Shelbie Harris
Staff Writer
Recent advances in technology have proven to provide a plethora of information available to dissect and attempt to interpret.
Buried within this information are specific keys fit for unlocking opportunities for us to improve the world in which we live.
In partnership with NASA, Idaho State University’s Geographic Information System (GIS) Training and Research Center is responsible for developing and launching the RECOVER project which does just that, recover and improve the place we all call home.
GIS uses computers and software to place a specific value of importance upon a desired point using satellite imagery and data collection.
It is known to be most commonly used in retail businesses for marketing and advertising purposes, as well as road construction when it comes to mapping and layout, but can be seen across various fields.
“Smart maps, a lot of people would say. It’s like digital maps on your computer that allow you to ask questions of it,” said GIS Director Keith Weber.
“You can click on that geographic feature and the computer will tell you something about it,” he continued.
Weber was involved in the origination of GIS program at ISU in the spring of 1998.
The Rehabilitation Capability Convergence for Ecosystem Recovery (RECOVER) project started out over the last few years as a brainchild for Weber and as an extension of his rangeland research being conducted at the time.
The RECOVER Project is a GIS-based web mapping application designed to present fire managers the opportunity to develop better informed post-recovery plans for areas similar to desert ecosystems affected by wildfire.
“I realized that one of the things we never really addressed with wildfires was trying to assist the decision makers using geo-spatial technology,” said Weber. “Trying to assist them in arriving at better informed decisions right after a wildfire occurs,” he continued.
When a fire occurs with a large enough amount of concern attached to it a formal report is required detailing how the area should be rehabilitated.
This report is to be filed within 14 days of the fire being fully contained.
Prior to the implementation of a program such as RECOVER, it could take investigators several days to even obtain the data necessary to analyze and conduct their research for such a report.
The RECOVER Post-Fire Planning Project provides this information nearly as soon as firefighters are able to report the data into their remote applications, taking just minutes to fully update.
Information such as elevation, slope, aspect and soil type can be analyzed using GIS systems such as geo-spatial technology and stored into a database, as most of this information is static, or unlikely subject to rapid change.
Firefighters can then update the information of the specific coordinates for a recent wildfire and that information can almost simultaneously be linked to the static data, then forming a picture of data available for other researchers to dissect.
“No matter where you live in the world it seems that someone will be impacted by some sort of natural disaster. Here in Idaho, the natural disaster we’re most concerned with are wildfires,” said Weber.
“RECOVER can’t stop a home from being burned down, however what it can do, because it supports a better informed decision, is the landscape will rehabilitate faster,” he continued.
The RECOVER project’s initial scope was used only for land ranging throughout Idaho, however based on the broad range of uses for natural disaster recovery, the program will be expanded to cover most western states including California, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Montana, Wyoming and Arizona.
It’s essential to recognize the importance of programs like this, keeping in mind they are relatively new ways at analyzing data yet already offer all of us a much higher standard of living.
