1. Dawes Arboretum Internship Luanne Hendricks Columbus State Community College GIS 290 Spring, 2004

2. Presentation Outline Arboretum Background/Overview GIS Overview/Requirements My Internship Observations/Learning

3. Arboretum Background Non Profit Foundation established 1929 by Dawes Family Mission –promote study and appreciation of trees & shrubs –foster scientific education in horticulture, natural history and Arboretum history Free and open to the public Beman and Bertie Dawes ->

4. Arboretum Overview Plant collections cover 1600+ acres near Newark, Ohio Hiking Trails, Nature Center, Historic Structures, Bird Boxes Additional surrounding property owned 16,000+ labeled plants on grounds about 1,000 new plants added to collection each year about 500 plants removed from collection each year

5. Map of Arboretum Collection areas North & South End

6. Arboretum GIS Overview Background/Requirements Applications Data Processes People Involved Software/Hardware

7. Arboretum GIS History Before GIS: –computerized non-spatial plant records in existence prior to GIS –grid system maps documented on paper in binders for plant location 1997: –GIS needs assessment done by an OSU class under Duane Marble –1 full-time GIS coordinator hired 1998: data collection begun

8. Arboretum GIS Requirements Goal - use GIS as planning tool Goal - address spatial needs of all departments – horticulture, history, nature, administration, business, maintenance features - plant collections, utility systems, bird boxes, trails, and historic structures plant collections need sub-meter location accuracy measurement attribute data + location data needed

9. Arboretum GIS Current Status Original Data Collection being fine-tuned Data Collection maintenance Application Development and Analysis to come

10. Applications Future Ability of staff & visitors to generate their own maps –Plant collections, trails, etc. –Utilities Analysis –detect patterns in poor plant growth and analyze reasons And more…

11. Data OrthoPhotos - 1998 GPS data files –differentially corrected location data Some location data obtained using surveyed control points Features –Plant Attributes: Measurements, label-type, Accession Number, GridLocation –Other Features - trails, trail markers, birdboxes, grid corner pins

12. Data - GPS Limitations Canopied Environment Need line of sight to at least 4 satellites Multipath - signal will bounce off nearby objects (trees) Need differential correction for sub-meter accuracy Reference stations - Fish Hatchery, Miami U. Used post-processing

13. Processes GPS Data Collection Fine Tuning –Field Map Generation in ArcView –Field Checking - ensure data agrees with reality –Re-GPS work –Correcting/updating location & attribute data Ongoing Plant Addition & Removal Processes

14. People Involved GIS Coordinator GIS interns Plant Records Specialist Labeling Specialist Horticulture & Maintenance Staff Other departments - Nature, History Director & Board of Trustees

15. Software GIS Software –Current - ArcView 3.2 / ArcGIS Desktop 8.3 –Planned - ArcGIS Desktop 9.0 + ArcReader & ArcPublisher Non-spatial Plant database - In House application built on FoxPro –ArborbaseConnect - available to all staff via network GPS data processing software - Pathfinder 2.10

16. Hardware PCs (2) - Windows XP Plotter GPS Equipment –Trimble ProXR –Laser Rangefinder, Range Pole, Shoulder Strap Configurations LAN

17. My Internship

18. Internship - Data Collection Learning the Grounds GPS –Setup/takedown, care of equipment –Positioning equipment in the field; awareness of PDOP –Rangepole - small plants, no canopy interference –Rangefinder - tall plants, near canopy –Shoulder Strap - polyline features - beds Plant Measurement –Height, Width, Canopy, Caliper, Dbh

19. Internship - Software Use Using ArcView 3.2 –making field maps –viewing Orthophoto for plant location Pathfinder 2.10 –uploading GPS files from GPS data logger –editing files –generating an Almanac - SVs & PDOP –differential correction

20. Internship - Quality Control Field Checking - maps vs. plants on grounds –existence or non-existence of plants –existence/correctness of labels –positional accuracy Researching unknown plants –ArborbaseConnect, Binders, Planting Sheets, Removal Sheets

21. Internship - Quality Control (2) Documenting file corrections –Verifying needed changes in non-spatial and spatial records –Make records on paper documents of each GPS file for each change –update the GPS file - change attributes or delete feature

22. Internship - Miscellaneous Attended staff meeting Tour of surrounding Arboretum property Application development for Field Map Application

23. Observations/Learning Quality Data is a huge investment –Cost and limitations of technology –Training –Ongoing data maintenance Importance of appropriate accuracy requirements –Understanding tradeoffs - accuracy vs. cost –For example - a display garden such as Inniswood, with annual beds instead of individual specimens, might not need this level of accuracy for mapping plant collections.