Aboriginal Mapping Network wins innovation award

05 September 2008, 7:31pm

Vancouver, British Columbia

In recognition of ten years of groundbreaking and innovative work, the Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) Canada is pleased to present the 2008 Award for Special Achievement in GIS to the Aboriginal Mapping Network (AMN), hosted by Ecotrust Canada.

The AMN (www.nativemaps.org) is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year. Since its inception the AMN has established itself as a leader in online geographic information, delivering new resources and tools to help Indigenous people ’s manage vast amounts of geographic and traditional knowledge for natural resource management, planning, court evidence, and economic development.

Gregory Kehm, a manager at Ecotrust Canada, points out the “AMN’s mission to mitigate the geographic and professional isolation faced by many Indigenous knowledge practitioners has a worldwide appeal. Originating from the coast of British Columbia, the Network has seen a remarkable international expansion in the last few years. The AMN is honoured to be recognized by ESRI/ESRI Canada with a Special Achievement Award.”

Highlights of this decade of achievement include:

* over 1,300 registered users to connect and share information in a worldwide social network

* organizer of international practitioner conferences and community-based mapping workshops

* the website has nearly 15,000 discreet visitors every month.

* a web-based legal resource toolkit that helps First Nations respond to development proposals on their traditional lands and waters.

* an online tool that can integrate local indigenous spatial data with public spatial data to help First Nations respond more effectively to third party land development referrals

* publication of Chief Kerry’s Moose: A Guidebook to Indigenous Land Use and Occupancy Mapping in partnership with the Union of BC Indian Chiefs.

* publishing a funding guide, A New Trail, for First Nations to finance their GIS and planning activities.

The ESRI Special Achievement Award is the second for Ecotrust Canada. It won the award in 2004 for work the organization did with the Council of the Haida Nation to establish the Haida Mapping Office.

Aboriginal Mapping Network

Ecotrust Canada

ESRI Canada

Geo: International