CRSSA The Changing Participatory Role of NGOs in New Jersey GIS David L. Tulloch and Tamara Shapiro Center for Remote Sensing and Spatial Analysis Cook College, Rutgers University

CRSSA The Times They are A’Changin’ u In 1998: u NJ NGC – The New Jersey Non-Profit GIS Community u NJ DEP u Written up in: u Tulloch, D "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.

CRSSA The Times They are A’Changin’ u Today: u The GIS Center u NGOs helping NGOS u Office of GIS u NJ DEP u Counties?

CRSSA Background

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

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

CRSSA Understanding the Garden State

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

CRSSA

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

CRSSA Different Decisions Different Ways

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

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

CRSSA Participation (new) NGOs Citizens LAND Public Decision GIS GIS-based facts

CRSSA Non-Participation NGOs Citizens LAND Not trivial uses

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

CRSSA

The Nature Conservancy (of NJ) u Access to public data and information u Using outside participatory avenues

CRSSA Delaware & Raritan Canal u Access to public data and information u Using outside participatory avenues

CRSSA Morris Land Conservancy u Access to public data and information u Using data inside and outside participatory avenues

CRSSA NJ Conservation Foundation u Access to public data and information u Using within participatory avenues u Guiding state open space acquisition plan

CRSSA Passaic River Coalition u Access to public data and information u Using within and outside participatory avenues

CRSSA Conclusions

CRSSA A Community At-Risk u While the elements in this community seem to have become institutionalized, there are significant opportunities for instability u The relationships that maintain the network could quickly dissolve u The data, now readily available, could become scarce

CRSSA Chain Reaction? NGC Relationships Long-term Stability Feedback The GIS Center

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

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

CRSSA A Model For Others? A Model For Others? u Participation Proxies u Networks of Data Sharing u Ways of circumventing data access problems u Stealth GIS u Inexpensive opportunities still exist to impress and gain credibility and thereby “earn a seat at the table”

CRSSA Want More? u u u