Introduce yourself!

Welcome, GIS learners!

If you’re studying an open course with VerdantLearn, here’s where you can get to know your coursemates

If you haven’t already completed your profile, including a description of yourself/your work, a picture to represent you (it doesn’t have to be your face - avatars are fine), and your location, I recommend you do that first.

Please take a few minutes to introduce yourself to everyone else in the community:

  1. You can introduce yourself by repling here
  2. Tell us something about yourself - your work, your passions, what motivates and inspires you, or how you like to relax

Take the time to read a few other posts, and reply to somebody who has something in common with you

To start us off, I’ve done fieldwork in Vietnam on black-crested gibbons (more on that in the course!) and in Ethiopia on Ethiopian wolves, and taught workshops in Malaysia and China as well more than a decade of online teaching. A couple of things you may not know about me - I’m an identical twin :woman: :woman:, and my favourite form of exercise is a martial art called Shorinji Kempo :martial_arts_uniform:

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Hi there,

Since 2013, I have been working with a local community based organization - Korup Rainforest Conservation Society (KRCS) in the South West Region of Cameroon. This is a community based organization with Head office in Mundemba and focuses on Conservation education, Livelihood improvement, research and training.

In January 2020, I was contracted by the Programme for Sustainable Management of Natural Resources (PSMNR) for the South West Region of Cameroon through KRCS. Here I work as the Biomonitoring Unit Assistant.

We carry research (wildlife camera trap and recce transects) in many protected areas of this region. However, due to the political crisis in the region, our focus in only in 3 parks: Mount Cameroon National, Korup National Park and Bakossi National Park.

I am a beginner in QGIS, I looking forward to learning practical skills and techniques that will enable me produce good field maps and analyze some of the recce data.

Want to have fun while doing this.

One heart,

Anthoine

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Hello everyone.

I did my BSc in Chemical Engineering and my Ph.D. in Biology with an emphasis on marine ecology. I have experience in simulation, mathematical and statistical modeling, thermodynamics, and teaching.

For a year and a half, I have been waiting for the pandemic to start the project in which I will do my post-doctorate on artisanal marine fishing.

In the meantime, I have learned to work with remote sensing to study cover changes in tropical humid forests, and I have found it fascinating.

These two projects share their interest in sustainability and in the conservation of ecosystemic processes.

With a lot of good energy to learn and collaborate in what I can. Hope we enjoy it …

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Hi all. I’ve been delaying to introduce my self, sorry about that. I am hlahla wisdom chauke a permanent citizen of South Africa based in Pretoria. I studied bachelor of environmental science degree. I’ve done GIS and remote sensing back at the university, ever since I have a passion for GIS and I believe after here I would have gained so much knowledge.

I couldn’t hesitate to let this opportunity pass me,

Thanks to meet you all!

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I work in northern Botswana monitoring endangered species. Im looking to learn GIS skills so that we can develop more informative maps into our regular reporting structure. I learnt some GIS work while at University but have subsequently forgotten pretty much all of it. So hoping to pick it up again.

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Hello Everyone,

My name is Borbála Szabó, I completed my PhD in Soil ecotoxicology and specialized in trans and multigeneration effects and sublethal effects of Folsomia candida (Collembola).

Currently, I am working on the effects of urbanisation and soil toxicity on soil animals. Also, I began to work with bumblebees as model animals.

I am trying to undestand the effects of urbanisation through landscape paramteres too. Such as sealed area, percentage of green space, heterogenity, distance from the city center, climate, etc. That is the reason why I would like to learn QGIS, to be able to make these evaulations independently,

I hope have a fun learning.

Best wishes to everyone,
Bori

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HI Bori,
One set of data that would be particuarly useful for you is the OpenStreetMap (OSM) data that can be used and downloaded within QGIS. It is particuraly useful for urban areas as it can identify many of the green spaces or ‘developed’ areas which then go to make up the heterogenity of an urban area. It can be used just as a background map within QGIS but you can also download the categorised vector/polygon OSM data so that you can identify particular land uses (and in some areas, even down to individual buildings). Have a look at this link if you havent used OSM data before - budapest | OpenStreetMap
Cheers
Jonathan

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Hi Jonathan,

Thank you for the suggestion. I downloaded a few plug in of OSM to QGIS just in case.

Best wishes,
Bori

Hi all, I am very excited to learn about this QGIS, I only used to here people talk about it but had no idea what it was. This will help me improve my knowledge, skill and personal growth in the Conservation field as I am still new, this will also help in combating poaching which has increased during the pandemic, I am freelance tour guide and boat captain in Victoria Falls Zimbabwe…

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Heya!

I am an AmeriCorps fellow just getting into conservation work at a Resource Conservation District in California. I have studied amphibian distribution patterns in Costa Rica and worked with the endangered California Tiger Salamander during my time as an undergrad here in California. Most of my work now is centered around regenerative agricultural practices and restoration efforts! GIS seems inescapable in this field of work and I’m very excited to finally add it to my skill set!

