August 8, 2002

Remote Sensing Applications Seminars Set

Producers, technicians and land managers who are currently using satellite imagery and other remotely sensed data in North Dakota will be featured in three remote sensing application seminars in August.

The seminars are set for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 20, at the Lake Region College Auditorium in Devils Lake; Wednesday, Aug 21, in Bismarck at the Bismarck State College Jack Science Center, room 123; and Thursday, Aug. 22 in Dickinson in the Ag Building Auditorium at Dickinson State University. These seminars are free and open to the public and will provide opportunities to assess the work of these early adaptors of remote sensing activities in North Dakota.

The agenda includes a series demonstrating current uses of remote sensing in North Dakota. Those attending will have a chance to ask questions of the presenters. The seminars are coordinated by the North Dakota State University Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering and are sponsored by the NDSU Extension Geospatial Education Program.

Several North Dakota farmers and ranchers are using remotely sensed data acquired from satellites for crop and range management decisions, according to John Nowatzki, NDSU extension geospatial technology specialist. He notes there are several North Dakota agencies and groups using satellite imagery as well. Local and state government agencies use satellite imagery and aerial photography to assist in activities such as weed control, wildlife management and road maintenance. The North Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service uses satellite imagery to assess annual planted crop acres for North Dakota.

The seminars at each location have the same agenda:

• Santhosh Seelan, Upper Midwest Aerospace Consortium, will focus on farm and ranch applications of remote sensing.
• Dath Mita of the NDSU agriculture and biosystems engineering department and the North Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service, will describe applications of the annual landuse GIS data derived from satellite imagery.
• Bruce Seelig, NDSU extension water quality specialist, will describe his work using satellite imagery to identify potential sources of nitrogen contamination of water resources in North Dakota.
• Robert Andres, Professor of Remote Sensing, UND Space Studies Department, will explain some of the basic principles of remote sensing.
• Lanny Faleide, Agri ImaGIS, Maddock, ND, will describe his use of satellite imagery to assist in outlining crop management zones.

The NDSU Extension Geospatial Education Program is a collaborative effort of the Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Department and the UND Space Studies Department and funded by NASA. The program provides NDSU extension personnel opportunities to increase their knowledge of geospatial skills and remote sensing products. The three-year geospatial education program has 100 participants, including extension personnel, Natural Resource Conservation Service personnel, instructors from the North Dakota State College of Science, Bismarck State College and Dickinson State University, private consultants and county government personnel.

For more information contact John Nowatzki, Extension Specialist NDSU Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Department, (701) 231-8213 or: jnowatzk@ndsuext.nodak.edu.

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Source: John Nowatzki, (701) 231-8213, jnowatzk@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu