Final Poster

Here is my final map and poster:

(click to enlarge)

Week 11

Here is my almost final map:

(Click to enlarge)

Week 10

I have received the GPS points from the Town of Clifton Park and am almost done with my map. I plotted more streams and added street names. All I need to do is:

• Clean map up
• Create a presentable poster
  

Week 9

I have not done much with my map this week because I have yet to receive the GPS points from the Town of Clifton Park. I did plot the streams but once I receive the plotted points I will finish up my map. Hopefully I will be receiving those some time this week. All I need to do is:

• Add topography as the basemap if possible
• Add GPS points (trails and points) to map
• Clean map up

(Click to enlarge)

Week 8

This past weekend I finished collecting all of the GPS points. I have not done much else with my map because I have been sick for the past week and have not been in class. Once I receive the plotted points from the Town of Clifton Park I will begin working on my map again. Hopefully I will be receiving those some time this week. All I need to do is:

• Add topography as the basemap if possible (search Schnectady, Balston Lake, Niskayuna, Round Lake, and Colonie on CUGIR)
• Add GPS points (trails and points) to map
• Map stream
• Clean map up

(Click to enlarge)

Week 6

Because this past week was our Spring Break, no much was accomplished. My next steps are to make the base map either terrain or aerial, depending on which is available/of a better quality, and to collect all of the GPS points that are needed to start mapping trails and significant landmarks.

Week 4

For the past two weeks I have been working on the base map and some labeling for the first phase of this project. Fully and partially completing some objectives I have:

-Mapped the property (highlighted in green)

-Shown aerial imaging of the site

-Mapped current DEC wetlands and stream data

-Labeled the public entrance, roads, Elks Club property, ballfields, pavillion, bathrooms, parking lots, and other known features visible from the satellite imagery.

My next task is to collect the GPS coordinates on site so I can start incorporating trails, vegetation, and other features into the map.

(Click to enlarge)

Revised Project Proposal

Introduction:

The Town of Clifton Park owns 138+ acres of land in what is known as the Veterans Memorial Park. The park has several trails, ball fields, bathrooms, streams, wetlands, wooded areas, and a pavilion and part of a pond. Some information on the flora and fauna of the area was collected in a 12-hour Bio-Blitz in 2009 by volunteer naturalists. I will collect additional GPS and informational data on major landmark and feature coordinates and descriptions. I will work on this project to create a large poster map for the trailhead sign, a paper brochure, and add to the Town of Clifton Park website. These will be used by the walkers, hikers, sports participants, picnickers, cross-country skiers, and local residents that come to that park and/or live near it.

Objectives:

The main objective of this project is to create a map for public use that is concise and aesthetically pleasing. This main objective will be met through specific objectives according to the work plan created by Jennifer Viggiani, Open Space Coordinator for the Town of Clifton Park. These specific objectives are as follows:

· Map property boundaries as one line (town-owned parcels as one property)

· Map topographic imagery of the site

· Map water bodies and streams on the site and immediately adjacent

· Map intermittent streams that may not have been mapped previously

· Include NYS DEC Wetlands data/that opens into a pond that is mostly on the adjacent Elks Club property.

· Map open meadow areas

· Depict public entrance and driveway into the site and parking areas

· Show ball fields, public bathrooms, and picnic pavilion

· Map on-site trails (not including trails that lead to private properties)

· Mark kiosks or interpretive signs

· Add graphics to depict various types of vegetative cover

· Show adjacent Elks Club property features (buildings and facilities as private property)

· Add analysis and notation of a notable grove of specific trees, onsite stonewalls, hedgerows, and/or a scenic bend in the stream or trail if applicable.

Methodology:

I will begin by recording the GPS coordinates and observations of the major landmarks and features in the park, including buildings, natural features, open spaces, etc. The remainder of the project will entail the creation of the desired map with the details explained in the objective section above through use of ArcGIS software.

Data Sources:

GPS coordinates collected in the field

ArcGIS.com (for topography and vegetation for basemap)

NYS Clearinghouse (for county and state lines for basemap)

Clifton Park Bio-Blitz 2009: http://www.cliftonpark.org/townhall/bioblitz.asp

NYS DEC Wetlands data

Town of Clifton Park: http://www.cliftonpark.org/

Town of Clifton Park Town Hall: http://www.cliftonpark.org/townhall/

Veterans Memorial Park: http://www.active.com/organization-organization/clifton-park-ny/clifton-park-parks-and-recreation-department

Workplan:

Weeks 1&2 (2/14-2/25): Create project proposal and meet with Dr. Meierdiercks and Ms. Viggiani.

