GIS Manager
Wildlands Trust may seem like an unlikely destination for a 20-year Coast Guard veteran. But by following his fascination with maps, Jason Risberg has charted a surprisingly direct path between the two. As Wildlands’ GIS Manager, Jason leverages the power of geographic information systems to enhance all aspects of our work.
Born and raised in Minnesota, Jason fell in love with nature through family camping trips across the country. In his early 20s, Jason joined the Coast Guard, where he assisted with search and rescue, law enforcement, and port security. While stationed in Boston, he worked on an Aids to Navigation team, helping maintain buoys and lighthouses on the Massachusetts coast. Planning his next move after two decades of service, Jason discovered GIS. Trading nautical charts for trail maps, he found, is less of a leap than one might expect.
Jason explains GIS as a blend of cartography and data science. "If it’s something on the face of the Earth, GIS can be used to help explain it,” he said.
As such, Jason envisions a role for GIS in every aspect of Wildlands’ mission. Applications include maps and infographics to draw new audiences to our trails, spatial analyses to prioritize lands for protection, and invasive plant inventories to inform stewardship strategies.
Jason started taking GIS classes in the Coast Guard before enrolling at Salem State University. He completed his bachelor’s degree in cartography and GIS in 2023 and is set to complete his master’s degree this summer. Before Wildlands, Jason completed a GIS internship with Essex County Greenbelt.
“One of most important things we can do as society is to protect natural resources so generations to come will be able to enjoy these green spaces,” he said.
Jason is excited to move to Plymouth with his wife and explore new restaurants and natural areas with friends and family.