The 29th edition of the Esri Netherlands GIS conference that took place in Rotterdam’s World Trade Center last month welcomed almost 1400 participants and was a big success. With companies from a variety of different sectors coming together to share how they use Esri’s software, it provided a wonderful opportunity to promote our mission of hope and action and learn from other organisations.
A big thank you to Esri Netherlands for inviting our initiator Ben Valks and Community Outreach Coordinator Joël Boele to explain how we are making use of their geo-information software to restore the Araguaia Biodiversity Corridor and work towards a healthy planet for future generations.
The conference took place over the course of two days, and with this item we would like to bring to you some of the second day’s highlights, where the BJF gave the closing presentation.
The Black Jaguar Foundation presented the closing Keynote speech!
We were honoured to provide the closing presentation for the Esri Netherlands conference. Joël Boele (Community Outreach Coordinator) and Ben Valks (Initiator) explained our how we plan to plant 1,7 billion native trees in the Amazon Rainforest and Cerrado Savanna over the course of 30 years.
As Ben beautifully put it : “We have no plan B because there is no planet B“. The time to act is now and it is definitely too late to be a pessimist. It is safe to say that the entire conference room was inspired by Ben and Joël’s drive and inspiring words.
Joël dove into how we are currently using Esri to realise the Araguaia Biodiversity Corridor. She explained that first, we use Esri’s software to create maps, showing which areas are available for ecological restoration, and giving us an idea of how simple they are to access. These observations, together with satellite images and field visits, allow us to validate different areas for restoration, decide on which restoration methods are needed, and which species of trees should be planted in the designated areas.
Finally, the room was left in an atmosphere of hope. With the message that nature CAN be restored, if we listen and work with it. Thank you Esri for all of your support, and for organizing this wonderful event!
Finally, the room was left in an atmosphere of hope. With the message that nature CAN be restored, if we listen and work with it. Thank you Esri for all of your support, and for organizing this wonderful event!
Have a look at how the presentations went via the following video (please be aware that it is in Dutch!)
How is Esri supporting our mission?
Currently, Esri Netherlands is providing both financial and technical support to our grand mission of restoring the Araguaia Biodiversity Corridor. Esri’s ArcGIS Platform supports the BJF in gathering data of all sorts, so that we can reach objective answers to difficult challenges.
More recently, Esri released a podcast of our initiator Ben Valks and Community Outreach Coordinator Joel Boele, recorded during the conference. You can access this in their podcast “Something Spacial” , via this link.
We are determined to build a greener planet, together with our partner farmers, and sponsor partners like ESRI who are incredibly motivated to help us realise our mission.
Find out more about our partnership with Esri on their first 600 page here! Together, we are stronger.
A closer look at the rest of the sessions, which were full of innovation!
Data driven work
Bas Bijtelaar (Esri’s senior manager business development) started the second part of the plenary program with “Footprints”, a beautiful song he played on his saxophone to highlight the importance of leaving positive footprints on our planet. Bas emphasised the importance of data driven work and the role that geo information systems play in this. We were grateful to be given the opportunity to follow his great performance and insights.
The morning sessions
Vitens
The second day of the conference was opened by Esri’s directors, Ed van Ingen en Jurgen ten Siethof, and revolved around the theme : “innovating together”. During the plenary session that followed, two of Vitens’ key members, Matthijs Zwart (Chief Information Officer and Chief Information Security Officer) and Tyrza Niemeije (product owner Digital Twin distributie), explained how Vitens uses Esri software to ensure the sustainable distribution of drinking water.
As Matthijs beautifully put it: “A mission creates a team”. This is very much something we relate to, here at the Black Jaguar Foundation. It was great to see a drive to preserve our planet’s resources, present in other companies making use of ESRI software as well.
VolkerWessels
Together with Jan Peter ter Maaten (service owner and product owner GIS), Paulus Eckhardt, Volker Wessels’ director of digitization explained how the company is making use of ESRI software to to manage their clients’ information and deal with every-day challenges.
