The Changing Participatory Role of NGOs in New Jersey GIS

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DRAFT 7-20-02

• The Changing Participatory Role of NGOs in New
  Jersey GIS

DRAFT 7-20-02
David L. Tulloch and Tamara Shapiro Center for
Remote Sensing and Spatial Analysis Cook College,
Rutgers University
DRAFT 7-20-02
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The Times They are AChangin

• In 1998
• NJ NGC The New Jersey Non-Profit GIS Community
• NJ DEP
• Written up in
• Tulloch, D. 2002. "Environmental NGOs Community
  Access to Technology as a Force for Change,"
  chapter in, Community Empowerment, Public
  Participation and Geographic Information Science.
  W. Craig, T. Harris, and D. Weiner (Eds.).
  Taylor and Francis London.

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The Times They are AChangin

• Today
• The GIS Center
• NGOs helping NGOS
• Office of GIS
• NJ DEP
• Counties?

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• Background

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The Garden State

• New Jersey
• Densest state in the US
• Modest local GIS activity
• Tradition of Strong Home Rule
• NJ State Mapping Advisory Committee
• Environmental NGOs

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New Jersey Then

• Environmental NGOs are a dominant force
• Using public data to participate
• Taking on roles sometimes reserved for local
  governments
• Assisting/demanding the development of publicly
  accessible local geospatial data

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• Understanding the Garden State

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Previous conditions

• Pre-existing conditions that cannot be easily
  changed, or copied
• Environmental condition
• Density and development
• Geophysical intersection
• Political situation
• Strong Home Rule (566 Municipalities)
• Confounding parcel regulations
• Local cost recovery as allowed by NJ Supreme Court

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1972
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1984
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1995
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(No Transcript)
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Promoting PPGIS in NJ

• Office of GIS
• Distributing foundational data
• Distributing software
• requiring hardware and training
• NJ Non-profit GIS Community
• Providing technical support
• Access to high-end hardware and software
• User group (emotional support?)

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• Different Decisions Different Ways

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Public Decisions

• What are the decisions in which NGOs are
  participating?
• 3 decisions stand out
• Municipal Land Use Decisions
• State-wide Environmental Policies (regulatory)
• State Agency Land Acquisition Decisions

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Participation (as in 1998)
members
Public Decision
NGOs
Citizens
LAND
GIS

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Participation (new)
GIS-based facts
Public Decision
NGOs
Citizens
LAND
GIS
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Non-Participation
NGOs
Citizens
LAND
Not trivial uses
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Participation and Access

• What is the difference?
• Tulloch, D., and T. Shapiro, 2002, The
  Intersection of Data Access and Public
  Participation Impacting GIS Users' Success?
  URISA Journal (Under Review).

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(No Transcript)
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The Nature Conservancy (of NJ)

• Access to public data and information
• Using outside
• participatory avenues

http//nature.org
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Delaware Raritan Canal

• Access to public data and information
• Using outside
• participatory avenues

http//www.delrargreenway.org/
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Morris Land Conservancy

• Access to public data and information
• Using data inside and outside
• participatory avenues

http//www.morrislandconservancy.org/
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NJ Conservation Foundation

• Access to public data and information
• Using within participatory avenues
• Guiding state open space acquisitionplan

A
Y
N
N
P
Y
http//www.njconservation.org/
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Passaic River Coalition

• Access to public data and information
• Using within and outside participatory avenues

http//www.njconservation.org/
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• Conclusions

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A Community At-Risk

• While the elements in this community seem to have
  become institutionalized, there are significant
  opportunities for instability
• The relationships that maintain the network could
  quickly dissolve
• The data, now readily available, could become
  scarce

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Chain Reaction?
NGC
The GIS Center
Relationships
Feedback
Long-term Stability
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Barriers to Participation

• Budgets
• Technical problems
• Insufficient access
• Parcel data
• By far the most common answer
• Zoning (566)
• Natural resources (Improved soils)
• Updated land use/land cover

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Getting to Participation

• Through Sophisticated Mapping
• Wow, Nice Map!
• Can we get your data?
• Through Analysis
• You scared the Hell out of us and now you have
  to do something!

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A Model For Others?

• Participation Proxies
• Networks of Data Sharing
• Ways of circumventing data access problems
• Stealth GIS
• Inexpensive opportunities still exist to impress
  and gain credibility and thereby earn a seat at
  the table

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Want More?

• dtulloch_at_crssa.rutgers.edu
• tshapiro_at_aesop.rutgers.edu
• www.crssa.rutgers.edu/dtulloch/ppgis/

DRAFT 7-20-02
DRAFT 7-20-02