Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System Training Requirements in Arctic Canada

Abstract

There is ample evidence of the need to expand the North's natural resources information base. It is equally important that this information be made available and accessible to the people of the North. Remote sensing and geographic information systems technologies will be important tools in this effort. To fully meet these objectives, however, significant efforts will be required in the area of training. This paper considers the unique training challenges that will have to be met in the North. The authors discuss a training strategy for remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS) in northern Canada. This strategy attempts to make maximum use of existing training resources and recognizes the practical need to develop operational skills rapidly enough to fuel the broader effort to supply timely and reliable resource information over all of the Northwest Territories. The strategy stresses the special needs of native peoples to participate fully in the development process. To achieve this, the authors draw on the experience of the Canada Centre for Remote Sensing (CCRS) Technology Transfer Program and Arctic College.

Key words: Arctic, remote sensing, geographic information systems, community-based training, resource development