Outside of conservation work, you can find me traveling far and wide in search of the best climbing locations. I began rock climbing last year and spent most of my summer in Yosemite learning the ins and outs from amazing friends. If anyone wants to get started talking about climbing, I’m always open to it…

Cheers,
Liz

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Hie everyone

I graduated in 2019 with a BSc (Hons) degree in Forest Resources and wildlife management, in Zimbabwe. I worked for a year as an intern at CRNS, a research company in Hwange National Park and I am currently working as an ecologist at sustisync environmental management which is an environmental impact assessment company. I am looking to learn GIS for the first time, to aid in my skills as a researcher. My career objectives are set on being a competitive researcher in the multidisciplinary fields of animal ecology, biodiversity conservation and environmental science. I am excited to learn with and from you all.

Cheers
Vuyisile

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Hello everyone,

My name is Hannah and I have an undergraduate degree in Fisheries and Wildlife Management. I am currently living in South Korea, but will be moving to Alaska soon, where I will be using QGIS at my new job. This refresher course will be perfect, as I have not done this since college.

I have previous experience as a park ranger in Florida, and as a Fisheries Technician, Texas horned lizard researcher, and Stormwater Quality Officer all in Oklahoma. I have also worked in sea turtle conservation and rehabilitation.

Besides moving all over the country and world, I enjoy hiking, photography, kayaking, camping, diving and horseback riding (I also started rock climbing, but have not yet ventured away from the climbing gym).

I am looking forward to refreshing my GIS knowledge and getting to know you all.

Best,
Hannah

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Hi, I am Jonathan, from the UK and have a long (30 year!) background in GIS using both ArcGIS and QGIS software mainly in the environmental, land-use and renewable energy sectors. I now run my own GIS consultancy and to be perfectly honest, I am on this course to see how it is run and how the online learning platform works in practice. Sorry Lucy if you think I am a bit of an interlopa, but I am more than happy to contribute to these discussions and help out where I can throughout the different sections. Looking forward to working through the course.
Its been an interesting past year but with working from home for the past 8 years, the lockdowns here in the UK havent really affected my work at all - and my involvment with a Humanitarian mapping charity ([MapAction) has also allowed me to be invovled in a variety of Covid and non-covid related activities providing remote mapping and data management support (for activities such as British Red Cross Covid response and the Beirut explosion in Lebanon).

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Hi there! I’m Hannah and I am currently working at Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust in Jersey as the Conservation Learning Assistant. One of the projects I am working on is a visitor movement study looking at human behaviour around our zoo. This course will hopefully allow me to create images/visuals of GPS tracks in QGIS as I am re-learning how to use it at the moment!

I have an undergraduate degree in Ecology from the University of East Anglia and for the past year I have been on a student internship with some short-term employment as a mammal keeper before just recently undertaking my current role.

I am hoping to travel and work internationally as soon as that becomes more viable, but until then I have been spending a lot of time exploring local areas and enjoying my spare time and the nice weather! I love reading and watching films but have recently been getting more into photography with a project the zoo are running called WildSnap!

Can’t wait to get involved in this course,

Hannah

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Hi everyone.

I am Karlin, a BSc (Hons) graduate in Biodiversity and Ecology from Stellenbosch University, South Africa. I don’t have any background of GIS so I’m looking forward to learning new skills to use in the working environment.

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Hi everyone,
I’m Kenneth Onzere from Kenya. I completed my degree in Wildlife Management in 2015 and currently working as a rhino monitoring officer. I have been using Arc GIS to create basic maps, distribution, and home range maps. I am eager to learn more about Q GIS and expand my knowledge base in GIS.

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Hi, I’m Eluned, and I manage the zoo research programme at Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust. I’ve done field work on primates in Brazil and a variety of projects on captive animals. We are currently working on a long term programme based on nature connection and we are studying the behaviour of our zoo visitors to help us develop spaces and activities to help them engage more with the natural world. As part of this we will be tracking visitors’ movements around the zoo and so I thought it was about time I learned about GIS!

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Hi there, it is with pleasure that I’ve came across the link to be here. I always hear people talking about GIS and I read maps and use other kind of tricky technology every day in the field, I am happy to form part of this group as a nature conservator this will help me have an understanding on mapping and analyzing data of some sort, I am eager to learn and contribute my knowledge and skills regarding the concerned topic. I work for South African National Parks as a Section Ranger dealing with alien plant clearing and other environmental rehabilitation projects which mostly require mapping and project management therefore I find this very appropriate to embark on and I am glad I’ve found you Lucy… Thank you so much.

Xolani Manzini , SA, Cape Town

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Hi Everyone,

I’m Mary-Anne/MAC - whichever you prefer.
I’m from the UK and currently based in Scotland having originally grown up on the outskirts of London.
I have been a Conservation Officer for the Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels project led by the Scottish Wildlife Trust for almost 5 years https://scottishsquirrels.org.uk/ and look after the region which includes the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park.

We use maps a lot but our website tends to make them for us and we have a data officer that has all the fun with making any maps we need. I’m missing making maps and ‘playing’ with data in this way so am hoping to refresh my skills and to learn more about QGIS as open source platforms like this are so important to ensure science isn’t hindered.

Looking forward to joining you all on this adventure.

MAC :chipmunk: :slight_smile:

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Hi, I’m Ekole wildlife field researcher. I’m a QGIS beginner, skills and knowledge from this course will enhance my work results thus contributing to environmental protection and livelihood improvement.
Thanks for the initiative.

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