What are "Bioregions"?  Bioregions are an area bounded by natural rather than artificial borders that has characteristic flora and fauna and includes one or more ecosystems.  IGIS worked with the the California Naturalist Program to create a simple maps of the bioregion in California.  These maps contain the bioregion boundaries with some natural features such as major rivers and a small inset of all bioregions in California.  These maps will be used as the first figure in a publication series that describes each bioregion.  These maps will be used in California Naturalist courses and for general natural resource science education.

The sample map below is one of 11 maps created for this project.  It shows the Central Valley Bioregion and its surrounding area.

Academic Coordinator III Position

The University of California, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR), Informatics and Geographic Information Systems (IGIS) Program is seeking a Statewide Program Coordinator for both local and statewide program development and delivery. The IGIS Statewide Program seeks to provide innovation, technology, training, and data support for UC ANR’s research and extension mission through the collection, analysis and visualization of geospatial data. We are interested in developing and delivering data-driven tools, research results, and training to support UC ANR Strategic Initiatives: Endemic and invasive pests and diseases, Healthy families and communities, Sustainable food systems, Sustainable natural ecosystems, and Water quality, quantity and security.

The program coordinator will help fulfill the goals of the IGIS Program by facilitating the delivery of research, training, and data support to the UC ANR network. We are looking for a highly specialized academic who will provide vision and leadership on geospatial data resources, analysis and visualization that will serve multiple scientific constituencies at the state and national level. These data resources include: sensor networks, ecological datasets, existing statewide research databases, web-based data frameworks such as APIs, open data collections, and remote sensing collections. 

This is a unique academic position within UC ANR that allows for intellectual growth, interaction with multiple scientists and academics, and the development of impactful datadriven solutions to California’s agricultural and natural resource challenges. 

If you have questions, you can email me: maggi@berkeley.edu

Website: http://ucanr.edu/Jobs/Jobs_990/?jobnum=894

Closing Date: December 31, 2015

Job Description: Download
Download Application: Word | PDF

Minimum and Required Qualifications:

• A PhD Degree in Ecology, Geography, Agriculture, Statistics, or an appropriate related field with experience in data science, geographic information sciences, remote sensing, or ecological informatics is required. 
• Experience synthesizing large ecological or socio-ecological datasets and using them in complex local and statewide research projects is required. 
• Experience developing and managing research projects including agriculture, ecology, or climate change is required. 
• Experience using GIS, remote sensing, and/or web programming software is required. 
• The ability to communicate and extend technical information in an understandable manner is required. 
• Strong leadership, administration, financial, and management skills are required. 
• Knowledge of human relations is required including the ability to work with people with a diversity of views and values, to motivate people and adapt to changing situations.

In the past year IGIS worked with the staff from the UCCE Marin County to develop a new web mapping application that will display current community garden sites in Marin County.  This application was developed with ease of use and ease of updating in mind.  Staff at UCCE can edit and add additional gardens using the ucanr arcgis online for organizations system.

We hope that the general public will be able to use this web mapping  application to find community gardens where they live.  To view map on UCCE Marin Countie's site click here. 

Over the past several years, the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), a serious invasive pest, has established a population in California and presents a major threat to the California citrus industry. The psyllid serves as a vector for huanglongbing, or citrus greening disease, which has no cure and eventually kills any tree it infects.

IGIS has been working with Dr. Beth Grafton-Cardwell (Extension Specialist, Entomology, UC Riverside) on an online mapping application to monitor the spread of ACP and provide information to commercial citrus growers and the public about managing the pest. In addition to a map of current distribution of the psylid and quarantine zones, the site provides background on both the pest and the disease as well as treatment options and cost estimates.

Please visit the site at http://ucanr.edu/sites/ACP/