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The latest release of the free and Open Source GIS software, QGIS, shipped in July. Those upgrading to this latest iteration (2.16.0 and codenamed ‘Nødebo’) will find additional options for copying features; the ability to store a spatial bookmark in an active project file, and support for GNSS GNRMC messages. The QGIS clipboard handler can now parse many additional text formats, including native support for GeoJSON feature collections; maptips have been improved for visibility and HTML content, and desktop MIME icons are now provided for QGIS file types. The UI benefits from a variety of new and improved features such as a new map canvas magnifier, improved map zooming, and a redesigned interactive gradient editor (pictured). For full details, visit https://www.qgis.org/en/site/forusers/visualchangelog216/index.html.
OSGeo has released GeoTools 15.1, the Open Source Java GIS toolkit. As well as bug fixes, this release is upgraded to NetCDF-Java 4.6.6; has support for rotated pole projection NetCDF and GRIB2 files, and includes the native GRIB2 file format used by the NOAA Rapid Refresh (RAPv3) weather forecast model. This latest stable release of the 15.x series (now requiring Java 8) is recommended for all new projects and can be downloaded from http://geotoolsnews.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/geotools-151-released.html or from http://download.osgeo.org/webdav/geotools/
The OpenStreetMap annual conference, State of the Map 2016, convenes later this month (23-25 September) at the Vrije Universiteit in Brussels, Belgium. The programme is now available at http://2016.stateofthemap.org/program/
The Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC®) is inviting public participation in its newly-established Citizen Science Domain Working Group (Citizen Science DWG). Its early work will be to assess the results of COBWEB, an EU-funded programme that enables citizens to collect environmental data using mobile devices (https://cobwebproject.eu/) as well as to consider future standards work. Those interested in assisting the group will find further information at http://external.opengeospatial.org/twiki_public/CitizenScienceDWG/DraftCharter and can join an email list at https://lists.opengeospatial.org/mailman/listinfo/ citizen-science.dwg
