Dr. Grenville Barnes, Professor
Geomatics
PO Box 110565
Gainesville FL 32611-0565
Publications
Research Projects
Consulting
Grenville Barnes joined the faculty of the University of Florida in 1993. Previously he was on an Assistant Professor at Ohio State University. His specialties within Geomatics include Cadastral Systems, Land Tenure and Land Administration. At present, Barney is a Professor of Geomatics in the School of Forest Resources and Conservation and is also an affiliate faculty member in the Center for African Studies, the Center for Latin American Studies, and the School of Natural Resources and the Environment (SNRE). He is also a core faculty member in the new interdisciplinary Masters of Sustainable Development Practice (MDP) Program. Barney has extensive research, teaching and consulting experience in South and Central America, the Caribbean, Southern Africa and in countries such as Albania and Moldova. His research addresses the role of land tenure and property rights in poverty alleviation and in promoting sustainable development.
Research Interest:
Land Tenure and Property Rights
Governance of Natural Resources in Developing Countries
Cadastral Surveying and Mapping
Degrees:
| PhD | University of Wisconsin, Madison | (Civil and Environmental Engineering) | 1988 |
| MSc | University of Natal, South Africa | (Surveying and Mapping) | 1982 |
| BSc | University of Natal, South Africa | (Surveying and Mapping) | 1977 |
SUR 3501 Spatial Measurement Systems (3 Credits, Spring)
This course is designed to expose Geomatics students to a variety of measurement systems and to analyze the spatial quality of the resulting measurements. It is designed around a number of projects, which include: analyzing the precision and accuracy of laser rangers; calibrating an electronic distance measurement (EDM) system; comparing GPS point positioning versus post-processed measurements; designing GPS networks; static and kinematic GPS; monitoring building deformation using conventional approaches and digital photography; and evaluating the precision and accuracy of GoogleEarth imagery.
SUR 4403/3403 Cadastral Principles (3 Credits, Fall)
This course covers the legal principles used for evaluating boundary evidence and resolving property boundary problems. The course covers: history of common-law estates; writing and interpreting boundary descriptions; registration of deeds and titles systems; principles for assessing boundary evidence; sequential versus simultaneous conveyances; public land survey system; easements; riparian boundaries.
SUR 6427 Land Tenure and Administration (3 Credits, Spring every other year)
This course reviews the theoretical frameworks for examining land tenure, including common property regimes. Land administration institutions are analyzed in developing and transitional (post-communist) countries. The course focuses on regional land tenure issues in Latin America and Africa, including indigenous land claims, gender discrimination, poverty alleviation, climate change, and land issues following natural disasters. (last taught Spring 2013)
FOR 6934/LAS 6292 Field Skills for Forest Conservation (3 Credits, Spring every other year)
(co-taught with Francis E. Putz (Biology) and Joe Aufmuth (UF GIS coordinator and librarian)
This course familiarizes participants with the most common tools and techniques used in forest conservation research. The focus is on the measurement, mapping, and modeling of forest carbon stocks as pertinent to climate change mitigation through REDD+ (reduced emissions from deforestation and forest degradation). This includes GPS, GIS, remote sensing, allometry, and assessing carbon across a mixed landscape. The course also introduces students to social network analysis and its application. The course comprises several workshop-type meetings during the spring semester and a four day intense field session between spring and summer semesters. The field work is located on a forested conservation area approximately 7 miles from Gainesville. This course satisfies the requirement for a “methods” course for the Tropical Conservation and Development (TCD) Certificate. (last taught Spring 2012)