Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why was this site created?
Recent trends in land use, such as increased
settlement of rural areas, forest land conversion, and increased
development have emerged as key issues affecting natural resource
management along Lake Superior's North Shore. As units of government
from local townships to the federal governments of the US and
Canada plan for the future, the need for data and tools for sound
decision-making has become critical.
Local decision makers, however, often lack the
most fundamental data layers required for sound water and land
management decisions. Among these are comprehensive information
on local watersheds and hydrography, land use/land cover, transportation
and zoning information, demography, and even basic characteristics
of the Lake Superior shoreline.
In addition to the lack of spatial data, smaller
units of government and agencies often embark on land use and
water management planning exercises with few tools at their disposal.
While computer simulation models, draft ordinances, and decision
support tools are receiving wider use in planning, these tools
are often out of reach of local governments who lack equipment
and expertise required for their use.
The intent of this site is to provide these
data and tools to these important local decision makers.
2. Who funded this
project?
This project was funded through the MN Department
Natural Resources Lake Superior Coastal Program, which in turn
is funded through the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration.
3. What kinds of data are available?
This web site delivers Geographic Information,
which can be accessed in the form on on-line maps or downloadable
data.
The On-line data are delivered using ESRI's
Internet Map Server, a program that allows maps to be created
interactively. Users can zoom in and out, and obtain information
on individual map elements. Instructions for using the IMS can
be found at: http://www.nrri.umn.edu/coastalgis/IMSPrimer.html
The downloadable data is provided as ArcView
Shapefiles. ArcView is a widely-used commercial GIS program. Information
on obtaining ArcView can be found at www.esri.com
4. What kind of decision support tools
are available?
The site contains numerous links to planning
materials, including the NEMO program and Minnesota's EPIC tools.
It also includes a PDF-based Land Planning Primer created by the
University of Minnesota's Center for Rural Design. Through the
community-based planning process described in this Primer, citizens
are provided a methodology for approaching the complex task of
envisioning future scenarios for rural communities. Citizen volunteers
living in the Lake Superior Basin are the intended primary audience
for this publication; however, policy makers should also find
it useful in examining the range of strategies for building or
rebuilding sustainable communities in this and other rural regions
of the Upper Midwest.
5. Who can I contact for more information?
Specific questions on the GIS data should be
directed to Gerry Sjerven at gsjerven@nrri.umn.edu.
Questions on the overall project should be directed to George
Host at ghost@nrri.umn.edu.
