GIS Resources for Land Trusts
GIS Service Centers
Beginning with Habitat
Provides wildlife related GIS data, maps and technical assistance; downloadable digital maps and accompanying information about important habitat features, as well as additional information and tools to implement habitat conservation in local land use planning efforts; currently developing a GIS co-occurrence model that allows users to weight the habitats and other important values present and helps identify local focus areas based on the habitats present and how a trust or group has valued them
Gulf of Maine Coastal Program
Works with any land trust or town throughout Maine to help prepare maps and habitat information for land protection efforts, including grants; with land trusts in the Casco Bay Watershed, Kennebec Estuary / Merrymeeting Bay and Downeast to:
- develop and maintain a detailed database and GIS of conservation and public lands
- provide regional and local maps of those lands, including a database printout
- provide GIS data (conservation and public lands, BwH data, trails, infrastructure, and base data [roads, town boundaries, hydro, etc.]) that can be used with ArcGIS Explorer (free GIS software) or ArcGIS.
The Center for Community GIS
Provides specialized community-focused mapping services (GIS, GPS, cartography, training, facilitation) to public interest organizations working in the areas of natural resources management, conservation, tourism, economic development, public health, and education.
University of Maine at Machias
Provides free or low-cost mapping services to communities, non-profits, and other clients; training; technical support; and more.
Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve GIS Center
Provides GIS data and support, mapping services, and software training at low or in some cases no cost.
Online Resources
What is GIS?
Land Trust GIS website
Information for beginners through experts on best practices, resources and more.
GIS Resources
Training
How to Learn GIS
Article from GIS Lounge, author Caitlin Dempsey
Learn GIS for Free
Article from GIS Lounge, author Caitlin Dempsey
Esri Academy
Online and in-person courses
GIS Data Available for Download
Maine Geolibrary Data Catalog
Downloadable GIS and Google Earth files, and Web Services.
Geospatial Data Gateway
USGS Topographic maps, color aerial photography, land cover data and more.
Natural Resource Conservation Service
Maine soils data available for download.
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
National wetlands survey data available for download and viewing in the online Wetlands Mapper. For enhanced statewide data contact the Gulf of Maine Coastal Program. National wetlands survey data available for download and viewing in the online Wetlands Mapper. For enhanced statewide data contact the Gulf of Maine Coastal Program.
Grants and Funding
Esri Nonprofit Organization Program
For formally tax-exempt organizations for a low annual administrative fee, and other grant programs.
Esri Conservation Program
Apply for low cost access to ArcGIS through the Esri Conservation Program (ECP)
Information Sharing
Maine GeoNews – email list for GIS discussion in Maine; sign up here.