GVI.2014.

1
2 The course in session at the Tanoa Plaza Hotel in Suva

May 2014
Fiji Hub

GVI Facilitates training in ArcGIS environmental analysis for
Pacific Organisations and Governments

Objective: Environmental Resource Conservation / Education Enrichment

In early 2014, GVI contacted Juniper GIS
Services Inc. (www.junipergis.com) to discuss
the possibility of arranging a GIS training
course in Fiji to help ArcGIS practitioners,
conservationists, and GVI project staff, to
use this powerful program for Environmental
Analysis in support of conservation efforts in
the region. After confirming the feasibility
and logistics with Juniper GIS, local
organisations and government ministries
were invited by GVI/JuniperGIS to book seats
on the course for suitable candidates. John
Schaeffer of Juniper GIS has over 20 years
experience with GIS as both a trainer and
consultant. John put together two one-week
classes geared around manuals he had
written himself and tailored made in places
for the location of training. Both classes
were both fully booked. Participants for
the training were sent from a wide range
of ministries and organisations from
across the Pacific. Participating
organisations and governments included
The Wildlife Conservation Society,
Conservation International, The University
of the South Pacific, Fiji National
University, Fiji Ministry of Forestry, World
Wildlife Federation, The Atlanta Botanical
Gardens, The Government of Nauru, The
Fiji National Trust, Tonga Telecom, and
GVI Fiji. With a recipient audience comprised of
some of the most active and notable environmental organisations in
the region these courses significantly improved and diversified a
significant portion of the regions base-line skill with the ArcGIS
program. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive with many of the
participants taking away directly applicable skills to their current
projects. Participants were encouraged to bring their own data to
the course and in many cases received one on one consultation
from John Scheaffer.


1 John Schaeffer of Juniper GIS lecturing on Coordinate
Systems


GVI.2014.1
3 Completed GIS analysis map, one of the projects
completed during the training course.
I am so grateful as I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it
and learnt so much. Your manual is now my most
treasured reference material.
Will surely recommend your class to all my collegues
Thank you and thanks to Global Vision International for
bringing you to Fiji
Susana Waqainabete-Tuisese, Conservation
International Fiji


GVI and Juniper GIS were able to put
together the logistics of the course in
a way that made the program as
accessible as possible to Fiji
organisations by prioritising local
organisation participants. Juniper GIS
created special course rates to cover
basic costs but in general the training
was in many ways a donation to
conservation efforts in the Pacific.

John Scheaffer delivered courses on
both introductory concepts for
environmental Analysis and advanced
concepts. Each course was geared to
a slightly different skill level and
audience but built upon similar
themes. The course was tied in with a
comprehensive manual which guided
participants through various analysis projects to hone
understanding of the program while demonstrating
how to apply the program as a tool for data analysis
and spatial mapping.

The GVI Fiji team will be using the skills
learned during this course to further
inform our ongoing surveys and research in the Northern Yasawas. Historical data since the launch
of our marine programs, data collected on water tank distribution and water catchment, and village
survey data collected are now all being reviewed by the team to look at how our new knowledge of
ArcGIS can help the Fiji projects to better analyse and spatially represent research findings and
project achievements.

GVI and Juniper GIS intend to offer the course again in Fiji in the future due to various requests for
further training. GVI Fiji will continue to look at utilising other contacts in GVIs global network to
help enrich training and recourses in Fiji.

For Further information on GVIs Fiji programs please visit:
www.gvi.co.uk
To learn more about our global impact check out:
www.gviworld.com
4 GVI Fiji Program Manager Joseph Sharpe shows off his 40 hour Qualification