Geospatial Modeling with QGIS and R

Analyses of wildlife home range and habitat use are used in wildlife-focused disciplines to inform population and habitat management practices. The geographical space used by animals is largely driven by habitat selection, where habitat can be described by spatially explicit site factors (e.g., land cover). Geospatial modeling is the process of synthesizing geographically referenced field measurements and spatial data layers representing those site factors. In this course, we will process raw point location data, estimate home ranges, and conduct habitat assessments using raster land cover data and the open-source software applications QGIS and R.

• This is a 1-credit equivalent academic course (16 contact hrs + additional work) where you learn at your own pace.

Learn at your your own pace with or without instructor support (see Online Course Format Chart below for details).

Summer: June 2 - August 24, 2025 (Early bird ends May 4th)

Fall: September 2 – November 23, 2025 (Early bird ends August 3rd)

*Early bird saves $75

Introductory training or experience in R (e.g., R Boot Camp for Ecologists and Wildlife Biologists) and QGIS (e.g., Introduction to QGIS) is necessary.

• Review QGIS (QGIS Basics)

• Downloading GIS data online (Maine Geolibrary)

• Preparing spatial data in Excel

• Creating Vector Data (points)

• Projections and transformations (Coordinate system)

• Creating shape files for individual animals

• Setting up R-studio and Geospatial Modeling Environment (GME)

• Calculating home ranges in GME

• Home range analysis in QGIS

• Determine area of home ranges

• Calculate geometry

• Determining available habitat

• Intro to remote sensing and raster data

• Vegetation analysis

• Determining used habitats

• Statistical analysis of used vs. available habitat

FORMAT:

• 3 months of access to course materials as you work at your own pace 

CONTINUING EDUCATION:

• 16 CEUs with The Wildlife Society

• 4 CEUs in Category I(a): Scientific Education and Training with the Ecological Society of America

• Go to our Continuing Education Page for more details

FORMAT:

• 3 months of access to course materials as you work at your own pace 

• Get instructor support for the 3-month term via email, discussion threads, group meetings, and one-on-one appointments

• After working through the course materials, set up an optional meeting with the instructor to discuss your own personal project from work or school

CONTINUING EDUCATION:

• 16 CEUs with The Wildlife Society

• 4 CEUs in Category I(a): Scientific Education and Training with the Ecological Society of America

• Go to our Continuing Education Page for more details

CERTIFICATIONS:

• Earn 1 credit toward certification as an Ecologist (at any level) with Ecological Society of America

• Earn 1 credit toward certification as an Associate/Certified Wildlife Biologist® (at any level) with The Wildlife Society

FORMAT:

• 12 months of access to course materials as you work at your own pace 

• Get instructor support for the 3-month term via email, discussion threads, group meetings, and one-on-one appointments

• After working through the course materials, set up an optional meeting with the instructor to discuss your own personal project from work or school

CONTINUING EDUCATION:

• 16 CEUs with The Wildlife Society

• 4 CEUs in Category I(a): Scientific Education and Training with the Ecological Society of America

• Go to our Continuing Education Page for more details

CERTIFICATIONS:

• Earn 1 credit toward certification as an Ecologist (at any level) with Ecological Society of America

• Earn 1 credit toward certification as an Associate/Certified Wildlife Biologist® (at any level) with The Wildlife Society

• Earn 1 credit towards a professional certificate in Applied Quantitative Ecology with CWS

ACADEMIC CREDIT:

• Earn 1 academic credit (go to our Academic Credit Page for details)

• Earn an additional 1-2 academic credits with an Applied Project