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October – December 2011
4
SPC/SOPAC Host the annual Pacific
Islands Geographic Information
System and Remote Sensing
Conference
The 2011 Pacific Islands Geographic Information
System and Remote Sensing Conference was
held at the Fiji SPC Nabua campus in November.
In his opening remarks, the Director of SPC/
SOPAC Division, Russell Howorth, alluded to
the gathering being the largest of its kind in the
region and was set up to showcase new tools
and concepts for improved data collection,
capabilities and analysis in GIS and Remote
Sensing.
He further added that GIS and Remote Sensing
is clearly a technology to realise improving
livelihoods and it will remain so into the future at
the SOPAC Division of the SPC, and that every
effort will be made to ensure it is adequately
resourced to serve the needs of the region.
GIS is a computer-based tool used to, combine
and overlay information in the form of easily
understood maps constructed from up-to-date
satellite images and field data, while remote
sensing is the collection of information about the
earth from a distance.
The five-day conference provided a platform
for government representatives from Pacific
Island countries and territories, donor partner
representatives and other stakeholders in the
NGO and private sector to meet with scientists
and GIS/remote sensing experts from around
the world, and discuss new tools and options for
collecting and applying data.
Of the 200 individuals that subscribed,
150 actually appeared at the conference.
Presentations were made by representatives
from Kiribati, New Caledonia, Papua New
Guinea, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu and also from
Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, Canada, USA.
A number of other national representatives were
attending the conference as participants.
Organisations represented included regional
agencies Secretariat of the Pacific Community
(SPC), South Pacific Regional Environment
Programme (SPREP), Pacific Islands Chapter
of the Internet Society (PICISOC) and University
of the South Pacific (USP). The national
agencies were Native Land Trust Board (NLTB),
World Conservation Society (WCS), Fiji Sugar
Corporation (FSC), Telecom Fiji Limited (TFL),
Airport Fiji Limited, Biosecurity Authority Fiji.
Regional and international companies and
agencies were present or presented: Electric
Power Corporation of Samoa (EPC), Solomon
Islands Electricity Authority (SIEA), Telecom
Services and Kiribati Limited (TSKL), MacDonald
Dettwiler and Associates Ltd (MDA), NewZealand
Aerial Mapping Limited, Pacific Geomatics,
Infoterra GmbH and DigitalGlobe International.
Software and hardware companies presented
and displayed their products and services
included Eagle Technology (ESRI), Geosystems
NZ Ltd, Lukemine Enterprises. Finally consultant
companies participated such as GNS Science,
Air Worldwide, Information Technology Service.
Opening of the conference.