The Conservation Technology Support Group helps non-profit groups with a
clear conservation mission (this includes environmental justice and
sustainable development) develop their own geographic information system,
or GIS. This year, CTSP is focusing on increasing its media to tribal
organizations that want to develop a conservation GIS. Please take a
moment to read the press release below and forward this information to any
individual or list-server you know that might be interested!
Thanks,
Amy Karon, Program Coordinator
PRESS RELEASE:
Conservation, sustainable development, and environmental justice non-profit
organizations seeking to use computer mapping technology can apply now for
grants of computer equipment and specialized software. The Conservation
Technology Support Program (CTSP) announced the release of guidelines for
its 2000 Geographic Information Systems Grants, which will be awarded in
April 2000 to approximately 50 groups. Applications are due January 7, 2000.
To receive the guidelines and application, interested conservation groups
should visit the CTSP web site at http://www.ctsp.org. To be considered,
an organization must be U.S.-based and have tax exempt status. Some
international groups with U.S. sponsors may also be eligible and should
refer to the CTSP guidelines. All groups, be sure to check the news update
link on the CTSP home page to get the latest information on software
additions to the grant packages.
The CTSP program is sponsored by Hewlett Packard Company (HP), Environmental
Systems Research Institute, Inc. (ESRI). HP contributes computers,
printers and other equipment, while ESRI and Clark Labs together contribute
mapping software, data and training. CTSP is one of the few technology
granting programs in the U.S. to offer extensive training and support along
with equipment and software. "CTSP has been extremely effective," said
HP's Forrest Whitt, "because it recognizes that non-profits doing computer
mapping need training, support and connection to a community as much as
they need technology tools."
The CTSP is focused on helping groups use Geographic Information Systems
(GIS), a rapidly growing technology that can better show the location of
issues in relation to
information about those issues. For example, using GIS, a conservation
group could
identify the habitat of endangered species and analyze the impact of public
land use
policies to determine the best course of balancing conservation and
development. "GIS is an essential tool for any group working to protect
species or places", said Charles Convis, the head of ESRI's Conservation
Program. "Providing this tool to non-profits helps level the playing field
and leads to better public decisions."
Established in 1995, CTSP has awarded nearly $6 million in grants to about 260
conservation organizations throughout the United States. "We're looking
for groups that can make a real difference with GIS," said Larry Orman, the
CTSP coordinator. "It doesn't matter if they're large or small groups --
they just have to be committed to
conservation goals and willing to use the technology we're offering".
CTSP is managed by a board of directors consisting of representatives from:
The
Technology Project (Helena, MT), ESRI (Redlands, CA), GreenInfo Network (San
Francisco, CA), Interrain Pacific (Portland, OR), Pacific Biodiversity
Institute (Winthrop, WA), The Rockefeller Technology Project (New York,
NY), Sierra Biodiversity Institute (North San Juan, CA), and The Wilderness
Society, Northwest Office (Seattle, WA).
CTSP SUCCESS STORIES:
Examples of groups receiving recent CTSP grants include:
Southern Appalachian Forest Coalition -- This alliance of 15 organizations
uses
conservation biology to protect wooded lands in the Southern Appalachians,
focusing
especially on identifying the last wild areas and developing protection
strategies for them.
People for Puget Sound With over 2,100 miles of shoreline, the State of
Washington's Puget Sound has remarkable natural resources. People for
Puget Sound is using GIS to coordinate citizen efforts to protect and
steward shoreline areas.
Northern California/Forest protection cluster -- Four conservation groups
were given
multiple CTSP grants to enhance their work to save old-growth areas of
Northwest
California (groups included the North Coast Environmental Center, Institute
for
Sustainable Forestry, the Environmental Protection Information Center, and
the Salmon River Restoration Trust and the Trees Foundation).
New York Public Interest Research Group -- NYPIRG has created the Community
Mapping Assistance Project (CMAP), which supports a wide range of groups in
the New York area on projects ranging from analysis of voting patterns to
patterns of lead and other pollution.
Dine' Citizens Against Ruining Our Environment -- Dine' CARE is an advocacy
organization working within the Navajo Nation to provide technical
assistance to local
communities that are opposing economic development projects not planned
locally and which have negative impacts on local communities.
Sitka Conservation Society The Sitka Conservation Society works to
protect the natural environment of the Tongass Forest and surrounding
waters of Southeast Alaska. The recipient of two CTSP grants, SCS also
serves as a center of GIS activity in southeast Alaska and has produced
maps for numerous other local and regional organizations
Bastrop County Environmental Council -- Based in Texas, this small,
all-volunteer group has made impressive use of GIS in promoting lifestyle
and policy decisions that foster sustainable regional development and
protect Bastrop County's natural resources.
The Nature Conservancy/Great Lakes Program Since 1992, the Great Lakes
Program has compiled and analyzed detailed natural heritage data in order
to select and prioritize key sites that, as a whole, can sustain the
biodiversity of the Great Lakes region over the long term.
Peregrine Fund Harpy Project Focusing on the most powerful eagle in the
world, this international organization is creating local systems to protect
Harpy Eagles in Venezuela and Panama.
END