Forester GPS GIS app for iPad released

We are pleased to release a GPS GIS app for small woodland owners and independent forest consultants.

The Forester GPS GIS app for the Apple iPad will let you easily digitize forest land boundaries or import data in Shapefile or DXF format. It will also let you delineate areas by entering deed calls. You will be able to create a grid of cruise points over a timber stand for plot sampling or point sampling. The built-in angle gauge can be used for selecting the sample trees for point sampling. Basal Area per Acre for each point will be automatically computed from the recorded Tree Tally.

The Forester GPS GIS app is loaded with many useful software tools. Besides being able to record attribute information for each timber stand and each cruise point, you can also enter formulas to compute values derived from the recorded data. For example, you can have the cost per acre automatically computed from the cost and acreage of a timber stand.

In conjunction with a compatible accurate GPS device, the Point Stakeout function can help you locate the cruise points, and the Line Stakeout function can help you stay on a cruise line.

Like all the other apps from CMTINC.COM, Forester GPS GIS does not require a data service plan to run.

Detailed Function List:

* Import the shapes from Shapefile or DXF file.

* Precisely digitize Points, Lines and Areas over the built-in Map.

* Create a Line or an Area by entering Deed Calls.

* Move existing points or nodes to fine-tune the map drawing.

* View position, length and area values for the Features.

* Work with Metric and English units and BAF values.

* Create grid points or grid lines over an Area Feature.

* Use the built-in angle gauge to select trees for point cruise.

* Check borderline trees based on limiting distance calculation.

* Calculate the actual stem length of a leaning tree.

* Convert between horizontal distance and slope distance.

* Create multiple attribute tables (Feature Lists).

* Tag the Features with pre-defined Attribute/Values.

* Enter a formula for an Attribute based on other Attributes.

* View or edit Attribute Values in a spread-sheet display.

* Sub-divide an Area.

* Combine two adjacent Areas into one Area.

* Create buffer zones around a Line or Area Feature.

* Label the Features with ID and Attributes.

* Label the Lines with segment lengths and directions as well as corner angles.

* Label the Areas with size in acres and square feet or hectares and square meters.

* Measure distances and areas without saving the shapes.

* Create a Point from the entered address or coordinates.

* Create a Point or record a node by picking the GPS location.

* Use GPS to stake out Points or nodes on a Line or Area Feature.

* Use GPS to stake out a Line or Area boundary.

* Save the job data file for later use.

* Output the drawing and the coordinates to PDF.

* Export Feature data in DXF format.

* Email the job data files and the PDF files to your colleagues.

This app is now available at the Apple App Store.

iCMTGIS II and iGPSGIS II for farm acreage determination

(Following is our reply to an inquiring regarding using iCMTGIS II and iGPSGIS II for measuring farm fields an groves. We are posting it here as this may be of general interest to farmers who need a simple way to determine acreages using the iPAD and/or the iPhone.)

iCMTGIS II for iPAD and iGPSGIS II for iPhone provide the functionality to easily map and measure areas such as farm fields and groves. These apps will let the users load a built-in Map as the background so they will be able to see the mapped polygons in relation to the surrounding geographic features. The mapped points, lines and polygons can be exported in Shapefile format, which can be transferred to your desktop computer, emailed, or sent out via ftp.

We have been providing user-friendly GPS/GIS data collection software for years to foresters and farmers with minimal computer knowledge. The GPS/GIS data collection functions in iCMTGIS II and iGPSGIS II are based on our Microsoft Windows Mobile FieldCE GIS data collection software, which is widely used by foresters and farmers (such as the American Sugar Beet Seed Association, the OSU Department of Agriculture, farms in California, etc.).

The iCMTGIS II and iGPSGIS II app include a Help document that describes all the functions in the app. Many tips on using the software are also provided at this site. Please check out the July and August blog posts related to data collection. It is rather simple to have your field staff walk around an area to map it. If you want them to also record a description and/or other information for each polygon then you would set up a Feature List and train them to select the appropriate attribute/value to record with the polygon.

iCMTGIS II is listed at $94.99 and iGPSGIS II is listed at $44.99. You could try the less expensive one first.

Please keep in mind that the accuracy of positions and acreage will depend on the GPS receivers used. If your farm acreages or damage areas are small, you may need to employ a GPS system with higher precision, such as our ALTO-G12 GPS data collector, which is much more expensive.