Lab 1: Cemetery Mapping

Introduction

Figure 1: Hadleyville Cemetery

What are the problems and challenges facing the Hadleyville Cemetery?
All previous maps and records of this cemetery were lost, and government officials wish to preserve the community history through the production of a new map.  

Why is the loss of original maps and records a particular challenge for this project?
The loss of the original maps and records is especially challenging for this project because some burial lots have stones that are missing, broken or illegible.  Some of the stones date back to 1865, so weathering and aging will likely pose a problem.  This will make it difficult to accurately record the names of the burial plots, as well as make it harder to determine whether a plot is vacant or not.  The city does not want to sell plots that are already occupied, so it will be important to determine plot occupancy or vacancy.   

How will GIS provide a solution to this problem?
GIS can help in providing a solution to this problem by facilitating the mapping of plot locations and their complex attributes.

What makes this a GIS project and not a simple map? 
This project is a GIS project because of the complex nature of the information being collected.  While a simple map could display general plot location and plot names, using GIS allows more specific location information, complex attributes such as the condition of the stone (broken/whole/missing), as well as embedded pictures of the plots. 

What equipment will be used to gather the data needed to construct the GIS?
The following equipment will be used:

• Nikon Coolpix S33 Camera
• Garmin eTrex Legend H
• Drone

What are the overall objectives of your proposal? 
The purpose of this lab is to design an accurate map of the Hadleyville Cemetery that will be useful to government officials.  Information concerning plot location, plot occupancy/vacancy, plot names, plot birth and death dates, and condition of the stone should be accessible and understandable to map readers. 

What is the study area? 
The study area for this lab was Hadleyville Cemetery, which is located in the Town of Pleasant Valley in Eau Claire County.  The cemetery is 1.5 acres and has 120 burial lots. 

Methods

What sampling technique was used? Why?
Systematic area sampling was the selected sampling technique for this exercise. This method of sampling was chosen because it involves using a grid-like pattern of regular squares which are then used for sampling (Royal Geographical Society, 2016).  This sort of set-up seemed suitable for a cemetery, where all of the plots are more or less regular rectangles.  Sampling can then be done in intervals of three feet (interval value may be adjusted upon evaluating the study area in person).  

What is the accuracy of the equipment that will be used?
The accuracy of the equipment is as follows: 

• Nikon Coolpix S33 Camera: 13.2 megapixel
• Garmin eTrex Legend H: 1,000 waypoints, WAAS, 160x288 pixels
• Drone: exact model and accuracy unknown

How was the data entered or recorded?  Why was this method of data entry chosen?
Non-spatial attributes will be recorded by hand in a field notebook due to their complex nature.  These attributes include headstone condition, plot names, etc.  Photographic evidence will be collected with the help of a drone and camera, both of which will digitally capture images.  Spatial data will be using the Garmin eTrex Legend H by way of manual entry of locations.  These methods were chosen because they best suit the data at hand. 

How will the data be transferred into a GIS?
Photographic data from the drone and camera, as well as spatial data from the eTrex will be transferred from other digital devices using cables, a computer, or other converting devices.  Keyboard entry will be used for non-spatial attributes that were recorded in a field notebook such as headstone condition.  

What drawbacks are there to the proposed method?  How do the pros of this method outweigh the cons?
The drawbacks of this proposed method include its time-consuming nature, room for error, and portrayal of the data.  Since the cemetery consists of 120 burial plots, taking the time to record the headstone condition, names, birth and death dates, etc. of each headstone will be quite time consuming.  Additionally, there is lots of room for error when trying to decipher headstone names or guesstimate where exactly a plot is located.  Finally, trying to incorporate digital images, drone imagery, and multiple attributes about each headstone into one legible map will be a challenge.  Despite this, the benefits that a cemetery map will bring to the Hadleyville community outweigh the possible causes for concern in this project.  Though all of the plot locations and names may not be exactly perfect, any record is better than none at all.  Additionally, web GIS or other creative ways of incorporating digital images and attribute data into the map could be explore to illustrate the complexity of the data in an understandable way.  

Conclusions 

How do the methods transfer to the overall objectives of this proposal? 
The proposed methods will transfer well to the objectives of the proposal, in that they should provide a framework for the accurate gathering and mapping of data.  If the methodology is followed with attention to detail, then the accurate identification of burial plots, and subsequent production of a map, should be possible.  

Sources

Royal Geographical Society. Retrieved September 13th, 2016 from http://www.rgs.org/OurWork/Schools/Fieldwork+and+local+learning/Fieldwork+techniques/Sampling+techniques.html 

The Hadleyville Cemetery.  Photo. Retrieved September 13th, 2016 from http://wherehistoryandloremeetinthemiddle.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-hadleyville-cemetery.html