I use deep forestry experience and imaginative geospatial analysis to reveal landscapes of insight.

I’m Jerome, an innovative geospatial analyst with 20 years of experience developing and communicating creative insights into complex questions.

My professional exploration of earth science began at McGill University’s Meteorology program and was crafted by years of practical experience and education in forestry, GIS, and leading-edge technology. I continually upgrade my skills, most recently in cloud-based GIS, data science, and software development.

My personal exploration of earth science began as a child, poring over atlases and viewing the landscape from the cockpit of a glider. Together, these explorations showed me the power of data and maps. I combine science-based analytical skills and technical communication with artistic creativity.

 Skillset

  • Program development, leadership, management

  • ESRI ArcGIS Online, Pro, Desktop

  • Carbon modeling using CBM-CFS3, GCBM

  • LiDAR processing and analysis

  • Geoprocessing scripting in Python

  • Cartogrtaphy and visualization

  • Cloud-based analytics in Google Earth Engine

  • Remote Sensing analysis

  • Terrain and watershed analysis

 Experience

GIS Analyst

Carson Integrated
2019 - Present

At Carson, I work with GIS that has moved from the desktop to the Cloud. I administer, manage, and troubleshoot an ESRI ArcGIS Online platform where geospatial data is hosted and served to field crews working for clients across northern Alberta, who in turn collect GPS-referenced ground data for block and road layout, and upload it to online maps.

I conduct Timber Supply Analysis (TSA) using Patchworks software and carbon modeling using the Canadian Forest Service’s General Carbon Budget Model (GCBM).

At the company woodlot, I experiment with new technology for forest mensuration, such as terrestrial LiDAR, which can be combined with drone-based aerial LiDAR to map every tree in the forest. This will enable accurate modelling of carbon sequestration to earn credit in emerging carbon markets.

GIS Analyst

Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute
2014 - 2019

  • Led the innovation and development of new geospatial products to meet the needs of stakeholders including GoA, forestry, and energy partners 

  • Developed a GIS algorithm and semi-automated workflow for prioritizing reclamation treatments on seismic cutlines in caribou habitat for the Canadian Oil Sands Innovation Alliance (COSIA)

  • Provided GIS leadership to Caribou Monitoring Unit, Application Center, and graduate students

GIS Analyst

Foothills Research Institute Grizzly Bear Program
2003 - 2014

  • Developed a suite of Python geoprocessing scripts (GBtools) to transform static grizzly bear habitat models into dynamic forecasting tools, delivered annually to program sponsors

  • Conceived, funded, and carried out the Grizzly Bear Habitat Enhancement Trial. Cultivated and planted 12,000 seedlings of grizzly bear forage species in reclaimed oil and gas sites

  • Created and delivered educational seminars on GPS and GIS

GIS Forester

Daishowa-Marubeni International Ltd.
2010 - 2011

  • Prepared GIS deliverables for forestry operations and Detailed Forest Management Plan (DFMP), including timber supply analysis (Woodstock, Patchworks), carbon modeling (CBM-CFS3), development of biodiversity indicators, and geospatial analysis; produced operational maps

GIS Forester

MCH Forestry (Consulting to Weldwood of Canada Ltd.)
2002 - 2003

  • Provided GIS support to forestry operations including relational database design and management, air photo interpretation, field surveys and mensuration, and geospatial analysis

  • Designed and taught OH&S courses for forestry contractors

Selected Projects

Prioritizing Seismic Cutline Reclamation for Caribou Recovery

Problem

There are 100,000 km of seismic cutline within caribou ranges in the oilsands region of northeastern Alberta. Planning for caribou habitat restoration required a method of prioritizing lines for reclamation treatments.

Solution

In consultation with stakeholders, I developed a prioritization algorithm (“bang for buck”) that calculated, for each township, the reduction in disturbed habitat resulting from reclamation (the “bang”), per length of line restored (the “buck”).

Measuring Functional Recovery of Seismic Cutlines Using LiDAR

Problem

Seismic cutlines are a pervasive disturbance in the boreal region of Alberta, but there is no information on revegetation or recovery status. Vegetation height can be derived from a high-resolution LiDAR-derived canopy height model (CHM), but manually digitized line features are not accurate enough to be overlaid with the CHM.

Solution

I wrote a Python script to cursor through each line feature and automatically redraw the line to follow a least-cost path using the LiDAR canopy height model as a cost surface. The resulting line can be overlaid on the CHM and attributed with statistics on vegetation height. This dataset was used to determine thresholds of wolf movement speed as a measure of functional recovery with respect to wolf predation on caribou (Dickie et al, 2017).

Erasing Roads from a Digital Terrain Model

Problem

Roads are represented in a LiDAR-derived Digital Terrain Model (DTM) as raised features which interfere with the modeled flow of water.

Solution

I developed a geoprocessing workflow to interpolate elevations within road right-of-ways, effectively “erasing” roads from the DTM, thus enabling correct hydrological simulation and providing a pre-anthropogenic “reference” condition for Alberta’s terrain.

