Geospatial data refers to all information that contains a direct or indirect reference to a certain location or geographic region. GIS data can be digitized maps or data registers describing natural or man-made environments, but it can also embrace activities and phenomena associated with a particular, known location.

With PaITuli, Finnish higher education institutions gain access to the downloading service for national geospatial data. The aim of the service is to increase the knowledge and use of geospatial data, and advance the related research and teaching in Finnish higher education institutions. The service is funded by the Ministry of Education.

“The aim is to support the development of geospatial data research and training at higher education institutions in Finland to reach the goals of geospatial data services and skills defined in the national geographic information strategy 2010–2015 to be published this year,” says Elina Haapala, GIS coordinator at CSC. The goals strive for world-class excellence, increased resources for research, as well as effective utilization of research results. These should be attained by providing in-depth courses on geospatial data and improving practical skills in several applied sciences.

PaITuli geospatial data service can be used for research and teaching, and students can use it for preparing their theses, seminar letters and term papers. The PaITuli service is easy to use, because data can be downloaded using the user name and password assigned by the user’s own institution.

In addition to the geospatial data, licenses to spatial information programs can be applied for through CSC. PaTo is a consortium founded for the GIS software environment in Finnish higher education institutions and it offers GIS software for research and education use. The programs currently available are ArcGIS Desktop and MapInfo Professional. The institutions participating in the consortium can get the software at subsidized prices.

A variety of datasets

The PaITuli service contains a range of geographical datasets from basic maps to bedrock and soil maps and daily climate data. At the moment, the available datasets are produced by the Geological Survey of Finland (GTK), the Finnish Meteorological Institute, the National Land Survey of Finland, the National Board of Antiquities, the Finnish Environment Institute, and the Finnish Road Administration (under the Finnish Transport Agency). The website also contains metadata about the datasets, instructions on how to use the datasets, and links to other websites providing geospatial data and services.

The data produced by the National Land Survey of Finland contains, for example, a country-wide topographic database, map datasets with different scales, and digital elevation models of 25m and 2m. Additionally, laser scanning data produced for a new digital elevation model (2m) can be downloaded. Laser scanning has introduced a new dimension for collecting GIS data, and it enables more exacting information on ground level height outlines suitable for several different applications.

Data provided the Geological Survey of Finland (GTK) for use by researchers comprises bedrock and soil data at different scales and geophysical data created by means of low altitude air surveys. The Finnish Meteorological Institute’s data provides information on daily average temperatures and daily precipitation totals from 1971 until 2008. Currently the only material provided by the Finnish Environment Institute is CORINE Land Cover 2000, material describing land use and soil covering in Finland. More data is expected to be added to the service by the Finnish Environment Institute during February and March.

The Finnish higher education institutions also have access to the Finnish Road Administration’s Digiroad national road and street system. Digiroad contains information on the geometry and properties of roads and streets, and it provides excellent opportunities for the development of services and application of traffic telematics.

The data supplied by the National Board of Antiquities contains, for example, the Register of Ancient Monuments containing the fixed ancient monuments and historical sites that have been preserved based on the Antiquities Act. The data on built heritage and sites contains the boundaries of the areas designated as nationally important cultural heritage regions. The data also contains information on geographic positions and properties of churches protected under the Church Act.

Demand for the service

During the first six months, the service has had approximately 8000 visits, by nearly 1000 different users. Approximately 500 users have downloaded a total of 3500 datasets. “The user statistics indicate that there is demand for the PaITuli service,” says Haapala.

“PaITuli has been used especially at the Universities of Helsinki, Turku and Oulu, as well as at Helsinki University of Technology. This is not surprising, since these are the universities offering the best possibilities for studies relating to geospatial studies,” says Haapala. As for the universities of applied sciences, the service has been used most at HAMK University of Applied Sciences and Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences. Students are clearly the biggest user group of the service. The main target of use for the data has been research and course-related studies.

The data produced by the National Land Survey of Finland have been downloaded most frequently, and the number of their data files is also the highest. The data produced by the Geological Survey of Finland (GTK) and the Finnish Road Administration are the second and third most frequently downloaded, in that order.

“Undoubtedly, the fact that the data are new is reflected in the number of users. We will continuously strive to supplement the service with new data, and to update the old ones when necessary and possible. We also look for new contract partners in order to further increase the variety of GIS data. Our newest partner is the Finnish Environment Institute,” says Haapala.

Image: “The amount of use indicates that there is demand for the PaITuli service,” says Elina Haapala, CSC’s GIS coordinator.© Jyrki Hokkanen

Tiina Raivo

PaITuli was initiated from the PÄTEVÄ project coordinated by CSC

The PaITuli geospatial data service has its roots in the PÄTEVÄ project coordinated by CSC. PÄTEVÄ was initiated in 2008 to fulfill the geospatial data related needs of Finnish higher education institutions. The project is funded by the Ministry of Education, and its steering group has representatives from the Universities of Helsinki, Oulu and Turku, Helsinki University of Technology, Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The PÄTEVÄ steering group has directed the development of PaITuli.

The PÄTEVÄ project aims to improve knowledge and use of GIS data, as well as research, teaching and product development based on geospatial data by working in accordance with the INSPIRE directive and the national GIS strategy, and by collaborating with the higher education institutions, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The INSPIRE directive provides the overall European framework for the accessibility and use of geospatial data governed by certain authorities. CSC participates in the national INSPIRE network in Finland where GIS infrastructure and national GIS strategy for 2010–2015 are being prepared.

In 2004, the Universities of Helsinki, Jyväskylä, Joensuu, Oulu and Turku, Helsinki University of Technology, Helsinki University of Technology, and Helsinki School of Economics and Business Administration founded the INFRA consortium for the purpose of acquiring geospatial data. The project was supported by the Academy of Finland. Data were acquired from the Finnish Meteorological Institute, Geological Survey of Finland, National Land Survey of Finland, National Board of Antiquities, Finnish Road Administration, and Statistics Finland. The data were stored centrally on a CSC server, but access rights for downloading were given only to authorized persons. Thanks to the PÄTEVÄ and PaITuli projects, all students, researchers, and staff members at Finnish higher education institutions have access to the geospatial data data services.