GOK- Basics of Remote Sensing

2. Dr. P. V. Rajashekaran, Director, Survey of India- Fundamentals of GIS, Maps and Map Reading

3. Mr. Venkat Rao, Project Director, Resourcesat 2- Remote Sensing Satellites and Sensors

4. Dr. B.K. Ranganath, Project Director M & E, ISRO- Geoinformatics for Forest Biodiversity and Environment

5. Dr. K. Harish, Transport Planner, CisTUP, IISc., Bangalore- GIS: An Overview

6. Shri S. Adiga, Former Director, RRSSC- Geoinformatics for Large Scale Mapping

7. Shri Srinivas, Technical Executive, Sanpoint, Hyderabad- IGiS Demonstration

8. Dr. Ramu, Dr. Dharmesh, Ms. H. V. Rekha, Ms. B. Y. Aparna, Mr. R. Abhilash and Ms. Divya Rajeswari. S- Demo and hands- on at the Remote Sensing and GIS Lab

Resource Persons

Dr. Ramu is the Coordinator of the 2-Day Workshop and Dr. P. Jayashree is the Organizational Manager of the Technical sessions.

1. Dr. Ramu is the Coordinator of MSc GIS program, which is an UGC Innovative Program (2008) of GIS for Sustainable Development. He has 12 years of experience in teaching and 17 years of research. His field of interest is agricultural geography, particularly, dry land farming (doctoral thesis 2000). He has now completed a UGC minor project (2009) on dry land farming, which is an extension of his doctoral work and a UGC major project on Participatory Irrigation Management in the Karnataka Cauvery Basin (2010). He has now published a book also on Participatory Irrigation Management (2011).

2. Dr. P. Jayashree is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Geography, University of Mysore with 12 years of teaching experience. She has been the co-investigator of Dr. Ramu’s UGC major project and the coauthor of the book on Participatory Irrigation Management. She is specializing in environmental geography, economic geography and industrial geography. Her doctoral work has been on agro-industries (sugar) in Mandya district (1998).

3. Dr. Dhamesh is a faculty member of the Department and he is a geologist with remote sensing as his specialization. He teaches remote sensing and applied geomorphology at the Department. He is quite adept at remote sensing and image analysis. He has 10 years of teaching experience in various colleges in the city of Mysore. His doctoral thesis is on Groundwater Assessment.

4. Ms. H.V. Rekha is a faculty member of the Department and has three years of experience. She has an M.Phil Degree in Geography and is currently working on her doctoral research on Impact of Urbanization on Surface and Groundwaters of the Arkavathi Catchment Area.

5. Ms. B.Y. Aparna is a faculty member and she has been on the faculty for nearly a year. She has an MSc GIS degree. She is registering for her doctoral program at the University of Mysore.

6. Mr. R. Abhilash is a faculty member and is on the faculty for nearly a year. He has an MSc GIS degree. He is registering for his doctoral program at the University of Mysore.

7. Ms. Divya Rajeswari. S., is a faculty member at the department since January 2012. She has completed her M.Sc., Applied Geography from University of Madras and she is in the process of completion of her

second master’s in Geoinformatics from University of Muenster, Germany. She has worked on 3D GIS, Vulnerability analysis and land evaluation studies in ISRO and UN.

The Remote Sensing and GIS Laboratory

The remote sensing and GIS laboratory of the Department is well-equipped with 2 servers and 25 clients, with each of them having access to various software packages, but most importantly ArcGIS 9.2 and ERDAS. The clients have Windows 2007 operating systems, MSOffice 2007 as well as other packages such as the SPSS. There are 4 GPSystems and two of them are hand-holding. There are internet and WiFi connections at the lab as well as in other rooms (Classroom 2 and Office – Staff room.