MapServer Deployment in Environment Canada Tom Kralidis Integrated Environmental Applications Branch Knowledge Integration Directorate Environment Canada 09 June 2004

Environment Canada Departmental Overview MapServer Implementations Benefits Questions

Environment Canada Departmental Overview MapServer Implementations Benefits Questions

Environment Canada Federal Government Department dealing with: Reporting on Canada’s Environment Collection and dissemination of Environmental Information Clean Environment Nature Weather and Environmental Predictions Management, Administration and Policy Working with other environmental organizations

Environment Canada Importance of Decision Making Reporting, Tracking, Forecasting Analysis Importance of Information Timeliness Informed Reliable

Environment Canada Large Department Numerous Regional Offices/Facilities

Identification of Data IM Perspectives in Environment Canada Integrated Data = Information Shareable Data Useable Data Identification of Data Knowledge EC Moving Towards Connectivity Integrated Discovery, Access, and Use of Environmental Data Develop an architecture that allows for any API 2005 Build capacity in ability for others to share Applied geospatial area environmental management projects 2004 2nd year – Focus on the architecture that allows any partners to connect EC commits to two years of levied monies for development of CISE projects/program 2003 1st year – Make environmental information available in four key theme areas 2002 Ask Canadians what they want for environmental decision-making 2001 CISE Task Force formed

Environment Canada Abundance of data Legacy Databases (circa 1800s) Location-based reports XML Spreadsheets Data exists and maintained (“Good to go”) Enablement of location-based environmental data

EC Implementations Graduating to Information as Web Services Publishing Consuming Departmental Interoperability Fusion of information across activities Plug-and-play with complimenting infrastructures National/Provincial: CGDI, NLWIS, NFIS, LIO, NSDI International: NSDI, INSPIRE, AUSLIG

Canadian Information System for the Environment (CISE) Answer Canadians' need for integrated environmental information to assist in decision-making Integrating information from across the country, across jurisdictions, and across issues

Canadian Information System for the Environment (CISE) Theme areas Air, Water, Climate, Biodiversity Architecture built upon OGC specifications Data Visualization Data Access Data Discovery Metadata

RésEau Focus on watershed-based pilot projects; Informing Canadians for enhanced decision-making; RésEau’s deliverables are aligned with five key areas as identified in the Treasury Board proposal; Focus Areas Mapping the sources – open data sources. Mapping the services – open applications. Dissemination strategy – information and tools. Watershed management – Pockwock example of how interoperability leads the development of watershed management solutions. Engaging youth – water from a youth perspective.

Environment Canada Departmental Overview MapServer Implementations Benefits Questions

EC MapServer Implementations CISEViewer Ecological Monitoring and Assessment Network (EMAN) Ontario Regional Information System for the Environment (ORISE) Bird Studies Canada Ecostratification Water Quality Web Canada Newfoundland and Labrador Aqua Link (CANAL)

CISEViewer Web Mapping Application to showcase EC data through OGC / CGDI specifications Uses Chameleon to connect to data via standards-based services Integrated Environmental Information Holdings Air Water Climate Biodiversity Currently internal application Data QA tool

CISEViewer Integration of partner agency online services NRCan NTDB OGC:WMS Atlas of Canada OGC:WMS Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Ecostratification OGC:WMS, OGC:WFS) Canadian Geographical Names Service (OGC:WMS, OGC:WFS) NIMA World Placename Lookup Service (OGC:WFS) NRCan Postal Code Lookup Service (OGC:GML) FGDC ZIP Code Lookup Service (OGC:GML) NRCan NTS Lookup Service (OGC:GML)

CISEViewer

CISEViewer Uses Chameleon extensibility to add new widget functionality Subject matter/ theme-based information Air Water Climate Biodiversity

EMAN NatureWatch Web Services Enablement Ecological Monitoring and Assessment Network http://www.eman-rese.ca/ NatureWatch http://www.naturewatch.ca/ Community / Citizen based science monitoring programs IceWatch PlantWatch WormWatch FrogWatch Input of Observations using accepted field data collection protocols WMS - serve image maps - GetCapabilities, GetMap, GetFeatureInfo - GetFeatureInfo will deprecate to WFS

EMAN NatureWatch Web Services Enablement Use of UMN MapServer Publishing OGC:WMS (Visualization) OGC:WFS (Data Access) Cron job to generate shapefiles of observations using Perl Mapscript WMS - serve image maps - GetCapabilities, GetMap, GetFeatureInfo - GetFeatureInfo will deprecate to WFS

EMAN NatureWatch Web Services Enablement Small level of effort Afternoon implementation session Next steps Connect directly to database (Port to PostGIS ) Seamless upgrade for MapServer Need only to update data bindings WMS - serve image maps - GetCapabilities, GetMap, GetFeatureInfo - GetFeatureInfo will deprecate to WFS

EMAN NatureWatch Web Services Enablement New functionality launched January 2004 “Map of the Week” on GeoConnections Discovery Portal (February 2004) First EC publicly available OGC:WMS and OGC:WFS WMS - serve image maps - GetCapabilities, GetMap, GetFeatureInfo - GetFeatureInfo will deprecate to WFS

EMAN NatureWatch Web Services Enablement Integration with partner agency data through interoperability Placenames (CGNS) WMS - serve image maps - GetCapabilities, GetMap, GetFeatureInfo - GetFeatureInfo will deprecate to WFS Observations (NatureWatch) Basemaps (Atlas)

PYR Water Quality Web Web Services Enablement Use of UMN MapServer Publishing OGC:WMS (Visualization) OGC:WFS (Data Access) Consuming Use of MapSurfer to connect to MapServer based data Export of OGC Web Map Context Documents WMS - serve image maps - GetCapabilities, GetMap, GetFeatureInfo - GetFeatureInfo will deprecate to WFS

PYR Water Quality Web Web Services Enablement

PYR Water Quality Web Web Services Enablement New functionality launched March 2004 In alignment with departmental Water Quality Services Initiative WMS - serve image maps - GetCapabilities, GetMap, GetFeatureInfo - GetFeatureInfo will deprecate to WFS

ORISE Ontario Regional Information System for the Environment Decision Support for Ontario environmental information Multi-jurisdictional Federal Provincial

ORISE Chameleon Rapid Application Development Extensibility for domain requirements

ORISE MapServer Quick deployment of robust OGC services

Canadian Bird Portal Partnership Portal Bird Studies Canada Miistakis Institute Portal Access survey data Breeding bird surveys Christmas bird counts Bird banding recoveries Important bird areas across Canada

Canadian Bird Portal Use of MapServer (recent convert!) Publish to WMS and WFS Small level of effort Data already in place ~8-10 emails!

Environment Canada Departmental Overview MapServer Implementations Benefits Questions

Benefits Supports Specifications No charge to acquire (licensing, etc.) Code Extensibility / Customization Contribution to main dist Quicker turnaround time for upgrades to serve direct needs and requirements e.g. MapServer ODBC “Simple Points” support

Benefits Platform independence Easier to use Enables increased capacity within organization Higher awareness among developers

MapServer Deployment in Environment Canada Questions Thanks! Tom Kralidis tom.kralidis at ec.gc.ca