eAtlas

eAtlas Program

 
Environmental research, maps and data for tropical Australia

The eAtlas is a web-accessible integrated knowledge management system designed to provide a framework to facilitate effective use and sharing of information in order to enhance evidence-based decision making for effective management and the long-term sustainable use of the Great Barrier Reef and its catchments, the Wet Tropics rainforests and Torres Strait.

The e-Atlas is a portal providing access to new data and information handling, spatial mapping and analytical tools to collate, integrate, share and analyze the vast array of biophysical and socio-economic data required to manage these environmentally, economically and culturally valuable systems effectively. Based entirely on open-source software, the e-Atlas uses internationally recognised standards that enable its content to be interrogated and delivered into GIS systems, particularly those within federal and state government departments and agencies.

The eAtlas currently holds more than six hundred maps derived from data contributed by nine different national, state and local institutions. These maps illustrate numerous characteristics of North Queensland's ecosystems, particularly patterns and hotspots of biodiversity and threats, facilitating the identification and improvement of understanding of the major risk and resilience factors influencing the MTSRF region, and their ecological, social and economic impacts, and enhances capacity to evaluate and implement effective policy and management responses to ensure the long-term sustainability of North Queensland's natural assets.