Forest Information Officer, Forests NSW
Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Port Macquarie West
gsekatie@gmail.com
I began my career in Geographic Information Science (GIS) purely by accident. One day after applying to university I received a phone call from the Spatial Technology subject coordinator. Not knowing what “GIS” or Spatial Technology were I asked and was told it was Information Technology with some geography thrown in. So, I excitedly accepted the offer to complete a Bachelor of Spatial Information Systems (Spatial Technology) and the rest, they say, is history.
I would describe GIS (Geographical Information Systems) as an advanced form of cartography that not only includes map making but incorporates databases, computer programming and organising data related to various geographic locations. You may find it easier to think of GIS as a street map that not only shows you where the streets are but can also show you where to strategically place your new business close to high income households.
I have been working in the GIS field since 2004 and currently I am the Forest Information Officer at Forests NSW Central Region branch located in Wauchope NSW. Forests NSW manage more than 2 million hectares of native and plantation forests. The organisation is split up into 4 native regions and 4 softwood plantation regions. Central Region manage around 435,000 hectares of native forest and the boundary is approximately 370km (230 miles) north to south, 190km (118 miles) east to west.
My Forest Information Officer role primarily focuses on the GIS needs of the Region. This includes training staff in GIS software, data capture, data maintenance, software design and a very small amount of cartography. I have been with Forests NSW for a little more than a year now and am still learning something new each day.
During our visit to District 5370 I would like to:
- Visit forestry offices and see how GIS is being improved to aid harvest planning, ecology and operational processes.
- Visit the Foothills Research Institute at Hinton, to learn about their GIS Programs.
- See how LiDAR is being utilised in forestry
- Visit a forestry harvest operation.
- Visit aboriginal places, museums or educational sites and spend time with aboriginal people if possible.
- Experience as much of the lifestyle and culture of Canada as possible.
