| July 18, 2008 |
Phoenix Professional assists with a successful SFI Certification Audit |
DRS would like to congratulate the Malakwa Division of Louisiana Pacific Corporation on the successful completion of their SFI Certification Audit.
We were pleased to hear how instrumental Phoenix Professional was in assisting this client with maintaining their SFI Certification.
"I wanted to let you know how important your efforts are to me, as a user of your program(s)."
Click here to read Doug's full testimonial.
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| July 10, 2008 |
3 more First Nations join the growing RTS Community! |
We are pleased to announce the latest First Nations to select RTS as their Referral Tracking System:
- Kamloops Indian Band
- Little Shuswap Indian Band
- Skeetchestn Indian Band
Although they are still in the installation and training phase, it is exciting to see our community grow!
Nazko First Nations have now completed their training and will soon be realizing the same sucess as other users! "....the RTS program has already proven to be worth the investment" wrote Mary-Ann Enevlodsen from the Homalco First Nation.
Read more about RTS or contact us for more information.
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| May 23, 2008 |
RTS selected by three First Nations |
We are pleased to announce the latest First Nations to select RTS as their Referral Tracking System:
- Homalco First Nation
- Oweekeno First Nation
- Nazko First Nation
Although Nazko First Nation is still in the installation and training phase, both Homalco and Oweekeno First Nations are enjoying the benefits that RTS brings to their community. " ....the RTS Program has already proven to be worth the investment" wrote Mary-Ann Enevlodsen from the Homalco First Nation.
Read more about RTS or contact us for more information.
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| May 09, 2008 |
DRS Completes Sustainable Harvest Plan for PALCO/SCOPAC |
Over the past year, D.R. systems’ consulting staff have been part of the PALCO/SCOPAC evaluation team as PALCO proceeds through a U.S. bankruptcy law Chapter 11 re-organization. This has been a high-profile case as the landbase is in the California redwood region, is very productive and management of the landbase is very controversial both from political and environmental points of view.
DRS was responsible for determining and recommending a sustainable harvest schedule to provide the best solution to SCOPAC across all re-organization objectives. This was no simple task as the SCOPAC landbase is the most heavily regulated private timberland in California and North America. DRS used our proprietary, spatial, forest estate planning model OPTIONS, to develop a harvest schedule that maximized net cashflow to SCOPAC while meeting or exceeding all regulatory requirements, including PALCO’s complex Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP), California’s Forest Practices regulations, regional water board requirements and allowances for potential risks due to future additional regulations and/or unplanned volume losses.
The complexity of the regulations required over 30 GIS layers to depict spatially basis with more than 35 different forest management regimes used in different portions of the landbase. All of this information, plus the standing forest inventory, the forest management regulations and SCOPAC’s near-term harvest plans were loaded into OPTIONS and used in the analysis. The resulting harvest schedule was then used by KPMG’s Seattle office to derive an evaluation of the SCOPAC landbase.
The strength of the model OPTIONS is that it can dynamically address complex spatial and biological interactions across multiple GIS layers and multiple scales simultaneously. Using OPTIONS, DRS was able to do a superior job of presenting the client with the full range of opportunities and risks associated with the harvest schedule. As a result, KPMG’s valuation of the SCOPAC property was significantly higher (30% to 50% higher) than that presented by any of the other participants in the litigation, some of whom used commercially available optimizing models for their analyses.
This result is fairly typical of the level of increased efficiencies (higher volumes and/or better net revenue) we can provide to our clients and is primarily due to the increased spatial and biological sophistication of OPTIONS.
Read more about our consulting services or contact us for more information.
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| February 09, 2007 |
Saluting the new partnership with Neskonlith and Adams Lake Indian bands in developing a vital Referral Tracking System (RTS). |
NANAIMO, BC – On February 9th, 2007 a memorandum of understanding was reached between the Adams Lake Band, Neskonlith Band and D.R. systems of Nanaimo, B.C., forming a three way partnership to research and develop a Referral Tracking System.
A majority of First Nations in the province experience significant levels of frustration in dealing with forestry and crown land referrals on a daily basis. Chief Judy Wilson of the Neskonlith Indian Band of the central interior region says "New technology based management tools for referrals will soon provide viable solutions for First Nations. Hundreds of referral applications are received by the bands, which are under funded and short staffed and are expected to respond to each referral in a limited time. Usually each referral is manually processed, which is time consuming, and is not submitted in any standard format which compromises data management controls”.
Chief Nelson Leon of the Adams Lake Indian Band says "This is a monumental break through for First Nations, consultation and accommodation decisions by the courts placed an enormous burden for First Nations to assess whether aboriginal interests or aboriginal rights exist within proposed land developments". Currently in the province, all land use planning on crown land, including forestry tenures must consult with First Nations to determine three measures 1) the existence of aboriginal rights, 2) the implication of resource management activities on aboriginal rights, 3) if granting crown referral or tenure can co-exist with aboriginal rights.
For D.R. Systems, the joint partnership is a win/win situation; it creates a joint forestry/land technology solution and creates an opportunity to diversify technological services to First Nation communities across the province. The initiative is First Nations driven and automates the entire referral process electronically, the RTS creates standards for data input, increases data quality, provides a necessary assessment process and the ability to link into spatial data including other cultural heritage resource assessment tools. A First Nations Forestry Program (FNFP) grant in 2006 provided Neskonlith Band the opportunity to explore forestry management software jointly purchased with Adams Lake and the Kamloops Bands which led towards research of the Referral Tracking System with D.R. systems inc.
