MontanaView is a consortium of universities, non-profit organizations and government agencies working within Montana to advance the availability and timely distribution of remotely sensed data.
Montana State University - Bozeman (MSU). MSU maintains an active remote sensing research, education, and outreach program centered in the MSU Remote Sensing Lab. Research is also performed in MSU’s Optical Remote Sensor Laboratory, Landscape Biodiversity Lab, and Geographic Information and Analysis Center. MSU currently offers three remote sensing courses each year.
Geoessentials Inc. GeoEssentials Inc. is a non-profit 501-(c) 3 Corporation formed in April, 2004. GeoEssentials' mission is to help improve the regional economy through better management decisions using geospatial technologies. Geoessentials helps its wide variety of clients adopt and use these technologies by providing training and consulting in Global Position System (GPS), Geographic Information System (GIS), and remote sensing (RS). Headquartered in Bozeman, MT, GeoEssentials serves clients in Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. GeoEssentials is also a member of the South Dakota View Consortium.
Montana Association of Geographic Information Professionals (MAGIP). MAGIP is a non-profit professional association whose mission is to advance an interdisciplinary approach to the use of geographic information. MAGIP sponsors educational workshops, conferences, forums, grants, and scholarships and works with collectively with many organizations to foster technical cooperation, sound management policy and practices that can support the efficient and effective use of geographic information system resources.
Montana Natural Resource Information System (NRIS). A program of the Montana State Library, NRIS is home to the most comprehensive collection of geospatial data in Montana. NRIS contributes data to national efforts such as GeoSpatial One Stop and the National Map. NRIS actively supports GIS coordination in our state and works hard to provide value-added products and services to a diverse community of users.
Precision Agriculture Research Association (PARA). PARA is a non-profit association of agricultural producers, university faculty, industry representatives and others committed to sharing information about technology to help each other accomplish various site-specific agricultural tasks.
University of Montana (UM). UM has many departments and funded research centers that rely on remote sensing for their research (e.g. Forestry, Geography, National Center for Landscape Fire Analysis, Numerical Terradynamics Simulation Group, State Climate Office, and Wildlife Spatial Analysis Lab). Currently, five departments teach GIS and remote-sensing classes. UM is also home to the GIS4MT program which provides a state-wide ESRI site license for schools and provides workshops for educators to help them apply GIS and remote sensing in their classrooms.
USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS). The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is the federal agency that works with private landowners to help them conserve, maintain, and improve natural resources and the environment. Among its many programs in Montana, the NRCS provides support and guidance for rangeland managers. The NRCS uses remote sensing-based decision support tools to assist managers in their evaluations of range conditions.
USGS Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center (NRMSC) (associate member). NRMSC conducts research in support of natural resources management in the mountains and plains of Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho. The USGS National Geospatial Programs Office (NGPO), co-located with NRMSC, is the federal entity in Montana for coordination of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure.
