ArcWatch: GIS News, Views, and Insights

April 2016


Youth Mappers Unite for a Good Cause

By Carla Wheeler
ArcWatch Editor

Maps that will be used to help fight disease, lift people out of poverty, and provide humanitarian aid after natural disasters are being created by Youth Mappers chapters, a fledgling network of student mappers around the world. This cadre of crowdsourcers is tracing features onto maps by using aerial imagery, while others are gathering on-site data such as road names. The maps will be used for projects supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Read the article.


Students gather for a mapathon at the George Washington University Spatial Analysis Lab.

read the article

The Tip

Apply Security Best Practices to Your ArcGIS Server Site

Security is paramount. This tip teaches you how to run the serverScan.py tool to verify that your ArcGIS Server site has been configured to follow the security best practices that Esri recommends. Read the tip.

Join the Conversation

    The Headlines

    What Can Drones Do for You?

  • What Can Drones Do for You?

    Esri will host an indoor drone demonstration at the Esri Imaging & Mapping Forum this summer. You will get to watch operators maneuver the machines and learn how drone imagery can be turned into products you can visualize and analyze in ArcGIS. Read the article.

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    Protecting Urban Forests

  • Protecting Urban Forests

    Trees in the city face a barrage of threats, from disease-carrying pests to windstorms that break limbs. The Urban Forestry Administration in Washington, DC, uses GIS to mitigate hazards and keep trees healthy and safe. Read the article.

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    Top 25 Esri UC Experiences

  • Top 25 Esri UC Experiences

    Whether you want to see the latest and greatest in GIS technology or take ArcGIS training for free, the Esri User Conference (Esri UC) delivers exciting, educational experiences. View the story map. Register for the Esri UC.

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    The Geospatial Report

  • A Shift to Digital Mapping

    See how the 2014 South Napa earthquake nudged the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) to move from paper-based to digital mapping. "The Napa earthquake showed us the power of visualizing information," said Jose Lara, Cal OES. Watch the video.

  • Create 3D Visualizations with ArcGIS Pro

    Watch this fly-through 3D animation of a roller coaster ride and find out how Esri colleagues Nathan Shephard and Chris Fox created it using ArcGIS Pro. Read the blog.

  • Winning Maps at the Raceway

    Henrico County Division of Fire uses ArcGIS to manage operations during NASCAR races at the Richmond International Raceway in Virginia. "You have the latest and greatest map, and information is updated in real time," said Robert Rowley, Henrico County Division of Fire. Watch the video.

  • Insist on Simplicity

    Esri's Bill Meehan says a simple, focused GIS drives productivity higher, lowers training costs, reduces costly mistakes, and improves staff morale. Read Meehan's blog.

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    Tech Time

    Maps That Show Predominance

    Maps That Show Predominance

    This Esri Story Map highlights a variety of predominance maps, such as election, household income, and education level maps, and shows you how to start making your own using smart mapping in ArcGIS. Explore the predominance maps.

  • Use Smart Mapping in Custom Web Apps

    Smart mapping capabilities in ArcGIS Online and Portal for ArcGIS can be used in the custom web apps that you develop. Esri's Kristian Ekenes shows you how. Read the blog.

  • Scene Viewer Tips

    Learn how to create a dynamic 3D local scene of your city's buildings by using the new releases of ArcGIS Pro and Portal for ArcGIS. Read the blog.

  • Imagery Webinars

    Esri will host two webinars on how to use video and still imagery from drones, unmanned aerial systems, and unmanned aerial vehicles in ArcGIS. Sign up for the webinars.

    • Maps & More

    Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due

  • Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due

    Credentialed members of the American Institute of Certified Planners can now earn certification maintenance credits for continuing their GIS education. Read the article.

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    Game On! Win Prizes!

  • Game On! Win Prizes!

    Get your creative mapping juices flowing. Submit up to three story maps in the Esri Storytelling with Maps contest by May 23, 2016. The grand prize: a free trip to the Esri User Conference. Enter today.

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    Hardware Offer

  • Hardware Offer

    Data Appliance for ArcGIS plugs right into your internal, secure network to deliver preloaded imagery, basemaps, and reference layers. Order today.

    • The Last Word

  • Add Your Data to Living Atlas of the World

    Esri cartographic product engineer Lisa Berry offers a quick overview of the benefits of contributing data to the Living Atlas of the World. To learn how to furnish your information, stop by the Living Atlas of the World booth at the 2016 Esri User Conference. Watch the video.

  • Ride with the Geogeeks Going for Coffee

    Esri's chief technology evangelist Bern Szukalski is interviewed in an episode of Geogeeks in Cars Going for Coffee. He discusses the GeoHub concept, Esri Story Map, and Drone2Map for ArcGIS. Watch the video.