This presentation will highlight what motivated the shift to web delivery of GIS and the many benefits that are being realized in Valdosta and Lowndes County, Georgia. The community makes available interactive GIS and downloaded maps and data to citizens and businesses throughout the community using ArcIMS technology. Through this access, cost savings in the local government are being realized as well as the positive impact upon customer service at department levels. Community surveyors, developers and realty agents are also benefiting by time/dollar savings in the property research arena. The deployment of interactive GIS has made it possible for GIS staff to support basic local needs with little effort and concentrate on more “high-end” applications, thus making the most of the communities investment in staff and data. RGIS Chesapeake will give an overview of several Pennsylvania webGIS projects in the areas of E-Commerce, E-Government, and workforce Development. Projects showcased include: • SoilMap: Online mapping of SSURGO soils data in Pennsylvania • CentreMap: Online mapping of local GIS data for the Centre Region (Central PA) • FarmMap: Online farmland leasing and land evaluation system • Workforce: Online directory of community businesses and services. • Land Use Information System: Online county-level permitting and land mapping system
Chris Strom is currently the GIS Program Manager for South Georgia Regional Development Center in Valdosta, GA. Mr. Strom’s record of service at the Regional Development Center began in 1989 with his assistance to develop and implement Geographic Information Systems in South Georgia. With over a dozen years of experience with GIS technology, Mr. Strom has successfully assisted rural local governments with the deployment and utilization of GIS technology to support decision-making in Georgia.
Dr. Day is an Associate Professor of Soil Science and Environmental Information Systems in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, College of Agricultural Sciences, Penn State University. His current position is divided among cooperative extension, resident education, and research. He serves as Director of the Land Analysis Laboratory, Director of the Cooperative Extension Geospatial Technology Program, and Director of the Penn State – Chesapeake site of the National Consortium for Rural Geospatial Innovations (RuralGIS). Dr. Day has over 24 years of experience in geospatial sciences. Dr. Day’s extension activities focus on technology transfer of geospatial information system technologies to users throughout Pennsylvania and the surrounding region for use in environmental assessment, agriculture, K-12 education, local government, and land use planning and management. Dr. Day’s research interests include (1) the development of new applications of advanced geospatial technologies in natural resource, agricultural, and environmental studies, and (2) field soil science emphasizing soil physical properties and processes. Basic research interests have been in spatial data analysis, soil morphology, soil hydrologic processes, watershed hydrology, and nutrient and sediment transport modeling. Applied research is focused on the application of advanced information system technologies such as geographic information systems, remote sensing, terrain analysis, global positioning systems and computer modeling, to environmental assessment and management.