Apr 18
No, drone technology is not going away. In fact, its use in the professional services marketplace is only expanding. One application we’ve developed expertise in is utilizing UAS to analyze landfills. Landfills are often run as a business, and, like any business, operators make decisions based on metrics and try to increase efficiencies to improve …
Mar 30
Forestry is the backbone of the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin’s economy. For 150 years, Menominee Tribal Enterprises (MTE) has managed the Tribe’s 235,000 acres and has become an industry leader in sustainable forestry. In 2007, a tornado destroyed over 2,200 acres of prime hardwood forest, creating a massive impact on future revenue. MTE was …
Oct 26
Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), or drones, are becoming increasingly common tool in the survey, mapping, and engineering fields. Incorporating these aerial imaging and mapping platforms into our services is adding new dimensions and perspectives as we measure and observe project sites and structures. This technology is a tremendous tool where site safety and accessibility are …
Jan 28
Recent developments in mapping technology have made it possible to efficiently extract two dimensional tree canopy polygons from LiDAR point clouds, even in leaf-off conditions. Historically, LiDAR data has been utilized primarily to create high resolution ground surfaces and digital contours. Digital Elevation Models and Digital Surface Models are the most common products derived from …
Sep 01
Multispectral Imagery, Aerial LiDAR, and Ground Truthing Provide a Full Picture of an Urban Canopy By Jason Krueger, Ayres Associates; Jason Carlson, Applied Ecological Services; and Dr. Fugui Wang, Applied Ecological Services The greater Chicago region has been deeply affected by the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) – an invasive species that has done considerable damage …
Apr 23
Ayres Associates wrapped up another year of aerial imagery and LiDAR missions for the Illinois GIS Consortium. This marks 15 consecutive years of aerial mapping missions for these Chicago area communities. Digital Aerial Imagery Approximately 90 square miles of high resolution aerial imagery was acquired this spring using an UltraCAM Eagle digital imaging system. The …
Nov 04
The Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin realized long ago that their future depended on the forest. With lands totaling 235,000 acres, the Tribe began practicing forest management over 150 years ago and in 1908 created what is now known as Menominee Tribal Enterprises (MTE) to manage their lands. To this day, forestry remains the backbone …
Oct 10
Ayres Associates is providing specialized infrared aerial imagery and LiDAR tools for urban tree canopy analysis in the Chicago area. Municipalities are taking extraordinary measures to deal with the impacts of the Emerald Ash Borer on urban forests. Aerial imagery may provide a useful tool for detecting dead and dying trees and for tracking the decline in the tree …
May 28
Urban Tree Canopy Mapping in Tinley Park, IL. Ayres Associates derived tree crown and centroid data in the Village of Tinley Park using fixed-wing aerial LiDAR acquired at ~ 20 points per square meter. Individual tree crowns and centroids were prepared in shapefile format along with a rasterized Canopy Height Model (CHM). These vectorized features are attributed with calculated statistics …
Apr 18
Urban forests are a valuable asset to the growth and prosperity of human ecology. Not only do city trees increase property value and help to conserve energy by shading and cooling buildings, they also contribute to a number of health benefits by improving the quality of our air and water. A diverse population of trees …
Mar 31
Monitor and Measure Your Aquatic Vegetation with the Latest Mapping Technology Monitoring the conditions of riparian areas is an integral part of protecting the health of aquatic ecosystems. Together with Applied Ecological Services (AES), our team at Ayres Associates has developed a method for mapping lakes and riparian zones from the air. Our partnership provides …
I am manager of the Aerial Mapping group of Ayres geospatial operations in Madison, Wisconsin. I have over 20 years of experience with land information and mapping for public and private entities. I specialize in geospatial project design for municipal engineering and transportation design.
I am a geospatial project manager in Ayres’ Madison, Wisconsin, office with over 12 years of experience in digital mapping, GIS, and project management. My work focuses on designing and leading lidar and orthoimagery projects from planning to flight, and through data processing, QC, and completion. I have coordinated many aspects of the orthoimagery and lidar programs being conducted in Wisconsin - including WROC and 3DEP. I enjoy consortium building and serving a diverse range of clients in the private and public sectors, including many counties, municipalities, and utilities in the Midwest.
I am a geospatial project manager in Ayres’ Madison, Wisconsin, office. I concentrate my efforts on project design and management, client relations, problem-solving, bidding, estimating, budgeting, cost reduction, and staff training and development. My expertise is in GIS department and remote sensing best practices and workflows. I have extensive experience with geoprocessing, scripting, modeling, and data conversions. I am a Wisconsin Land Information Association board member and president.
I joined Ayres Associates as a Project Manager in the Geospatial-Aerial Mapping Group in April 2019. I graduated from the University of Minnesota with a MS degree in Geospatial Information Science and from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point with a BS degree in Fisheries and Water Resources Management. I've worked in the federal and state agency sectors, with more than 10 years of experience with resource inventory and monitoring programs. Most recently I had been working with the Bureau of Reclamation in Reno NV, where I focused on remote sensing tasks including object-based image analysis, wetland flora and fauna, hydrography, aerial photography, and lidar.
I joined the Geospatial team of Ayres Associates in 2017 and am based in the Waukesha, Wisconsin office. My professional experience includes more than three decades of survey and GIS experience at the private, municipal and state level, including managing consultant surveying contracts for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s Southeast Region and serving as West Bend’s City Surveyor for 21 years. I’ve always been on a quest to continue learning new skills and delivering innovation through my work. My goal at Ayres is to help further integrate our Aerial Mapping, Surveying and GIS services by exploring new opportunities to fuse multiple technologies and work flows while adding value and efficiency to our client’s projects.
I am a GIS specialist in the Aerial Mapping group at Ayres’ Madison, Wisconsin, office. My efforts are mostly focused around the processing of airborne LiDAR, but I also handle many of the GIS duties for the Geospatial division. I perform spatial analysis and create custom maps and graphics for a variety of clients, and do research and development tasks related to LiDAR derivatives such as 3D building extraction and Low Confidence Area delineation. I have extensive experience with spatial modelling, scripting, and custom application development as well as data conversion and integration. I hold a Master’s degree in Environmental Monitoring as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Cartography & GIS, both from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
I joined Ayres Associates in 2006 and serve as Pilot-in-Command (PIC) for UAS operations, a camera operator, and technician. My UAS experience includes operations for ongoing construction observations and topographic mapping efforts in Wisconsin using DJI platforms. I have a BS in Geography from University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point.
Recent Comments