JEFFERSON CITY, MO, JULY 15, 2020 – The Missouri Department of Natural Resources’ Division of State Parks and Missouri Office of Geospatial Information received a Special Achievement in GIS (SAG) Award from Esri, a global leader in location intelligence, on Monday, July 13. The team was honored for its vision, camaraderie and willingness to dive in and experiment with new technologies. Missouri State Parks and the Office of Geospatial Information has created an enterprise geographic information system (GIS) to support their growing information management needs. The implementation of the ArcGIS online platform is eliminating silos, streamlining workflows, improving user experience and enabling management to make data-driven decisions.
"Our team of park professionals is leading our organization into the future by using technology to solve problems and developing tools that will help us better manage Missouri’s resources," said Missouri Department of Natural Resources director Carol Comer.
A few of the accomplishments resulting from the implementations of ArcGIS online include an asset management inventory solution for park structures and their associated major systems, a Katy Trail Advisory Map providing near-real time advisories and closures on the Katy Trail, and a field collection app for hazardous tree inspections. The GIS implementation also enabled information sharing among the 91 state parks and historic sites and the development of an online inventory of historic buildings throughout the state park system collecting information about their historic significance and maintenance.
"I am so proud to know that our team has been recognized for their dedication and forward thinking while laying the groundwork for others in the industry," said Missouri State Parks director Mike Sutherland. "The team continues to use technology to accomplish our stewardship mission, serve our guests and provide tools for efficiency, and I am excited to see what the future holds."
The project team includes Debbie Briedwell, GIS manager in the Missouri Office of Geospatial Information; Jon Fitch, planning and development program director for Missouri State Parks; Jon Haslag, GIS specialist in the Office of Geospatial Information; and Connie Schmidt, information technology manager for Missouri State Parks.
"This award is not only a great recognition of our GIS team, but also a great example of what can be accomplished when we all work together," said Office of Administration commissioner Sarah Steelman. "I’m proud of the technology our staff within the Information Technology Services Division has developed together with Missouri State Parks."
Selected from more than 300,000 eligible candidates, Missouri State Parks and the Missouri Office of Geospatial Information received the award for their innovative application of mapping and analytics technology, as well as thought leadership in the field of natural resources. The SAG Awards show appreciation for organizations using GIS to understand complex data and meet challenges around the world. Through their unique approaches to geospatial science, the users honored with awards are demonstrating groundbreaking possibilities of GIS software.