The Society for Conservation GIS would like to invite you to its 15th Annual Conference, to be held July 19 – 22, 2012 at Asilomar Conference Grounds in Monterey, California.
The Theme for 2012 is “Building Resilience”
If you think about it, nature and environmental organizations share comparable susceptibilities. Both are subject to changing climates – literally and figuratively. Both rely on support from a relatively small group of environmentally-conscious people. And both are vulnerable when the public’s priorities shift, especially in uncertain economic times. The theme for the 2012 SCGIS Conference is "Building Resilience." Our topics range from communication and public understanding of science, to how interdisciplinary cooperation can offer solutions to seemingly unyielding problems.
Who Should Attend
Made up of conservationists, geographers, scientists, students, managers, educators, and more, SCGIS is a diverse group of professionals dedicated to using GIS to achieve conservation goals. If you share similar interests and are willing to learn and share, please consider this the conference for you. And unlike other conferences where you are constantly hustled from one place to the next, you will be given time to talk to people: meals are shared, there are socials, and plenty of down-time between sessions to ask questions and share experiences with fellow attendees.
Also unique to this conference is the international scholars program.
These scholars come from many different countries, including: Brazil, Cameroon, Indonesia/South-East Asia, Kenya, Latin America, Nepal, Russia, Philippines, Slovenia, South Africa (as a region), and Uganda. The scholars present on projects they are working on in their respective home countries, and it is enlightening to hear their unique perspectives on conservation issues.
Conference Registration Fees:
$60 Students (includes new membership)*
$170 Members
$250 Non-Members
*Special registration rate for students! If you are currently enrolled as a student, conference registration is only $60! This includes a new, one-year membership if you are not a member already. First, sign up at the "basic" level ($20), then return to this page to register (you will be charged the remaining $40).
Register for the conference hereConference Schedule
| Thursday, July 19 |
- Pre-Conference Workshops
- Field Trip (TBD)
- On-site registration begins at 7PM
|
| Friday, July 20 |
- Opening Session
- Keynote Address
- Paper & Technical Sessions
- Map Gallery Opening
|
| Saturday, July 21 |
- Paper & Technical Sessions
- Auction
|
| Sunday, July 22 |
- Closing Session and Membership Meeting
- Conference ends at noon
|
Presentations
The call for presentations is closed for 2012. If you submitted an abstract, you will be notified of acceptance via email.
Questions? Please email
conference@scgis.org. Thank you.
Pre-Conference Workshops
We are fortunate to be able to offer three excellent pre-conference workshops this year:
Working with Geodatabases & Geodatabase Topology
John Schaeffer
Cost: $50 Members, $100 Non-Members
This course introduces users to the Geodatabase, a data format that provides enhanced tools for data creation, data modeling, and data validation. Participants will learn how to design, create and manage geodatabases, especially topology. The class concentrates on the Geodatabase structure and tools, including topology, subtypes and domains, for creating and editing data while maintaining data integrity.
- Geodatabase concepts and basics
- Converting data to the Geodatabase format
- Understanding Spatial References
- Validating attributes with Domains/Subtypes
- Validating features with Topology
- Editing with the Geodatabase
Remote Sensing Workshop
Amy Ballard
Cost: $50 Members, $100 Non-Members
This workshop will explore the use of remote sensing data and techniques to analyze environmental parameters. Fundamentals of the electromagnetic spectrum and resolution concepts will be presented, as well as how to obtain, process and analyze remotely sensed images. ENVI software will be used to introduce vegetation indices and image classification techniques, and multi-spectral data will be used in a real-world analysis. The workshop will also touch on incorporating remote sensing in a GIS work flow.
Amy Ballard is Chair of the Geographic Information Technology and Surveying Engineering programs at Central New Mexico Community College. She began her mapping career as an archaeologist in California where she received her master’s degree in Anthropology from the University of California, Riverside. She is certified as a Mapping Scientist by the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, and an ESRI Desktop Professional.
Introduction to Marxan Training
Heather Coleman
Cost: $50 Members, $100 Non-Members
Marxan is a software program used to support the design of marine and terrestrial reserves worldwide. Using Marxan, planners can identify an efficient system of conservation sites that include a suite of biodiversity targets at a minimal user-defined socioeconomic cost. This unique method is systematic and repeatable, as it relies on an algorithm rather than a model.
The tool is also flexible in terms of spatial scale, the type of data used, and possible scenarios assessed. This abbreviated one day hands-on course will provide participants with the basic knowledge and skills necessary to use Marxan in a marine conservation planning exercise. The following topics will be covered:
- Key concepts in systematic conservation planning
- Using Zonae Cogito to run Marxan
- Parameter setting and calibration
- Understanding Marxan results
Heather Coleman is a Science Advisor at PacMARA (Pacific Marine Analysis and Research Association) in British Columbia.
Hotel and Meals
Please use
this form to reserve a room at Asilomar. The reservation cut-off date is June 18, 2012. After June 18th Asilomar will release any remaining rooms from our block. They will continue accepting reservations from our group, but it will be subject to general availability.
You should receive confirmation of your reservation a few days after faxing or emailing your reservation form to Asilomar. If you do not receive confirmation within a few days, please call Pat Kauffman at 831-642-4218 to ensure your reservation form was received.
Please note that the above list(s) does not reflect roommate assignments or requests. If any of your information is incorrect, please contact
conference@scgis.org
| 4 Nights: July 18 - July 22 |
| Standard |
| Single |
$894.00 |
| Double |
$552.43 |
| 3 Nights: July 19 - July 22 |
| Standard |
| Single |
$675.50 |
| Double |
$419.32 |
All prices include meals and a $20 processing fee charged by Asilomar.
Questions? Email: Conference@scgis.org