Defining Lake Watersheds

Problem

There are 127,000 lakes in Alberta greater than 1 ha in size, but their catchment, or contributing area, remains undefined. Any hydrological analysis of lakes first requires a delineation of the catchment.

Solution

Using a high-resolution LiDAR-derived DTM, I wrote a Python script to automatically define catchments for 8000 of the major lakes in the boreal region of Alberta.

Links

➔ Emerging Trends in Geomatics

➔ Read about the community greenhouse society I founded in 2009

➔ Personal profile on ABMI

➔ Thoughts on the climate and energy revolution

➔ Celtic Frolic, the band I play in

  • J. Boulanger, G. Stenhouse, M. Proctor, S. Himmer, D. Paetkau, and J. Cranston. “2004 population inventory and density estimates for the Alberta 3B and 4B Grizzly Bear Management Area.” Hinton, Alberta: Alberta Sustainable Resource Development, 2005.

    G. Stenhouse, J. Boulanger, J. Lee, K. Graham, J. Duval, J. Cranston. “Grizzly bear associations along the eastern slopes of Alberta.” Ursus, vol. 16, 2005, pp. 31-40.

    J. Boulanger, M. Proctor, S. Himmer, G. Stenhouse, D. Paetkau, and J. Cranston. “An empirical test of DNA mark-recapture sampling strategies for grizzly bears.” Ursus, vol. 17, 2006, pp. 149-158.

    A.J.S. Hunter, J. Cranston, N. El-Sheimy, and G. Stenhouse. “An integrated approach for the analysis and visualization of moving objects.” Paper presented at the First International Workshop on Mobile Geospatial Augmented Reality, Banff, Canada, 2006. 

    A. Berland, T. Nelson, G. Stenhouse, K. Graham, J. Cranston. “The impact of landscape disturbance on grizzly bear habitat use in the Foothills Model Forest, Alberta Canada.” Forest Ecology and Management, vol. 256, 2008, pp. 1875-1883.

    J. Linke, G.J. McDermid, D.N. Laskin, A.J. McLane, A.D. Pape, J. Cranston, M. Hall-Beyer, and S.E. Franklin. 2009: “A disturbance-inventory framework for flexible and reliable landscape monitoring.” Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing, 75 (8): pp. 981-995.

    S.E. Nielsen, J. Cranston, and G. Stenhouse. “Identification of priority areas for grizzly bear conservation and recovery in Alberta, Canada.” Journal of Conservation Planning, vol. 5, pp. 38-60.

    T. Hilker, N. Coops, R. Gaulton, M. Wulder, J. Cranston, and G. Stenhouse. 2011. “Biweekly disturbance capture and attribution: Case study in western Alberta grizzly bear habitat.” Journal of Applied Remote Sensing, vol. 5, 2011, 053568. DOI:10.1117/1.3664342.

    J. Boulanger, M. Cattet, S. E. Nielsen, G. Stenhouse, and J. Cranston. 2013. “Use of multi-state models to explore relationships between changes in body condition, habitat and survival of grizzly bears Ursus arctos horribilis.” Wildlife Biology, vol. 19,  2013, pp. 1–15.

    S.E. Nielsen, M.R.L. Cattet, J. Boulanger, J. Cranston, G.J. McDremid, A.B.A. Shafer, and G. Stenhouse. “Environmental, biological and anthropogenic effects on grizzly body size: Temporal and spatial considerations.” BMC Ecology, 2013, vol. 13, p. 31.

    T. Larsen, J. Cranston, G. Stenhouse, and S. Nielsen. 2014. “Research and applied tools to enhance forest management linkages to grizzly bear conservation and recovery in Alberta: Final Report for the Forest Resource Improvement Association of Alberta.” In: G. Stenhouse and K. Graham (eds). Foothills Research Institute Grizzly Bear Program 2013 Annual Report. Hinton, Alberta

    Habib et al. “Impacts of land-use management on ecosystem services and biodiversity: An agent-based modelling approach.” PeerJ, 2016, 4:e2814; DOI 10.7717/peerj.2814

    K.E. Pigeon, M. Anderson, D. MacNearney, J. Cranston, G. Stenhouse, and L. Finnegan. 2016. “Toward the restoration of caribou habitat: Understanding factors associated with human motorized use of legacy seismic lines.” Environ. Manage. 58, 821e832.

    “Prioritizing zones for caribou habitat restoration in the Canada’s Oil Sands Innovation Alliance area.” Prepared for Canada’s Oil Sands Innovation Alliance. Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute, 2016, p. 45.

    M. Dickie, R. Serrouya, C. DeMars, J. Cranston, and S. Boutin. 2017. “Evaluating functional recovery of habitat for threatened woodland caribou.” Ecosphere, 2017, 8(9):e01936. 10.1002/ecs2.1936

    E. DeLancey, J. Kariyeva, J. Cranston, and B. Brisco. “Monitoring Hydro Temporal Variability in Alberta, Canada with Multi-Temporal Sentinel-1 SAR Data.” Canadian Journal of Remote Sensing, 2018. DOI: 10.1080/07038992.2018.1417734