Forests and rangelands of the western United States are vulnerable to environmental stresses and disturbances such as fire, insect infestation, disease, invasive species, drought, and development. These stresses can have significant and long-lasting effects on ecological and socioeconomic values. Land managers need state-of-the-art information and tools that help them anticipate and solve problems. Many geospatial datasets describing these threats to wildlands have been created; what is lacking is comprehensive viewing application displaying and summarizing these threats and their spatial co-occurrence with highly valued resources. This presentation will describe a cooperative effort by the Western Wildlands Environmental Threat Assessment Center (WWETAC) and the Remote Sensing Applications Center to develop a Threat Mapper that will serve as a decision support tool for land managers.

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), funded by the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office, and in partnership with the Oregon Public Health Division and Portland State University’s Center for Spatial Analysis and Research, has created a response tool aimed at providing key geographic information needed to guide response efforts to emergency response personnel – the Oregon Incident Response Information System (OR-IRIS). Affectionately nicknamed the Oregon Map of Everything, OR-IRIS leverages existing GIS datasets useful to understanding the natural, physical and jurisdictional setting of a hazardous release so that a safe, appropriate and efficient response can be conducted. OR-IRIS consists of pre-packaged GIS layers within a common projection, in an ordered group/sequence designed to provide critical information first, and in a format that allows for exploration and analysis by those without advanced GIS skills. Through collaboration with Portland State University’s Center for Spatial Analysis and Research, the cost for the first generation of the project has been kept impressively low. The impact of the project is not yet known, but promises to increase public safety and the quality of Oregon’s environment well beyond its modest costs to develop.

Crater Lake National Park is currently developing a Cultural Resources GIS (CR-GIS) database based on National Park Service (NPS) standards. This effort requires collaboration between multiple divisions at the park and coordination with regional and national offices with the NPS. Challenges include linking existing digital data, such as building footprints, to external databases such as FMSS; digitizing archaeological data that exists only on paper; and of course getting all participants to speak the same language.

Practical benefits apply to many park programs beyond cultural resources, such as accessibility for visitors with disabilities, building and facilities management, structural fire, and trail upgrades. Additionally, there is some interesting background behind the development of the NPS standards, including an intense but successful field-test of the draft standards following Hurricane Katrina.

***NOTE*** This could also fit into the Natural Resources Track. I am flexible either way. ***