The next step is to undertake regional feed back from First Nations beginning April 2007. Pre-Release copies are available through D.R. systems.
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| October 01, 2006 |
D.R. systems inc. earns Certified Partner Status in Microsoft Partner Program |
NANAIMO, BC – October 2006 – D.R. systems inc. announced today that it has achieved Certified Partner status in the Microsoft Partner Program, with a recognized competency as an Independent Software Vendor.
The Microsoft ISV/Software Solutions Competency recognizes the skill and focus technology partners bring to a particular solution set. Microsoft Gold Certified Partners that have obtained this competency have a record of developing and marketing software solutions using Microsoft-based technologies.
D.R. systems inc. has been in business in the land management industry for more than 20 years and has been developing software solutions based on Microsoft’s leading edge technologies and development tools for over 12 years. Therefore, it was a natural decision for our company to build Road Runner and Pocket Phoenix (our latest mobile applications) on Microsoft® Windows Mobile® 2003 software. D.R. systems inc. recognizes the value in developing solutions that provide increased scalability, reliability, and extensibility which results in efficient field use. We see Microsoft as a valuable technology partner in the attainment of this goal.
"Each year the partner community continues to grow with exceptional solution providers like D.R. systems inc.," said Lora Gernon, Director of Partner Group, Microsoft Canada Co. "Microsoft has worked hard with technology partners to make Microsoft Certified Partner status a symbol of excellence and today, Microsoft recognizes D.R. systems inc. for providing innovative Microsoft-based technology solutions that help customers realize their full business potential."
About D.R. systems inc.
D.R. systems inc. (DRS) is a team of highly qualified forestry and natural resource consultants, spatial analysts and software developers, committed to providing solutions to complex land management problems.
We have offices in Nanaimo, B.C. and Kirkland, Washington. Our clients include resource companies, consultants and contractors, private landholders, lawyers, management consulting firms and government agencies. D.R. systems inc. works with the client to improve the profitability and sustainability of their land base. We do this in two fundamental ways:
- Help in the discovery of improved management strategies for the natural resource asset in today's complex environment.
- Improving the efficiency and effectiveness of their people in managing this dynamic asset using our suite of software tools.
For more information, please contact:
D.R. systems inc
Lori Jacobsen
Product Manager
Tel: 250.760.1070
jacobson@drsystemsinc.com
Microsoft and Windows Mobile are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
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| August 29, 2006 |
Road Runner by D.R. systems awarded Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 Pocket PC certification |
Road Runner is a handheld data collection software package that allows users of the D.R. systems PhoenixPro Road Module to take their roads and road and bridge maintenance inspections forms to the field in order to perform inspections, denote maintenance issues and problem areas. Road Runner runs on Microsoft Mobile 2003, and Mobile 2005 and is now available for purchase.
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| April 26, 2006 |
D.R. systems releases SylvaScale BC |
A Windows CE based log scaling data collection system designed for metric BC Log Scaling. The system is BC Ministry of Forests and Range HBS compliant. SylvaScale BC compliments the Windows CE based EcoScale product used for Scribner rule scaling.
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| April 19, 2006 |
Pocket Phoenix by D.R. systems is awarded Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 Pocket PC certification |
Pocket Phoenix by D.R. systems is awarded Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 Pocket PC certification.
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| September 15, 2005 |
The US Bureau of Land Management awards D.R. systems contract |
D.R. systems was awared the contract to assist the Oregon BLM in the development of a Western Oregon Resource Management Plan. The work involves using OPTIONS to analyze multiple land use allocations having regional ecological differences, calculate timber harvest levels, cost and revenues, and the effects on endangered species habitats.
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| April 01, 2005 |
B.C. Ministry of Forests, Revenue Branch selected D.R. systems over 7 other vendors to develop a Windows CE-based handheld data collection system for Check Scaling and Site Inspection Compliance field activities. |
 The system will be used by MoF personnel at 29 districts throughout the province. Data collected will be submitted electronically to the provincial Harvest Billing System.
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| July 01, 2004 |
Bureau of Land Management extends development contract with D.R. systems inc. |
 The Bureau of Land Management extended a development contract with D.R. systems nw inc. to enhance functionality to the BLM EcoSurvey software system currently being used at five Western Oregon BLM district offices. The software system was developed in 2002–2003 after D.R. nw inc. won a competitive request for proposal competition over 14 other software development firms.
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| June 25, 2004 |
Contract Awarded by British Columbia Ministry of Forests and Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management |
Azmeth Forest Consultants, D.R. systems inc., and Chulish Consulting were awarded a contract by the B.C. Ministry of Forests and Ministry of Sustainable Resources to perform for the Kalum Timber Supply Area, Kalum Forest District near Terrace, B.C.:
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Vegetation Resources Inventory (VRI) ground sample inventory
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Analysis comparing and contrasting the differences between 1) VRI net factoring versus the 2) 1976 loss factors and FIZ taper volume determination methods.
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Inventory file adjustment
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