NATIONAL PARK SERVICE EFFORTS TO GET GIS USING GIS

The National Park Service is currently involved in an encompassing effort to evaluate the geologic resources in some 272 NPS units throughout the country. This involves conducting scoping meetings, assembling geologic bibliographies of all known applicable references, producing geologic maps (bedrock, surficial, abandoned mines, caves, coastal features, etc.), and then assembling all of this information into a usable database. Currently, much of the work revolves around discerning existing geologic map coverage (map type, scale, detail, vintage, usefulness, etc.). To develop this information, much data-mining is needed in cooperation with the USGS, AASG, and academics to evaluate existing index maps of known geologic coverage. The NPS is using "GIS" data to assemble these maps to pinpoint areas of known coverage, as well as to target areas of no known coverage. This serves as the basis for recommending mapping needs in NPS areas.