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
1 John Schaeffer of Juniper GIS lecturing on Coordinate
classes geared around manuals he had
Systems
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
2 The course in session at the Tanoa Plaza Hotel in Suva

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.

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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
4 GVI Fiji Program Manager Joseph Sharpe shows off his 40 hour Qualification

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.
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
3 Completed GIS analysis map, one of the projects

International Fiji
completed during the training course.
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

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