Intro to GIS - M6 - Georeferencing, Editing, and 3D Scenes

 

The above map shows the University of West Florida campus and a nearby eagle nest.  The UWF Campus map is made up of two raster images that have been georeferenced for accuracy.  It includes buildings on campus, roads, as well as a Heritage Hall Parcel Survey raster layer.  The inset map of the Protected Eagle Nest Location shows a conservation buffer surrounding the nest in both 330 foot range and 660 foot range.

Week 6 is here, and this is the last lab assignment due before our final project.

This week, I learned how to georeference raster layers on a map. In simple terms, that means taking an image, placing it on the map, and making it spatially accurate. I found this process really interesting and fun! It required close attention to detail to ensure minimal error while keeping the visual shape of the raster layer from becoming overly distorted.

What excites me about this process is that I could take my own aerial photos using a drone and overlay them on a map, making them spatially accurate. I can see how this skill would be beneficial in various industries.

I also learned how to create vector features, including a building footprint (polygon) and a roadway (polyline).

In an inset map, I showed the location of a protected eagle nest in relation to the UWF campus and included imagery of 330' and 660' buffer zones representing a conservation area surrounding the nest. I’d love to see the nest for myself!

This week, I put in extra effort to make my final map layout look polished while still serving its intended purpose. Fingers crossed for good feedback! 🙂

For extra credit, I completed an optional part of this week’s lab where I learned to create a 3D scene of the campus. I can't wait to spend more time with 3D and explore creating cool story maps for events like fairs or music festivals.

This has all been a lot of fun, and I look forward to completing my final project for this course and seeing where my next courses will take me.