1. New Jersey NGOs Experience the power of GIS. Presented By: Mona Essam Selim. By: Kathleen McGuire Web Address: http://www.esri.com/industries/planning/success_stories/u_sho wcase.html Topic Number: 23. Date: Fall 2003.

2. Introduction Using GIS (geographic information system) started in 1995 when the state of new jersey and the ERSI helped NGOs to access the state digital spatial data and ArcView software. It is now used widely by NGOs ( more then 170 organizations) and libraries. It is now used widely by NGOs ( more then 170 organizations) and libraries. The program now resides in the NJOGIS, originally managed by the new jersey department of environmental protection. The program now resides in the NJOGIS, originally managed by the new jersey department of environmental protection.

3. Examples on The use of GIS and The ArcView Software. Delivering Vital Services. Conserving Habitat. Planning For Smart Growth. Creating Recreational Opportunities. Mapping City Neighborhood. Providing Job Training.

4. Delivering Vital Services. The city of Plainfield in New jersey. The GIS is used by the city’s senior citizen center to help some members who find difficulty finding the center. How does GIS help? Designing bus routes and coordinating Local Meals on Wheels program. Mapping where these residents live, so that the center’s services could be delivered to them.

5. Conserving Habitat. An alarming number of migratory bird habitat has disappeared, specially song birds from New Jersey’s habitat over the last 25 years. They are difficult to track because they are nocturnal migrants It is used to define their important habitat areas, by overlaying composite radar images with land use\ land cover data in ArcView, they can obtain important information on their whereabouts. How does GIS help? Migrating song birds Frosted wetlands Forested uplands

6. Planning for Smart Growth Low density development “sprawl” brings to New Jersey problems of: open space loss, traffic, degradation of air and water quality. By using GIS, The RPP’s Goal Oriented Zoning was developed using ArcView, based on a GIS program, it enables users to construct and test alternative zoning scenarios. How does GIS help?

7. Creating Recreational opportunities. Two organizations; The Great Swamp Watershed Association and Save Barnegat Bay used ArcView to boost local tourism. The Great Swamp Watershed Association It is assisting The Morris Town Environmental commission to link historic speedwell lake to the town, New jersey, transit station through the Patriot Path in North West NJ to allow direct access to Manhattan. How does GIS help? The Save Barnegat Bay In Sedge Islands Beach State Park on the New Jersey Coast, they mapped out routes suitable for kayaking and canoeing.

8. Mapping City neighborhoods. The North Camden Land Trust received a copy of ArcView through the NGO program, but was not used to financial problems. The GIS was used to collect information on housing stock, vacant lots, neighborhood parks, retail locations, and industrial sites, it was then translated by ESRI into images. How does GIS help?

9. Providing job training. HopeworksGIS was created when Camden Land Trust asked that the GIS program be added tp their training curriculum. Students (at risk teens and young adults) collect data that can be obtained from the GIS (infrastructure, police stations location, etc,….) and market them to other NGO’s in the Camden area. How does GIS help?

10. Conclusion It is very evident that New Jersey is benefiting from the GIS program: it has provided solutions for the changing community needs. The protection of wild life habitats that are disappearing. Helps understanding the impact of development on towns existing services. Helps preserving the state’s natural resources. Assessing the cities services and their progress. Trainees at Hopeworks are getting enrolled at Rutgers University and Camden County Community college and applying for Scholarships.