11/22/96 Contact: Mike Finney, 593-4389

ATHENS, Ohio -- Ohio University's Institute for Local Government Administration and Rural Development (ILGARD) recently hosted a group of home-schooled students and their parents on a field trip that focused on map making.

ILGARD staff members Mike Finney, senior project manager and associate director, and Rob Painter and Fred Calef, both data specialists, led the group. They showed the students a variety of maps, including a computer-generated map of St. Clairsville that shows the city's water system, and a digitized flood plain map for Crooksville, which displayed properties that are most likely to be flooded.

Finney also explained how the geographical information system (GIS) works, showing several different map layers of Southeastern Ohio, detailing major gas and power lines, lakes and streams, flood plains, underground mines, state parks and forests.

With the aid of technology, maps that would take hours and hours to do by hand can be redone in seconds, said Finney.

"This was so interesting to see all this," said home-school parent Nadia Mitchell. "I just had no idea all the different things they do with maps. It was very eye-opening."

For more information about the services ILGARD provides or to arrange a tour of the facility at Ohio University, contact the Institute at (614) 593-4388.