Even More Updates- Draft Map

Hello again my geographic friends! I have a few updates to share and I promise they are much more exciting. 

I have my first draft map! I have uploaded my GPS points and created my education centers layer.  I added a base map to get an idea of what the final product will look like but the coordinate system seems a little off. 

The next step is for me to upload these pieces to ArcGIS Online and make my final map. I also plan on adding a layer that represents habitat types through out Rhode Island.  I will also need to format the attribute pop-ups.  I also need to do this by April 22nd because I got an email informing me that my trial period account is about to close. 

There are still many pieces that need to come together before this project is finalized but I am confident it will all come together. 

More Updates- Attribute Table

Hello Friends! I have some minor updates to share with you all. I have finally completed my excel table that will soon become my attribute table! After finding all the centers I am mapping and adding their pertinent information, I used latlong.net to convert the street addresses to LatLong point in decimal degrees. It was far easier than I expected it to be. 

Here is part of my completed table. The other attributes that didn't fit in the screen capture are Hours of Operation, Admission Fee, Services Available and More Information. 

The next step is to get mapping! I should have a draft layer of the education centers by the end of the day so I will share a picture as soon as possible!

Project Update- Initial Research

Hello fellow geographers, environmental educators and nature lovers! I am thrilled you are following the progress of my GIS project whether by choice or obligation. 

There is little to report thus far. In an excel file, I have begun to assemble the list of education centers to be included in the final map. The excel file also includes research that will become fields in the attribute table and will be included in the interactive pop-ups on the final map.  Fields include organization, hours of operation, admission fee, and services provided at the center. I am also considering adding a field describing the type of ecosystem the center focuses on. If there are any suggestions on other fields that might be helpful to visitors, please feel free to leave them in the comments section. 

By next week, I hope to have a complete excel file with all the needed information. I will also have all the picture I intend to include in the attribute pop-ups. (That should make my next post a little more exciting!) The next step will be converting the street addresses for each center into GPS coordinate points that can be mapped. I hope to have a real map to share with you in a few weeks! 

Draft Proposal

Introduction
Environmental education is key to reaching the public about environmental issues. Increasing the public's interest in issues increases the likelihood they will take action to prevent degradation of ecosystems and habitats.  Rhode Island has a variety of ecosystems including deciduous forests and sensitive marine ecosystems. Mapping local education centers will encourage the public to seek out a center near them and learn more about the environment they live in.  

Objectives

• To provide a comprehensive guide of education centers around Rhode Island
• To differentiate between centers in different ecosystems

Methodology
I will first acquire data on environmental education centers to create a shape file of points with an attribute table. I will then create my final map in WebGIS software online so the map will include pop-ups that display information on each center. 

Data Sources

• Southern New England base map
• WebGIS RI terrestrial habitats 
• Addresses to all education centers

Work Plan
Below is my anticipated weekly work plan:
2/15- finalize proposal
2/22- compile list of education centers and addresses
3/1- research centers and compile additional data in excel file
3/8- finalize research and table
3/15- convert addresses to lat, long coordinates and plot points
3/22- add excel file to layer as attribute table
3/29-upload center layer and create map on WebGIS
4/5- format attribute pop-ups
4/12- finalize details and work out bugs
4/19- prepare for poster presentations

Deliverables
Map of RI environmental education centers including pop-ups with additional information on each center including organization, mission/goals, the focus habitat, pictures, and links.