Three Tennessee Counties Launch Community Mapping Program
CSREES-administered Smith-Lever formula
grants and a competitive software grants program
carried out by CSREES in partnership with
the Environmental Systems Research Institute
(ESRI), helped three Tennessee counties launch
community mapping programs in 2004. In addition
to funding support, CSREES provides national
leadership for information technology education.
Community mapping projects are an important
part of the CSREES led effort to disseminate
information technology education to new audiences,
especially youth. Currently over 40 states
have active community mapping projects. By
the end of 2005, 175 counties in 44 states
will have active community mapping projects.
Robertson County, TN 4-H received a 2004
ESRI software grant to utilize Global Positioning
Systems (GPS) and Geographic Information
Systems (GIS) technology for a technology
and community service project in their region.
Throughout 2004, Kathy Finley, the 4-H leader
for Robertson County, coordinated the project
in her county and worked closely with 4-H
leaders in three adjacent counties -- Montgomery,
Cheatham, and Davidson.
June 2004
The GIS concept, ESRI software, the GPS
receiver, and geo-caching were introduced
to participants by University of Tennessee
information technology specialist John Toman
in a 1-day training workshop. Geo-caching,
a popular new type of scavenger hunt, involves
participants using a GPS to hide small caches
of knick-knacks and post the GPS coordinates
on the www.geocaching.com website
for others with hand-held GPS devices to
find.
July 2004
Robertson County 4-H staff planned and conducted
GIS activities for youth from Robertson,
Cheatham, and Davidson counties at a District
4-H Technology Camp. Two teen participants
from the first training workshop helped the
Robertson County 4-H agent lead a workshop
on GPS technology for younger 4-H members
to introduce the technology concepts and
organize a tech team. Cheatham County agent,
Sierra Ham, and a team of 3 youth attended
the National 4-H Technology Conference in
St. Louis, where over 300 4-H members and
their adult mentors applied their GIS/GPS
skills to the collection of digital photos
and identification of GPS grid coordinates
in St. Louis’s Forest Park. This data
was entered into GIS mapping software to
be used by St. Louis Forest Park officials
in updating transportation flow through the
attractions in Forest Park, site of the St.
Louis 1904 World’s Fair. The youth
learned by collecting, entering data and
applying GPS and GIS tools to a real community
need in St. Louis.
August 2004
A volunteer leader and 4-H youth from Robertson
County represented Tennessee and manned an
exhibit on their project at the ESRI Conference
in San Diego.
September 2004
GIS training was conducted by a 4-H agent
for youth and leaders from Montgomery, Cheatham
and Robertson counties at Austin Peay State
University.
October 2004
Four new volunteer leaders from Robertson
County were introduced to the GPS receiver,
the technology and geo-caching. The leaders
were enthusiastic about the potential for
applications in their home communities and
three purchased GPS receivers. Volunteer
leaders from the neighboring Bedford County
were introduced to the GPS/GIS concept.
November 2004
Robertson County hosted a GIS Day. All partnering
counties participated in this event which
included a partnership with the Red River
Watershed, a visual stream assessment, and
information sharing with maps, exhibits,
a 4-H community mapping program orientation.
Activities included a GPS scavenger hunt,
a visual stream assessment on Sulfur Fork
Creek, and a mapping of Travis Price Park
which identified trees and other park points
of interest. Digital photos of the park were
taken for later use.
Summary
As a result of the ESRI grant, participating
counties formed technology groups and installed
the program in area offices and educational
facilities, including a regional office computer
lab. Currently, 4-H leader Justin Crowe and
seven youth meet monthly about ideas for
community mapping in Davidson County. Montgomery
county 4-H leader Martin Koon and five youth
are actively involved. 4-H leader Nancy Rucker
and 12 youth work together on community mapping
projects in Cheatham County.
The Department of Labor has identified geospatial
technology as one of the top hot future jobs.
This training is preparing participating
youth for a new, evolving career track, and
helping them see their community’s
environmental assets in a new way, so these
valuable natural resources can be conserved
for future generations.
For more information, contact Tom
Tate.
Back to Information Technology Education Home Page |
