PARK SCIENCE A RESOURCE MANAGEMENT BULLETIN NATIONAL PARK SERVICE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR VOLUME 4 - NUMBER 3 SPRING 1984 SPRING 1984 A report to park managers of recent and on- SCIENCE going research in parks with emphasis on its NATIONAL PARK SERVICE implications for planning and management Resource Management Computer Applications: This issue of Park Soence ISdevoted to computers and parks. As guest editor, Anne Frondorf has done a Her- The Park System’s Developlog Response 3 culean lob - collecting Inform&on from all comers of the National Park System on how the various areas are movmg into the Computer Age. Channel Islands NP Develops What comes through on these pages is the over-archmg principle of all systems: The System Self-Designs. Microcomputer Based Info System 10 There seems to be no otherway. In spite of all the logic with whichour linear minds tell us that these things should be planned and coordinated and orchestrated from above, the successful system stoutly refuses to grow that Information Crossfile 11 way. Instead, 11begins in obscure comers and niches *all over the map” - adaptlog to a need here, an idea there Mlcracomputer - New -and then reaching out with tentative feelers for connections. tiomputet technology and the uses to which it can and WIII be put had to arrive on the scene together. When Tool of Communication 12 that happened, the seed sprouted everywhere, like “emergent properlies.” Eventually, these filaments will Inter- Everglades System Facilitates Data Transfer 12 connect more firmly and become, instead of many systems, a system. As a new, syslemlc way of accomplishing planntng and work, this system comes with the full complement of IBM Personal Computer Lab Showcased 13 new perils and problems. One of these-the potential tyranny of the computer - IS discussed by Celia Walker, who urges users not to take ‘NO’for an answer. (The old, frustrating deadend that used to read ‘It IS ourpolicy Regional Highlights 14 not to ’ ISbeing replaced by a new atbttrary negative: ~The computer will not allow it.” Walker warns: ~Make sum it’s the computer and not just some lazy human being.‘) System Application for Fire Management 17 Information Crossfile offers additional cautionary computer notes, ranging from dead serious to hilarious. But overall, the message on these pages IS one of a powerful new tool, emerging in concert with the needs if IS Data Analysis Management in Remote Fields 17 suited lo handle. The Idea is to inform, through this issue. every corner of the Park System about what every Big Thicket Computer Capabilities other comer is up lo in the use of computers. Every item has a contact name and address. Rubbing mends to. Driven by Resource Management Needs 18 gather can make sparks; this issue should slart a fire. Tension Headache #84 Users and Computers 20 RiverUse Model Aids Management of VIsItor Flows 20 Guest Editorial VIsitor Data Facilitates This spew1 issue of Park Snence ISfocusing on %formation Management and Natural Resources in the Na- tional Park Serwce.“ Our Intent IS to provide users-and potential users-of computers, word processors, and Resource Management 21 the entire spectrum of Information management technology with a forum in which to exchange ideas and com- pare notes on the application of this technology to resource management and research ISSUBS. Visllation Census 21 Items descrlblng current or antictpated information management actlvifies relating generally to natural re- From Washington. D.C. : 22 source management and research are Included from every Region and more than two dozen park umts. Wher- ever possible. the name of a contact pawn has been given so interested readers can find out more about a par- Microcomputers Afford Flexibility 22 ticular type of equipment, program 01 software package, or application. This is anything but a Static field and it is lmpodant that we all continue to look for opportunities to communicate From DISC 23 what we are dolog or plan to do. Two such communication opportunities are described I” this issue’ the “Softwxe Clearinghouse,’ being developed by the WAS0 Office of Information Management, and the Sewtcewide elec- Elucidation Blues tronic “Bulletlo Board System.’ accessible to anyone wth a terminal and telecommunications capability In coordnating this special wx I have been tremendously impressed with the energy, enthustasm. and initla- With a plethora tlve displayed throughout the Service on this topic. I am grateful to all who contributed to this issue, as well as lo Of words Jean Matthewsfor herefforts in bringing it all together. Anne F. Frondorl Biological Resources Division, WAS0 Hides himself Like a squid Mention of specific brand names is necessary to the dewptive task undertaken I” this issue. It should not be construed as endorsement by the National Park Service. Conform / want fo be scene. Nor herd, said a wayward Glossary: Young swngbok, as I( spl~r. Bit is one-eighth of a byte Know “our place, sad Byte IS a umt of data The leader, wh/ch is together, And clubbed the erram back, 8 bits equals one unit of data (a byte) Giving it the Gesellschaft. Baud means ‘bits per second’and mdicates rate of transmission. Resource Management Computer Applications: The Park System’s Developing Response Editor’s Note: The grouping hereunder IS a repre- Community or Recreational-Assimilation clentfor “se by all park staff. sentadve sbce of the Nal~onai Park System as ndr- One of the major problems I” a” Isolated area like I” Sor~na 1983, $125,000 in PRIP (Siqnificanl Re- vidualparks have responded to /he capabilitfes Inher- Big Bend IS the difficulty in receiving information from source Pro&n) mo”,es was approved for work relai- ent m computer technology the “outside world.” Lack of television and radio re- Ing to mIneral developments and associated water ception may be praised by some, but a person totally quality problems. Computerizing the data base was deprived of tnformatio” in a” information age proba- the only logIcal approach to managing these prob- From Big Bend bly is not going to possess a complete set of SOCIO- lems effectively given staffing constraints, so we de- The 730.000 acre Blq Bend NP is one of the moat communicative tools. A community may live without slgnated a large portlo” of these monies for develop- remote National Park; I” the contiguous United “60 Minutes,” the “Superbowl,” and “HIII Street Blues: ment of a Geographic Information System (GIS) Slates. Located on the US’Mwcan border in souih- but can it compete socially or intellectually with com- using a” IBM-PC and dBase II. west Texas, the nearest grocery store is over 100 munities that have access to a variety of media Major hardware purchased for this GIS system I”- miles from park headquarlers and the nearest town of stimulants? eluded a” IBM-PC with two disk drives, a” EPSON any size is over 250 miles away. Spanish IS a primary Residents of Panther Junction (park headquarters FX-100 dot matrix printer, a CONUS ZOMB hard disk language, much 01 the park has no telephone service area) banded together to form a non-proht TV cotpo- with mirror, a” HP 7470A planer, a GTCO “DigiPad 5’ and many of the residences receive their only “out- ration. I” 1983. the “club” slgned an agreement with a digitizing pad, and a” IBM color display monitor. We side” news from shod-wave radio. Because of the cable company to Install two large satellite receiving have a contract with the University of Tennessee par& resemblance to late 19th century Mexico, dishes and a residential cable system which, com- Space Institute (UTSI) I” Tullahoma, Term., to da- many people believe that lnformatio” dissemination bined with a” improved translator system, provides velop this GIS system. UTSI already had developed and management are restricted to the telegraph and subscribers with a wide variety of FM radio and televi- a mapptngldata base system for vegetative types I” pony express. This view perpetuates the ~Goodbye SIO” programs including the Spanish International the Recreation Area under a previous contraCt and God, I’m going to Big Bend” syndrome. Actually, be- Network (SIN) for the 35-40 percent of the rwdents WIII add 20.30 Yhemes” (e.g.. roadsIt& water hind the sleepy adobe facade there loves a” active who speak Spanish. Two small residential areas in areas, endangered spews sightings) IO their existing modern information management program that con- the park still have no TV or radio reception, but the system. The development of software 10 allow for sists of three separate sub-programs: Telecommuni- club is working to have satellite receiwng statlons I”- various analyses and revisions of data also is a parl cation-dissemination; Community or recreational-as- stalled in those remote locations. of their contract. This system IS to be ready by Sep similation; and Administrative-networking. To the uneducated aye, Big Bend may represent tember 1984. Administrative-Networking the epitome of historic information management. But As we await the llnal GIS system, we continue to I” October 1982, the park purchased a” ALTOS wthi” the wilderness setbng, there is a plan and a work with our first IBM-PC system. Currenlly we are series 5 computer system. The multi-user system can certain modern sophistication. Therein lkes the preparing a” oil and gas well data base using dBase run ufider either CP!M or MP’M II. The basic config- paradox - Big Bend NP is a combination of 60 mil- II and compiling water quality sampling data using uration Includes five-megabyte hard disk drive, a 5’/4 lkon year-old mountains, state 01 the art satellite re- Multiplan. Wordstar IS being used for plan prepara- inch floppy dsk drive, three T&video terminal sla- ceiving stations, vast expanses of wilderness, com- tion and daily correspondence.