Executive Summary -- FTSC Annual Report for FY2002

The Numbers:

1.  **DATA**. The total amount of NPS data has grown to over 48 GB,
    including 41.5 GB raster data (mirrored 3 times) and 6.87 GB vector
    data (backed up monthly). There is an additional 35 GB of DRG files
    (in addition to data listed above), and 2.9 GB of data currently in
    use at the FTSC (backed up daily and monthly). Altogether 169 GB
    data are managed at the FTSC for NPS work. In addition, there are
    275 CDs of GIS data which, if full, adds another 130 GB to the
    total. If all the NPS GIS data at the FTSC were downloaded over a 28
    baud modem it would take over 2.8 years!

2.  **ACTIVITIES.** The range of activities undertaken by FTSC staff at
    URI include everything required to provide technical support to the
    complete GIS novice to innovative applications to provide
    operational and decision support to the parks. During FY02 this
    range included the following:

> 4 posters/presentations;
>
> 27 data or map requests;
>
> 2 full application developments;
>
> 1 new implementation started and 1 completed;
>
> 13 data development projects;
>
> 10 data reviews;
>
> 1 GPS swat team;
>
> 16 requests for tech support over the telephone;
>
> 290 metadata files developed for 5 parks;
>
> implementation of the NPS identity project for FTSC products in GIS,
>
> powerpoint, and other formats;
>
> various training workshops.

3.  **HIGHLIGHTS**.

> *Gateway NRA GIS Specialist Hired*. Kathy Mellander came on board in
> the spring of 2002 as the first park GIS program manager for GATE.
> Kathy's expertise, work ethic and cheerful yet low key demeanor make
> her a welcome addition to the regional GIS staff as she focuses on
> providing GIS access and support to the park. Her hiring marks "the
> end of the beginning" of a multi-year GIS implementation effort at
> GATE.
>
> *Acadia NP* *Historic Air Photo Index*. Using GIS data as input,
> Roland Duhaime developed a Visual Basic interface to the flightline
> indexes for aerial photographs from 1944 to 1979. This collection was
> simultaneously being catalogued by the curatorial program and the air
> photo index was one component of the efforts to both protect the
> collection from overuse and allow easier access for users. Prior to
> this work the entire set of photos for each year had to be examined to
> identify the photos covering each user's area of interest. Not only
> were the photos handled frequently, but the access for users was
> challenging. Each person had to make an appointment, travel to the
> park, and review the collection wearing cotton gloves to identify the
> photos they needed. Now anyone can surf to the website, browse the
> index map graphics, and identify the photos needed for their work from
> offsite.
>
> *Regional Map/National Natural Landmarks.* The Regional Map GIS
> database was enhanced to include both generalized boundaries of all
> the National Natural Landmarks and detailed parcel-based boundaries of
> those NNL candidates for withdrawal. Roland Duhaime worked closely
> with NNL Coordinator Deb DiQuinzio and several students to complete
> this project, which also included ArcView projects of the the regional
> and state maps for Deb's future use.
>
> *The Inventory & Monitoring Programs* for the Coastal and Barrier
> Network and the Northeast Temperate Network grew considerably this
> past year. As I&M staff and projects expanded the FTSC worked hard to
> keep up with their data requests and project review needs. Closer
> cooperation between the two programs should continue to develop as the
> individual inventory projects start to produce more data and the
> monitoring protocols develop.
>
> *GPS Training and Swat Team.* Two day GPS workshop were held at CACO
> and GATE (two workshops) and a one-credit semester course at the
> University of Rhode Island (under the GIS/FTSC Cooperative Agreement).
> A two day GPS Swat Team exercise with CACO staff and URI students was
> held in April, the objective being to map a variety of cultural
> resources to enhance the CACO GIS database for cultural resource
> managers use. Special thanks to Mark Adams, CACO GIS Specialist, and
> Mike Bradley, who co-taught the class at URI.
>
> *Saratoga Viewshed Analysis*. Roland Duhaime completed a complex set
> of viewshed analyses at Saratoga NHP this year.
>
> *Metadata.* Allison Hamel-LeBlanc developed almost 300 metadata files
> for five parks, allowing their GIS data to be posted on the NPS GIS
> Data Clearinghouse. In addition to Allison's work, several parks
> initiated metadata development.