From 11 to 15 August 2025, staff from the National Environment Service (NES) attended an introductory workshop on ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Online, and ArcGIS Field Apps, hosted by Infrastructure Cook Islands in partnership with Eagle Technology at the ICI Conference Room. The training brought together participants from multiple government agencies, including the Meteorological Service, Ministry of Agriculture, Airport Authority, Ministry of Justice, Te Marae Ora – Public Health, and the Cook Islands Investment Corporation.
The workshop provided hands-on experience in managing and analysing GIS data, creating and sharing web maps and applications, and using mobile tools such as Survey123 and Field Maps for field data collection. NES staff participated in practical exercises, including a field activity at the ICI site, and visualized the collected data through web maps, apps, and dashboards.
Participation in the workshop strengthens NES’s capacity to apply geospatial tools for environmental monitoring, planning, and decision-making. Developing these skills helps the Cook Islands map and manage natural resources more effectively, supports disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation, and enhances conservation efforts. NES will continue to build on this experience by applying GIS skills in practical projects and promoting data-driven, evidence-based decision-making across its programmes.
The workshop, supported by NES through its GEF-funded national UNCCD project, was part of ongoing efforts to strengthen local GIS capacity. Building these technical skills is an important step toward improving the Cook Islands’ ability to collect, manage, and analyse spatial data to support national environmental reporting and for meeting the country’s reporting obligations under the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).
