HUDSON HIGHLANDS GIS USER'S GROUP

Meeting Summary
West Point
February 23, 1999

Present: Bill Prehoda, LBG; John Gebhards, Sterling Forest Partnership; Joe Giannelli, LBG; Jerrilyn Tune, Orange County Water Authority; Maria Dubois, Passaic River Coalition; Bill Schuster, Black Rock Forest; Paul Black, ImpACT LLC.; Laura Flynn, The Nature Conservancy; Bob Rockermann, DEC Region 3; Jo Margaret Mano, SUNY, New Paltz; Kevin McLaughlin, Hudson River Valley Greenway; Michael Williams, ImpACT LLC.; Doug Schleifer, Upper Raritan Watershed Ass'n; Walt Daniels, NY-NJ Trail Conference; Kelly Pew, West Point; Joe Dolinsky, United Water NY; Catherine Coleman, West Point; Frances Schuster, Black Rock Forest.

John Gebhards presided as Chair for the first meeting calling the meeting to order at 2pm in the _Building at West Point. Catherine Coleman and Kelly Pew of the West Point ITM program served as host for the meeting.

I. Background on why a NY Highlands GIS User's Group

Goals of open space and biodiversity preservation were cited. Prior consensus about the usefulness of increased communication among GIS users in the highlands region. Interest in data sharing expressed, potential sharing of other resources, possible future regional GIS plan.

II. Introduction of participants and their involvement in GIS

Participants introduced themselves and a statement about why they were at this meeting.

III. West Point's Natural Resource Branch's GIS work

Catherine Coleman is in charge of the Integrated Training and Management unit assigned to West Point. They integrate land stewardship into the training programs at the Military Academy, especially the summertime activities that take place on the Reservation (16,000 acres). They started GIS for this area using a GRASS system 5 years ago. They converted to ArcInfo and ArcView 2 years ago. They have layers for vegetation, roads, archaeological sites, forestry activities, training, rare and endangered species, etc. They use a Trimble PRO XR pathfinder for GPS. They had high-resolution digital orthophotos done last year (in conjunction with Black Rock) including grids and 2-meter contours. (The price was roughly $90,000 for 30,000 acres). This is becoming their new basemap because of the higher accuracy. They are getting a Mr. Sidd compression package that will allow viewing of any or all of the Reservation area.

IV. Meta-data resources

• NY State Data Sharing Cooperative - www.IRM.STATE.NY.US
  Tries to elliminate duplication
  Includes state and private Agencies in Coop.
  Consultants can not share unless working with a Non-Profit
  It's free - USGS quads, 2-7 mega bytes a piece
  10 meter DEM data (also on Cornell site)
  Need password for DOT data
• Bruce Oswald New York State GIS Metadata Training  518-473-5622
• NYS Highlands
  Steve Smith - sds3@cornell.edu
  Ann-Magret Esnard - ame7@cornell.edu
• Black Rock Forest - on web www.blackrockforest.org
• Doug Schleifer - www.princetonol.com/ngc/
• Trail Conference Web site - www.NYNJTC.org/digital.html
• New England, except Maine, has quads on Web - MAGIC at Univ. of Conn.
• NJ DEP - www.state.nj.us/dep/gis
• Urban.Rutgers.edu/parcel(s).html - for parcel mapping handbook.
• Orange County Water Authority - OCWA@INFI-NET.COM E-mail for CD of water resources in Co. for $20. Several years out of date.
• H2O Grant attempting to list all sources of data sharing.

V. Most urgent GIS issues and an approach that this group could take to solve this problem

• Data Access:
  Highlands Clearing House
• Data Accuracy:
  Supply Meta-Data. There are standards for Meta-Data. Is there federal $ for Meta-Data?
  NYS Clearinghouse runs workshops on Meta-Data and Accuracy a few times a year.
  Walt Daniels has some contacts at State level for a presentation on this topic.
  There are two sources of Meta-Data: NOAH - Arc View Extension; and FGDC - web site - Meta Lite www.FGDC.gov
  There was interest expressed in translating Rastor data into AV and translating data to a GIS digital base.
• Troubleshooting: A period at each meeting for discussion of problems was suggested. An e-mail and    phone network of the Group was also suggested.
• Unfinished data: County parcel data is not completing the database. Help groups get data finished. See Urban.Rutgers.edu/parcel(s).html for parcel mapping handbook.
• Conversion Translation: Where to go for information on compatibility and protocols.
• Education:
  Angie - ACRISTINERAMAPO.EDU. National Science Foundation for Middle School.
  Ed Van Blargan- Ramapo College - RST(squared) program.
  -Masters of Edu Tech for teachers from NJ to teach tech. GIS would be one the areas taught. Designed to get students interested in science and the world.
• Needs Assessment: Would like to see a cooperative description of what needs to be done. Would be good to prevent duplication.

VI. Next Meeting: date & time; host & place; chair; agenda items

Tuesday, April 20th will be next meeting. Katherine Coleman will be the chair. West Point will again be our gracious host.

TOPICS:
- Christine Michael's will give a presentation on H2O grant. Due to finish product by September. Will have Highlands as a whole and specific areas.
- Discuss committees for discussion of Meta-Data training and the Clearinghouse
- Doug will talk about the Greenacres program and its presentation and discussion structure for the openspace mapping workshop. It serves as a clearinghouse for data for the government and for non-profits. Meets 3-4 times a year.
- Should this group meet Bi-monthly or quarterly?

Mailing List