QGIS is a freely available open-source Geographic Information System (GIS) that matches the functionality and usability of commercial products like MapInfo and ArcGIS. It has been adopted by governments, businesses and NGOs around the world.
Who should attend?
The course is suitable for beginners to GIS, those looking to refresh their skills or those looking to migrate to QGIS software. It will help ecological consultants, wildlife organisations, biological recorders and recent graduates to visualise, explore and analyse spatial data.
No prior knowledge of GIS is required, but participants should be comfortable working with computers, managing files and installing software.
The course
The course will take a holistic approach to ensure participants have the skills needed to confidently implement GIS projects in the workplace. General topics will include GIS fundamentals, data licensing, map design, spatial data management and work-flow design.
A series of practical exercises will give participants hands-on experience and build confidence working with raster and vector data. Participants will learn how to:
Navigate the QGIS user-interface
- Obtain, integrate and capture (base) map data
- Classify and stylise vector data
- Perform basic GIS analysis
- Use the FSC Tom.bio Productivity Tools plugin to map biological records from spreadsheets and download data from the NBN Gateway
- Produce professional habitat maps for reports
- Automate the production of maps for species Atlases
- Create interactive web-maps using CartoDB
By the end of the course participants will be able to:
Describe the QGIS user interface
- Set up a QGIS project and data management process
- Source raster and vector data and incorporate into QGIS
- Capture point, line and polygon data
- Use the Tom.Bio plug in to create Atlas maps and incorporate data from NBN Gateway
- Produce professional habitat maps for reports
- Automate the production of maps for species Atlases
- Create interactive web-maps using CartoDB
- Find help and support after the course
Timings
The course starts on the Friday evening (around 7:30 pm) after dinner. Residents can check in from 4:00 pm. Dinner is normally served at 6:30 pm. The course finishes at 3:30 pm on Sunday.
Course tutor
Matt Davies is a professional ecologist and geographer with 20 years’ experience in the UK environment sector. He began his career at JNCC, providing GIS and database support on marine and coastal projects. He then worked at the capital’s Environmental Record Centre, GiGL, where he managed a multi-disciplinary team that supported volunteer, community and wildlife recording groups and integrated their data into government decision making and the operational delivery of transport companies and emergency services. In 2015, he founded the geo-spatial consultancy Maplango to help people collect, analyse and visualise spatial data so they can make better informed decisions.
Further Information
For further information and to book please visit the Field Studies Council website