E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

National Park ServiceU.S. Department of the Interior

Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Threatened bird tracking systems at Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Leslie Frattaroli Acting GIS SpecialistOuter Banks Group

Background

Biological data is obtained for threatened and endangered birds on the Seashore

Monitoring data has been collected for over 10 years

Data is collected over 3 islands (Bodie, Hatteras, Ocracoke)

In 2012, Off-Road Vehicle (ORV) Management Plan was implemented

Bodie Island

Hatteras Island

Ocracoke Island

ORV Management Plan Continued

2012 ORV Management Plan

Bird location and movements dictate the current beach closures

Closure will then be reassessed based off current location on a daily basis

Internal hard-copy maps created to reflect this change

Public facing web map updated on Cape Hatteras National Seashore website

Old system

Wildlife technicians and management utilized google docs spreadsheets for data collection

Data collection entered manually from a paper form

Duplicate data entry, non standardized data

Interface wasn’t user-friendly

Wasn’t coherent easy way to compile data for future analysis

Workflow

Wildlife Technician

collects GPS points

GIS Technician/GIS Specialist enter GPS data into GIS database

Enter Tabular Data into Google

Docs

Reconcile Tabular and Spatial Data

Conversion to current system

Created an ArcSDE geodatabase located on a virtual server in the Denver Data Center

Database is highly relational

Implement versioning to enable simultaneous multiuser editing

Web Application Development

Development started in 2012

Created authoritative database

Implementation of ArcGIS Server Feature Services

Created web application

http://www.nps.gov/npmap/blog/how-we-build-internal-apps.html

New Work Flow – Data Entry

Some biological data is strictly spatial

Minimal information collected with a spatial location

Date Species

Work Flow – Spatial to Tabular Data

Add Tabular data to existing spatial location

Lessons learned

Steep learning curve to use the database compared to Google Docs

Two competing visions of what the database should look like Field Staff Programmers

Trying to get exact questions from management for reporting functions

Positive Outcomes

Central authoritative database in Denver allowed us to reduce in house versions of databases

Utilize ArcGIS online and NPS Portal to create quick online maps to visualize management areas (internal and public facing) Useful for non-GIS users

Once field staff knew the workflow, they liked being able to view the data spatially

What’s Next?

Upcoming field season, easy GPX file uploads by field staff

Enables quick verification of correct point locations

Incorporation of legacy data

Ideally, collect data directly in the field without paper form

Any questions?

National Park ServiceU.S. Department of the Interior