Environmental Science

I'm seriously considering moving away from computing as my main job focus and instead using my IT skills to complement working in environmental science. Right now I'm going through job sites, university sites and government web sites identifying the kinds of work available. The area is as rife with acronyms as IT. Here are just a few.

EMP - Environmental Management Plan
EIA - Environmental Impact Assessment
EIS - Environmental Impact Statement
EA- Environmental Assessment
GIS - Geographic Information System (essential)
ABRS - Australian Biological Resources Study
TCM - Total Catchment Management
CWMPs - Catchment Water Management Plans
ESD - Ecologically Sustainable Development
SoE - State of the Environment (the IT acronym means 'standard operating environment')
NPI - National Pollutant Inventory

I've a lot to learn not only about government departments managing the environment but also about private firms carrying out assessments, surveying and doing site rehabilitation. At the federal level there is the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. The QLD government has the Department of Environment & Resource Management (comprised of the former Department of Natural Resources and Water, and the Environmental Protection Agency). How they can separate that from Infrastructure and Planning I don't know but hopefully they work closely together. You would think Primary Industry and Fisheries would belong under natural resources as well. The logic behind it is probably interesting.