The Manitoba Eco-Network

Are you in a community group with an idea for a GIS and/or map? We invite you to contact us and find out more about making your project idea a reality.

Manigotagan River On-line Map and Interactive Web Site

Acting on input from our Member Group, the Wilderness Committee, we developed a new canoe map and interactive website for the Manigotagan River, which is 150 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg and drains into the east side of Lake Winnipeg. The region was given provincial park status in December of 2004. The goals of this project are to facilitate and promote environmentally sensitive use of the Manigotagan River and to raise awareness of its heritage and ecosystems. Two maps were produced. An artistic and durable paper map for orientation in the field which:

displays canoe launch / parking sites, camp sites, rapids, portages, historic sites, required skill level along the river;
includes map inserts that will display the location in Manitoba and road access, emergency telephone numbers, very basic tips for (environmentally sound) canoe-camping, historic stories, information on flora and fauna, etc. and
provides general advice on canoeing, trip planning, environmentally friendly behavior (with a focus on the protection of the water resources and adjacent land areas), bear safety, protection from insects and sun, poison ivy and poison oak warnings, etc. on the back;

The map is available for sale ($10) at a number of retail locations or from our office.

A digital, interactive map embedded in a comprehensive website that will provide additional information, educate about the river and Manigotagan and Nopiming Provincial Parks, increase awareness of these natural environments and their history and thereby increase support for the protection of Manitoba’s nature.

The digital map is intended as a tool for trip planning and an educational resource. It contains a wealth of information over and above the paper map, including

a background map showing the river, roads, communities, park boundaries etc. as well as three interactive layers: one canoeing, one environmental and one picture gallery layer, that can be individually switched on and off;
the ability to zoom into the map, pan, and retrieve additional information, such as pictures, short movies and text documents that are linked to the map and display at the click of a mouse button (for example, documentation of each set of rapids, portage and campsite);
multiple links to relevant websites;
components that can be downloaded onto a Global Positioning System (GPS) to help orientation in the field;
a paddlers feedback form to help us keep the site up to date.

Winnipeg and Region Green Map

Green Maps are environmental and cultural maps designed to promote sustainability and community participation in the local natural and built environment. They have been established for cities all over the world. The Winnipeg and Region Green Map provides information about the wealth of environmentally-friendly activities, organizations, businesses and Community Economic Development (CED) projects in the Winnipeg area to help inform more sustainable and socially responsible lifestyle choices.

The Green Map project – Dr David Van Vliet from the University of Manitoba, Department of City Planning, was a pioneer in the development of a Green Map for Winnipeg. The Manitoba Eco-Network, in association with Dr. Van Vliet, have created an internet accessible interactive Green Map to promote the environmental infrastructure and social economy projects in and around Winnipeg. This project has 3 goals: (1) Create a user-friendly directory so people can find out about and access existing environmental and related social/economic facilities, organizations, and services; (2) Educate the public about environmentally friendly choices in their daily lives; and (3) Create an opportunity for the environmental community to display and communicate priority areas of concern and success.

To achieve these goals, the website provides a directory for the environmental infrastructure, social economy and CED projects included on the Green Map including a brief description and links to the organization(s) who established or have information on each site, facility or service. Descriptions also link to the physical location of the site or facility on the map. The interactive map allows visitors to zoom in and out, pan, switch layers (categories) on and off, and retrieve additional information, such as pictures, short movies and text documents at the click of a mouse. The map provides the option to search for information by geographical area and the directory provides the option to search by topic. Links allow visitors to jump back and forth between the map and the directory.

The Green Map:

Includes a base map showing the rivers, roads, demographic boundaries, park boundaries etc. as well as interactive layers, which contain the Green Map sites sorted into categories that can be individually switched on and off;
allows visitors to zoom into the map, pan, and retrieve additional information, such as pictures, short movies and text documents that are linked to the map;
has a user feedback link through which organizations and individuals can suggest changes and additions to the map.

Spence Neighbourhood Map

The first phase of the Green Map project included a pilot for interactive community mapping with the Spence Neighborhood Association. SNA used this project to undertake a community-based mapping initiative, to highlight and compile information on current and historic resources, such as murals, community gardens, the Historic Plaque Trail, and to create a tool for ongoing community planning discussions.

Other interactive Community Maps will be developed over time.

Idle Free Zones

Climate Change Connection encourages neighbourhoods and communities to become Idle Free Zones – places where vehicles are turned off when they are not in motion. The project has distributed hundreds of Idle Free Zone signs as prompts in communities all over Manitoba.

Forest Management Area

The GIS/Mapping Centre has created a map showing the remaining mature forest stands in the Province’s Forest Management Licence Area 01 (FML01), currently managed by the Canadian forest products company, Tembec.

The FML01 region serves as a good case study by highlighting the multitude of issues and stakeholders involved in the competing politics of space in Canada’s Boreal Forest regions. As such, the maps and images added to the GIS/Mapping Centre website should be understood as one way of representing the issues involved in the FML01 area.

Click here to view the Tembec FML map.

Manitoba Watershed Atlas

Water related issues in Manitoba have always been at the forefront of conservation concerns. The Watershed Atlas project is an effort to provide maps demonstrating the "human footprint" in watersheds around Manitoba. The initial maps are being compiled from the various data sets housed at the Eco-Network's GIS/Mapping Centre. Environmental or community-based groups will be able to arrange to add to the maps, contributing their own data of interest, to build a more complete picture. For more information about water issues in Manitoba visit the Water Caucus pages.

Green Your Travel Neighbourhood Map

We worked with Member Group, Resource Conservation Manitoba to produce a map highlighting active and environmentally friendly travel options in the Fort Rouge/Riverview Area of Winnipeg.

Our Projects

GIS/Mapping Centre - Projects