GIS Program

The Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Program at fRI Research began in 1992 and has become an integral part of the organization. GIS staff work with researchers to facilitate sound data management practices and to undertake analysis processes. All researchers at fRI Research have full access to Geographic Information Systems and rich GIS data layers to enable them to perform their own analysis and mapping.

The GIS Program develops tools for staff at fRI Research to improve their workflows. For example, the GIS Program helps with managing the data collected from GPS collar on caribou and grizzly bear, writing custom scripts for spatial analysis, and processing large amounts of data for both site selection prior to field work and post-data collection.

The GIS Program also helps with visualization products such as maps, online maps, and movement animations. These improve knowledge transfer to land managers by displaying complex spatial data in an intuitive, compelling format.

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Establishment of PSP network to monitor stand dynamics and establish yield curves for stands killed by MPB

As a result of significant in-flights of mountain pine beetles coming from British Columbia in 2006 and 2009, as well as subsequent local production, there are widely distributed pine dominated stands throughout Alberta that have been significantly affected by MPB-caused mortality. Mortality is most prevalent from West-Central Alberta, in the Grande Prairie are and northwest of Manning.

Linkages between forestry practices, ungulate abundance, and the habitat use and performance of grizzly bear in and adjacent to woodland caribou habitat

This project will improve our understanding of how forestry practice is affecting ungulates and how grizzly bears are responding.

Can forestry and silviculture practices help increase caribou functional habitat in west-central Alberta?

This project will evaluate and mitigate industrial impacts on west-central Alberta Caribou herds.

The Columbia Trail

Pete Murphy and Tom Peterson through their work on the Whirlpool River Project, have been re-discovering the historic overland route of the fur trade up the Whirlpool River—the Columbia Trail. In the course of doing so, they have also been re-tracing the route through the rest of Jasper National Park. Karen Byers of the Jasper Yellowhead Museum helped with this project.