The Wildlands Conservancy (TWC) is a California nonprofit organization with a mission "to preserve the beauty and biodiversity of the earth and to provide programs so that children may know the wonder and joy of nature." In addition to owning and operating the largest nonprofit nature preserve system in California, the organization provides more free outdoor education programs to California youth than any other organization the state.
Over the past year, TWC has expanded its traditional outdoor education programs at Oak Glen Preserve to include service learning field trips that engage middle and high school students in GIS field data collection using ArcGIS collector on smartphones and tablets. Students have gathered data on tree size, irrigation infrastructure, and biologic control of invasive plant species. Data is then used by managers to make real-time management decisions, and students are encouraged to take their new GIS skills back into their own classrooms and communities.
Moderator: Sophia GarciaPresenter: Tory Elmore, GIS Coordinator, The Wildlands Conservancy, Oak Glen, CA
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