ArcGIS Training

Need training in ArcGIS Pro?  

Welcome to our ArcGIS Training Series designed for conservation district professionals! This program provides practical experience using ArcGIS tools to support conservation planning, resource assessment, documentation, and program delivery. Whether you are just getting started with GIS or looking to enhance your existing skills, this series will help you confidently apply mapping and spatial analysis in your daily work.

Using real conservation district examples, participants will learn how to:

• Create and edit maps for conservation planning, site visits, and outreach

• Support technical assistance with spatial analysis (e.g., drainage, erosion risk, land cover)

• Collect and share field data for projects and cost-share programs

• Build and share ArcGIS Online tools and web maps for collaboration with partners and landowners

By the end of the course, participants will be able to confidently use ArcGIS to support conservation practices, improve decision-making, and communicate the impact of their work.

Before you begin the course please click HERE to download a zip file which contains maps and plans which will be helpful in following along with the course. 

You can watch the videos in any order and follow along at your own pace.

ArcGIS Pro Training Series for Conservation District Professionals 

• • Introduction

This video covers file organization, databases, symbology, and creating farm plan maps. 

• • Interfaces

This video provides a walkthrough of the ArcGIS Pro interface upon project opening; highlighting the presence of three initial tabs: a map and two layouts (letter and landscape). 

• • Organization: Folder Structure & Naming Conventions

This video discusses effective GIS data organization. 

• • Layer Files, Layer Packages & Map Packages

This video explains different ways to share map data and symbology using ArcGIS Pro; covering layer files, layer packages, and map packages. 

• • Templates

This video demonstrates creating and managing ArcGIS Pro project templates, emphasizing the importance of using a read-only project file on a server for easier management and preventing accidental overwrites. 

• • Farm Plan Map Introduction

This video explains the multiple layers (wells, pipelines, etc.) within the geodatabase and their shared attribute tables. 

• • Creating a File Geodatabase

This video covers creating domains (drop-down menus), feature datasets (folders), and feature classes (layers). 

• • Symbology

This video demonstrates how to change symbology in a GIS software. It also explains how to add new styles from a style file to access more symbology options, such as hatch patterns for buffers. 

• • Labeling

This video demonstrates ArcGIS Pro labeling techniques, correcting symbology and accessing labeling properties. 

• • Feature Templates

This tutorial focuses on creating templates for different farm types, each with unique symbology. 

• • History of Farm Plan Mapping at Whatcom CD; Applications for Use

This video shows how Whatcom CD creates farm plan maps. 

• • Fields

This video covers creating polygons for individual fields, using tools like the trace tool and split tool. 

• • Fence & Wells

This video demonstrates how to add and edit fences in a geographic information system (GIS). 

• • Buffers

This video demonstrates how to create and edit buffers in ArcGIS Pro. 

• • Misc. Features

This video demonstrates adding miscellaneous polygons and polylines to a farm plan using GIS software. 

• • Attribute Tables

This video demonstrates how to complete attribute tables in a GIS program. 

• • Excel Tables

This video demonstrates how to create a formatted table in Excel from an ArcGIS Pro attribute table. 

• • Layout

This video covers map centering and scaling to engineering scales (e.g., 1 inch = 100 feet). 

• • Labeling From Layout

This video explains the difference between labeling on the layout versus within the map itself, advocating for the latter for better scalability. 

• • Printing/Exporting

This video talks about printing; selecting a printer and settings (portrait/landscape).

• • MyESRI.com Courses

This video details accessing Esri training via MyEsri.com and the Esri Academy. It shows how to navigate the course catalog, differentiating between free and paid courses. 

• • Georeferencing an Image

This video demonstrates how to georeference aerial photos or survey maps in ArcGIS Pro. It uses Google Earth Pro to obtain an aerial image. 

• • Geocoding

A step by step guide to ArcGIS geocoding.

• • AGOL

The video demonstrates how to access and use data from ArcGIS Online within ArcGIS Pro. 

• • Avenza Maps

Learn how to use a PDF exported from ArcGIS Pro in Avenza Maps. Collect data in Avenza Maps and bring it back to ArcGIS Pro. 

• • Field Maps

This video demonstrates how to use Esri's Field Maps to collect and manage field data and explains the difference between Field Maps and Survey123. 

• • Survey123

This video is a tutorial on using Esri's Survey123 application for geospatial data collection. 

• • Map Viewer

This video demonstrates how to create a map using Map Viewer; guiding learners through adding layers, customizing symbology, and configuring pop-ups. 

• • Working with LiDAR Data from the DNR Lidar Portal

This video demonstrates how to access and utilize LiDAR data from the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) LiDAR portal and ArcGIS Pro. 

If you would like to suggest courses for the list below, please let us know.  If you have specific questions the content here, please feel free to contact Andrew Phay, Whatcom CD at aphay@whatcomcd.org.