GeoWeb - Put your town on the map Be a cyber cartographer
Your school may never have the champion sports team or the competition winning band. But you can use web based resources to "put your community on the virtual map". Since you are doing the work, you can ensure that places of interest to you and your peers are included in the project. See Online Maps: Everyman Offers New Directions NYTimes.com
Read - Mapmaking for the masses - User generated cartography
Google Maps Is Changing the Way We See the World
Watch this Google Earth tutorial.
All the World's a Page | Google Map Tour | Google Map user guide
EDF uses maps to illustrate a point and advocate for an issue. Less Carbon, More Jobs
Create a plan to put your community on the map - This could be a huge project or a simple one. The choice is yours.
Kinds of information
What kinds of information will you document?
How will you ensure consistency in the information collected about each location?
Will you address special interest concepts like history, landmarks, memorials, recreation, environment, etc?
What equipment will you need?
Organization is critical
How will you organize the project? If this is a group effort, how will you distribute the work?
Consider safety issues BEFORE you begin. If you are moving down the street taking photos of the front of homes and buildings, how might this be perceived by others? Create a plan to head off problems.
How will you deal with people who insist their property not be included in your project?
Identify free resources in the community that will be useful in doing this project.
Solicit cooperation from groups in the community.
Which groups would directly benefit from the project?
Which would indirectly benefit from it?
How will you communicate with them?
Since many of them may not be as well informed as your group about online mapping, how will you show them the advantages of the project?
Connections on the web
If there is a latitude and longitude integer degree intersection in or near you community, add it to the Degree Confluence Project
Announce your project's completion
Food for thought:
"Everything is related to everything else, but near things are more related than distant things." Tobler's First Law of Geography
"A map is the greatest of all epic poems. Its lines and colors show the realization of great dreams."
Gilbert H. Grosvenor, Editor of National Geographic (1903- 1954)"Knowing where things are, and why, is essential to rational decision making"
Jack Dangermond, Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI)The Genographic Project | National Register of Historic Places | National Register of Historic Places
Journey onward:
Watch bogotá: building a sustainable city
Use your map to make some assessments and plans for your community or region
Locate your school and your home address. What might have influenced the placement or growth of your community? What places in the community are attractive to people? How will they impact the future growth/or decline of your region? What would you add to your community to improve the quality of life? Where would you locate it? How would it improve the community? What are the negatives and positives of your choice?
Gap Analysis is a scientific means for assessing habitats & if native animal & plant species are being protected.
Critter Quest PA explore natural diversity using gis mapping
Jobs related - The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that jobs for Surveyors, cartographers, photogrammetrists, and surveying technicians
grew by 21% in 2006 Much faster than average growth. Increasing demand for fast, accurate, and complete geographic information is
expected to lead to new jobs for these workers.
Geoscientists jobs grew by 22% in 2006. Much faster than average growth. The need for energy, environmental protection, and land and water management is expected to spur growth. Those with a master’s degree should have excellent opportunities, especially in the management, scientific, and technical consulting industry. Budget constraints are expected to limit opportunities in governments.
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developed by Cynthia J. O'Hora
In honor of John "Longitude" Harrison, released to public domain and Posted 8/2007