Today, November 18, 2020, is International GIS Day! A Geographic Information System or “GIS” integrates the location of real-world features with user-defined characteristics to map, analyze, and assess real-world situations. Why dedicate a whole day to GIS? Because this emerging technology is changing the way our planners, resource managers, municipal workers, and decision-makers manage data, collaborate, and communicate across industries worldwide. GIS allows us to better understand data so we can make impactful decisions.

Here at MVPC, the GIS program has worked as the Regional GIS Service Center of the Merrimack Valley since 1997. That’s two years before the National Geographic Society, Association of American Geographers and GIS software leader ESRI organized the first GIS Day in 1999. We have watched the technology transform from command line, workstation-based software to the cloud-based tools of today.

This advancement in technology has made GIS accessible using our mobile phones and devices. Fieldwork activities such as outfall screening, sidewalk inventories, and site inspections that were once done on paper can now be accomplished with a few button-clicks on our hand-held devices. With GIS, we can now collect, inspect, view, and analyze information more easily.

In addition to general cartography and training, MVPC GIS has taken advantage of this progression to ensure our program meets the needs of our communities through this changing technical landscape. Our mobile application offerings range from tree inspectors to maintenance record trackers in restaurants and critical infrastructure managers for sewer systems, electric systems, or stormwater. Just because we haven’t built it yet, doesn’t mean it isn’t possible. We continue to advance our platform and demonstrate the value of GIS to a wider municipal audience as it has become central to nearly all of our planning initiatives.

As we move forward in this increasingly complex world where we face challenges in resource sharing, building sustainable communities, and equity, GIS is becoming more centric to municipal and global operations than ever. For MVPC’s GIS department that is more than enough reason to shine a light on this powerful tool for a day. We thank you for your continued support and Happy GIS Day!

For more information about MVPC’s GIS program and offerings, please visit the GIS & IT Program area of our website. Have an idea for a project but aren’t sure how to get started? MVPC’s GIS staff are happy to assist with a wide variety of municipal needs. Contact us for more information at [email protected]