When evaluating former cranberry farms that have potential for restoration and inland marsh migration, modern GIS tools can add a significant number of properties to those identified using historic topographic maps.
historic topographic maps can show cranberry farms that have been retired, grown over, or otherwise not visible. By pairing these maps with modern tools, we expanded the pool of potential restoration sites by nearly 3,000 acres.
Comments
I think the overarching insight is that leaps in progress can be made by re-examining an old problem with a new lens and/or new tools. New technology helps when progress has stalled or a problem has been put on the shelf for sometime. But often the connections with existing resources simply need to be made. So new motivation and new people or a new angle and lens to focus on the problem are sometimes equally important.
In this case, the original cranberry data set was built by the state to keep track of farms that were in production and thereby permitted to perform certain activities in wetlands. So prior bogs were not of interest. It took the motivation of identifying sites for wetland restoration to apply technologies to uncover historic cranberry farms.
Sleep on it. Ask a friend. Take it apart. Read a book. These old adages don't require new technology.
Over arching insight: introducing technology to help solve problems greatly improve outcomes.