Week 3&4 (2/28-3/11): Create base map. Include topography, vegetation, waterways, and other existing GIS data layers.

Week 5&6 (3/14-3/25): Weather permitting, travel to park to take GPS coordinates and make observations of major landmarks and features. Meet with client to update on project.

Week 7 (3/28): Map and label trails and property boundaries.

Week 8 (4/4): Map and label water bodies, streams, meadows and additional natural or manmade features (i.e. specific tree groves, hedgerows, stonewalls, scenic bends in trails or streams, etc.) using gathered GPS coordinates, NYS DEC Wetland data, and additional information if available.

Week 9 (4/11): Map and label public entrance, driveways, kiosks, interpretive signs, Elks Club property, ball fields, bathrooms, and picnic pavilion. Have draft of map made up to be reviewed by client.

Week 10 (4/18): Create illustrative graphics that depict types of vegetative cover.

Week 11 (4/25): Finish up project.

Week 12 (5/2): Project should be finished. Tentative: present project at Town Board meeting on May 2^nd.

Project Proposal

Introduction:

The Town of Clifton Park owns 138+ acres of land in what is known as the Veterans Memorial Park. The park has several trails, ball fields, bathrooms, streams, wetlands, wooded areas, and a pavilion and part of a pond. Some information on the flora and fauna of the area was collected in a 12-hour Bio-Blitz in 2009 by volunteer naturalists. I will collect additional GPS and informational data on major landmark and feature coordinates and descriptions. I will work on this project to create a large poster map for the trailhead sign, a paper brochure, and add to the Town of Clifton Park website. These will be used by the walkers, hikers, sports participants, picnickers, cross-country skiers, and local residents that come to that park and/or live near it.

Objectives:

The main objective of this project is to create a map for public use that is concise and aesthetically pleasing. This main objective will be met through specific objectives according to the work plan created by Jennifer Viggiani, Open Space Coordinator for the Town of Clifton Park. These specific objectives are as follows:

· Map property boundaries as one line (town-owned parcels as one property)

· Map topographic imagery of the site

· Map water bodies and streams on the site and immediately adjacent

· Map intermittent streams that may not have been mapped previously

· Include NYS DEC Wetlands data/that opens into a pond that is mostly on the adjacent Elks Club property.

· Map open meadow areas

· Depict public entrance and driveway into the site and parking areas

· Show ball fields, public bathrooms, and picnic pavilion

· Map on-site trails (not including trails that lead to private properties)

· Mark kiosks or interpretive signs

· Add graphics to depict various types of vegetative cover

· Show adjacent Elks Club property features (buildings and facilities as private property)

· Add analysis and notation of a notable grove of specific trees, onsite stonewalls, hedgerows, and/or a scenic bend in the stream or trail if applicable.

Methodology:

I will begin by recording the GPS coordinates and observations of the major landmarks and features in the park, including buildings, natural features, open spaces, etc. The remainder of the project will entail the creation of the desired map with the details explained in the objective section above through use of ArcGIS software.

Data Sources:

GPS coordinates collected in the field

ArcGIS.com (for topography and vegetation for basemap)

NYS Clearinghouse (for county and state lines for basemap)

Clifton Park Bio-Blitz 2009: http://www.cliftonpark.org/townhall/bioblitz.asp

NYS DEC Wetlands data

Town of Clifton Park: http://www.cliftonpark.org/

Town of Clifton Park Town Hall: http://www.cliftonpark.org/townhall/

Veterans Memorial Park: http://www.active.com/organization-organization/clifton-park-ny/clifton-park-parks-and-recreation-department

Workplan:

Weeks 1&2 (2/14-2/25): Create project proposal and meet with Dr. Meierdiercks and Ms. Viggiani.

Week 3&4 (2/28-3/11): Create base map. Include topography, vegetation, waterways, and other existing GIS data layers.

Week 5&6 (3/14-3/25): Weather permitting, travel to park to take GPS coordinates and make observations of major landmarks and features.

Week 7 (3/28): Map and label trails and property boundaries.

Week 8 (4/4): Map and label water bodies, streams, meadows and additional natural or manmade features (i.e. specific tree groves, hedgerows, stonewalls, scenic bends in trails or streams, etc.) using gathered GPS coordinates, NYS DEC Wetland data, and additional information if available.

Week 9 (4/11): Map and label public entrance, driveways, kiosks, interpretive signs, Elks Club property, ball fields, bathrooms, and picnic pavilion.

Week 10 (4/18): Create illustrative graphics that depict types of vegetative cover.

Week 11 (4/25): Finish up project.

Week 12 (5/2): Project should be finished.