The Kittatinny Ridge is an invaluable natural resource that defines our region and enhances our quality of life. Pennsylvanians depend on the Ridge for their business, recreation and drinking water. The local economic benefit from bird watching at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary alone is estimated at over $4.5 million each year. To protect the Ridge from any further degradation due to urban sprawl, dumping and inappropriate land use, the Kittatinny Coalition aimed to develop resources to assist conservation groups and communities in planning and protection efforts across the 185-mile corridor. One tool created by this effort was a comprehensive GIS project containing information ranging from zoning and land use to bird watching spots. For this tool to be useful to a broad audience, it had to be accessible beyond GIS users. An ArcIMS project was created to provide the bridge to the information. The application made the tool easy to use and accessible for anyone with an internet connection. Local government officials can utilize the GIS for decision making and planning, teachers will be able to use this website in classroom lessons, fisherman will be able to locate trout stocked streams, hikers can more readily plan their trips, and much more.
As the Kittatinny Program Director for Audubon Pennsylvania, Paul is responsible for implementing a long-term conservation program for the 185-mile Blue Mountain/Kittatinny Ridge through Pennsylvania. He has over 25 years of professional experience in conservation and environmental education, and is a Past-President of the North American Association for Environmental Education. Paul has a M.S. in Environmental Education from the University of Michigan; and a B.A. in Environmental Studies from Rollins College in Florida.
Grace Smith is a GIS Specialist with experience in the applications of GIS for hydrologic studies, well-site planning, site characterizations and transportation mapping. She also has experience in using GIS for municipal and greenways planning, management and infrastructure. Grace is an honors graduate of Susquehanna University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science.