Meet Claire, The Data Mapping Nerd

Hi, I’m Claire and I bloody love a map

There’s nothing I love more than showing people how to mess about with maps. Of course, it’s not just the map output; it’s the journey of how you got there. The data, the context, the brilliance of creating a map that communicates exactly what you need without a single typed word.

Client projects

Maps I’ve made (and like to show off)

A little bit about me

Things you might want to know about me (to see if we’re a good fit).

I’ve been working with geospatial technology for a decade
Paid my dues in the public & private sectors before going freelance in 2022
Specialist in the Environment, Ecology & Transport Consultancy space
Still love a challenge in other sectors
As well as training, I help other small businesses create digital map outputs like Habitat plans, breeding bird surveys & Preliminary Roost Assessments
Collector of vintage maps (not that you’ll be surprised)
I’ve got Bsc Environmental Science degree from the University of York and several GIS courses under my belt
I like to go outdoors and look at bugs, mosses, & birds – my favourite place right now is

How I approach training & learning

I’m a believer in teaching people to ‘do things’. So many people learn best when they’re given the opportunity to try things out while they learn. I don’t just show you how, I show you that you can.

I create a supportive environment with small delegate numbers so everyone gets the level of support that they need. After all, we all learn at different paces (and there’s always questions, I love it when you ask questions).

Learn what you need to do (but make it fun)

Thorough exploration of your wants and needs (the onboarding bit)
Fair and transparent pricing (no-one wants mysterious business practices)
Detailed learning workbooks packed full of screenshots, tips and troubleshooting (so you’re not left in a tangle)

Here’s what I can help you with:

Training courses

QGIS training for environment/ecology/transport
Using QFIELD in your workflows
Bespoke & Tailored courses
Data visualisation & advanced techniques

Digital Mapping of Surveys

Habitats (Phase 1 & BNG)
Breeding & Winter Birds
Bat emergence, activity & assessments

The Ecologists Data Collection Toolkit

Customised QGIS templates for a ready-made workflow
Templates for:
- Habitat (UKHab & BNG) surveys
- Bat emergence surveys and Potential Roost Assessments
- Breeding Bird surveys
- Badger surveys
- Reptile surveys

Focused on SMEs, independent and freelance businesses

As a small business (Maptastic is just me, QGIS, and a fancy field work tablet) I keep smaller businesses and freelancers in the environment sector as my North Arrow (see what I did there?).

It’s my passion to bring quality geospatial training to often overlooked people. It’s important to me to figure out and deliver targeted task-based workshops that are filled with hands-on practical lessons so you’re actually learning how to do things rather than watching yet another video online.