ARCCAD AS A GIS PLATFORM FOR UNDERSTANDING THE VEGETATION OF STEPHEN F. AUSTIN STATE UNIVERSITY
Stephen F. Austin State University is known as the ``University Among the Pines.” The campus is located along the banks of LnNana creek in the center of Nacogdocha, the oldest town in Texas. Rich with history, the community and the university are now recognizing that cultural. historical and landscape treasure deserve greater protection and conservation. This project involves: 1) collecting a data set of each tree on campus including quadrant identifier, plant ID #, species, dbh, tree health, location, crow diameter, tree height and tree value, 2) placing all trees on a campus map in ArcCAD®, a Geographic Information System (GIS) developed for the PC, 3) linking map entities (trees, polygons, themes) with specific rows in a database, and 4) developing a query strategy to ask questions of the landscape. Database queries are powerful analytical tools which can generate resultant maps that answer specific landscape questions. These maps can then be queried again for further analysis. Examples of typical queries might include: 1) illustrate only those pines with a dbh greater than 24″, 2) identify all oak trees within thirty feet of a building, or 3) illustrate all trees over sixty feet with poor tree health. ArcCAD® links the easy drafting capabilities of AutoCAD® with much of the functionality of a true GIS workstation. Map files can be linked to a database(s), text, and visual images (TIF files). We have scanned and are currently archiving old photographs of the campus for future linkages. By understanding the history of the university landscape and documenting the current status of campus vegetation, decision-makers can have at strategies that lessen the impact of development.