Arc View software donations -- worth $18,000 across the Network -- will help foster a mutually beneficial long-term relationship between LTER and ESRI
As spatial databases grow increasingly large and complex, the ability to view and analyze them effectively becomes a critical element in research involving such data. Much recent development in geographic information systems (GIS) software has centered on query and display capabilities and the flexibility with which these functions are enabled. Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (ESRI), of Redlands, California, one of the leading manufacturers of GIS software, has developed its ArcView product to provide powerful tools for visualization, query and analysis of spatial data of all types.
Both ArcView and ARC/INFO, ESRI’s primary GIS software, are widely used throughout the scientific research community. In recognition of the value of such software to LTER site research programs, ESRI has twice donated copies of ArcView to all of the sites. These contributions were arranged by Greg Stought, Network Office GIS Coordinator, in cooperation with Jack McCarthy, manager of ESRI’s regional office in Boulder, Colorado.
The first donation of ArcView was made late in 1993, following an initial conversation between McCarthy and Jordan Hastings (McMurdo LTER) at the LTER All Scientists Meeting in which McCarthy informally offered to provide a copy of ArcView Version 1 to each site. Hastings passed the information on to Stought, who contacted McCarthy to confirm the details and accept ESRI’s offer. Stought then arranged with ESRI’s Redlands customer service department for direct shipments to appropriate LTER site contacts.
This past fall, ESRI released ArcView Version 2.0, a major revision that includes many enhancements and expanded capabilities. In keeping with a provision of the original offer, ESRI made copies available to LTER. Stought again coordinated both the acceptance of the offer and shipping arrangements, and the sites received their copies late last year.
Stought believes that these generous donations -- worth $18,000 across the Network -- will help foster a mutually beneficial long-term relationship between LTER and ESRI. By following up on the original offer, the Network Office has enabled the sites to put the power and functionality of this software to work in their research activities.