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The National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis (NCGIA) held a workshop in Santa Barbara from January 25-27, 2001. The workshop brought together representatives of the disciplines interested in landscape change, drawn from both the investigative sciences, such as geography, and the design disciplines, such as landscape architecture. Its purposes were to promote the building of a collaborative research community; to develop a joint research agenda; and to facilitate the exchange of ideas. It addressed its major objectives in the context of four themes: information technologies, decision making, landscape perception and assessment, and environmental and social sciences.This document contains: the workshop proposal, position papers submitted by participants and the workshop agenda.

The article offers a selection of papers drawn from thirty conserved objects and other materials written by George Catlin, which was preserved at the Archives of American Art. Papers presented, highlight Catlin's tireless efforts to promote and sell his works on Indian portraits, landscapes, manners and customs, and costumes, driven by the adamant conviction that the people of the United States should own and display his images of North America's disappearing native peoples. The entire collection of Catlin's work was arranged in acid-free folders and rehoused in standard archival containers, which were sent to the Northeast Document Conservation Center in Andover, Massachusetts for repairing.

Abstract: A hybrid method of ecological habitat survey and mapping is presented, bridging paper-based methods and mobile electronic procedures. The hybrid approach uses a hand-held PDA with real-time dGPS to map habitats and record habitat attributes. It retains paper field maps to facilitate ecological decisions and to overcome the need for field surveyors to operate a fully functional mobile GIS system. The transition from paper records to a full GIS implementation is bridged by secondary digitisation in which a GIS specialist, trained in field survey procedures, interacts routinely with the field surveyors, throughout the field season to assure data quality standards. The methodology is practical and affordable, particularly if there are multiple field surveyors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pursuit of happiness as an issue in planning for towns in trans-Appalachian America was a prime requisite. It is the intent of this paper to illustrate that, while many of the towns were paper towns that were never actualised, they acted as a catalyst for immigrants seeking to escape the oppression of Europe. Visualised as a new Eden, and promising land ownership with liberty, they were an opiate so strong that even with numerous instances of fraud and deceit the settlers came. Their belief that they had indeed arrived at Eden was so strong that it transcended any and all difficulties. This belief has influenced the planning and development of towns in America up to and including modern times. As long as people believe that their living situation is what is meant for them, their pursuit of happiness is satisfied. They have found their Eden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]