Tag: Flex API

Preserving Rainforests with Project POTICO

To preserve endangered rainforests in Indonesia, the World Resources Institute (WRI) has launched Project POTICO (Palm Oil, Timber, Carbon Offsets), a revolutionary approach to ecosystem management.  Working with spatial analysis tools developed by Blue Raster, Project POTICO aims to divert planned oil palm plantations away from virgin tropical forests to already degraded lands, a swap that will prevent deforestation, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and encourage sustainable agricultural development.

Using the Suitability Mapper, Project POTICO is mapping degraded lands in West Kalimantan, Indonesia, to identify areas with high potential for sustainable oil palm expansion.  This interactive web application produces a customized map of potentially suitable locations based on user inputs and a methodology developed by the WRI and its local partner Sekala.  The custom maps can be used by government officials for land-use planning and zoning decisions and by oil palm companies to prioritize areas for project-specific field assessments. To create these custom maps, the application uses Esri ArcGIS Server Flex API and Pixel Bender for geoprocessing directly in the browser.

Blue Raster also developed the Forest Cover Analyzer, which supports Project POTICO’s efforts to monitor changes to the forest cover.  Using this application, government agencies and nongovernmental organizations can compare current and historic satellite imagery of Indonesian forests, and determine if oil palm companies are using degraded lands and meeting the standards of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil.  In addition to using Esri ArcGIS Server Flex API, the application uses the Flickr API, allowing users to explore over 190 field points and panoramic images collected to verify maps.

The beta versions of these two websites were presented at the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil conference in Malaysia November 2011 and feedback collected from this event will be used to inform revisions to the public website to be launched in 2012.  For more information on the project please contact beth.gingold@wri.org.

Rethinking Health Mapping with Rich Visualizations

Blue Raster is pleased to announce the release of the new version of HealthLandscape, an interactive web-based mapping tool for healthcare providers, advocates, researchers, and policy makers.  HealthLandscape Version 3, which was launched in October, enhances the power of this award-winning GIS application, which allows healthcare professionals to combine, analyze, and display health information in ways that promote understanding, improve outcomes, and reduce cost of healthcare.  In July 2011, HealthLandscape and UDS Mapper took first place in the Web-Based GIS Application category at the Esri International User Conference’s User Software Applications Fair.

Blue Raster upgraded HealthLandscape from a legacy server system (ArcIMS) to ArcGIS Server and Flex API to provide users with more dynamic applications and greater functionality.  Most notably, HealthLandscape’s anthology of health-related tools can now be combined, enabling the user to use them all in one mapping viewer.  Users can turn tools on and off depending on their data needs and display layers from multiple tools on the map at the same time.

The new version also makes it easier for healthcare professionals and advocates to combine their own data with existing health maps and public sources of health, socio-economic and environmental information.  Using the new QuickGeocodes tool, users can upload data from Excel spreadsheets to create instant health maps.  They can also use the new QuickThemes tool to upload state, county or zip code-level data to create thematic maps that show how health information varies from region to region.

Visit HealthLandscape and see for yourself how it conveniently brings together and communicates critical health information and trends with compelling custom maps.


Page 3 of 10