Customer Story

Preparing Communities for Disaster Recovery

With Nearmap high-resolution imagery, AI and 3D content, Green Top Planning helped Jackson County recover and rebuild after the 2020 Almeda fire.

The field crews got a bird's eye view of exactly where they were at while they were out in the field, and they were able to conduct detailed vegetation surveys on hundreds of acres in publicly owned lands.

Nikki Hart-Brinkley, Owner-Principal GIS, Green Top Planning

Green Top Planning is an integrated, multidisciplinary land-use planning and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) consultancy based in Oregon, serving public and private clients with unique urban planning and geospatial services.

The Challenge at a Glance

Equitable Access to Aerial Imagery and GIS Content

Working in regional government, Nikki Hart-Brinkley — owner and principal Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Analyst at Green Top Planning — saw the need for all communities to have access to high-quality imagery. Although this kind of content was in use by most larger southern Oregon jurisdictions, smaller and rural areas were more likely not to have equitable access. For several years, Nikki pursued funding for a program to provide aerial imagery and geospatial data to smaller communities.

Sep 2020 | Talent, OR U.S.

The Solution at a Glance

Aerial Imagery Program Enables Better Planning

Green Top Planning successfully secured funding for the Southern Oregon Regional Imagery Program, which gives Jackson County access to Nearmap high-resolution imagery and AI aerial data. This allows the county to have optimal staff resources, focusing on critical business issues while also being able to effectively and efficiently leverage valuable GIS analytics.

Business Impact

Improved Visibility for Faster Build and Recovery

Following the Almeda fire in 2020, Jackson County relied on Nearmap imagery and AI data to help recover and rebuild. High-resolution aerial imagery showed the path of the fire and its destruction, also revealing potential environmental threats from fire-retardant residue. Nearmap AI aided damage assessment and FEMA reporting, while Nearmap 3D in Esri ArcGIS provided greater situational perspective and context.