Highlights for December 18, 1998
USGS Center for Biological Informatics

I. Key Department News:

• USGS Assists Boy Scouts. In a community outreach effort, the USGS is assisting the Long's Peak Council, Boy Scouts of America, in creating a digital base map for a proposed Cub Scout camp in Red Feather Lakes, Colorado. Karl Brown, Ralph Root, and Tom Owens of the USGS Center for Biological Informatics scanned and registered aerial photography of the Ben Delatour Scout Ranch in Colorado as the first step in bringing geographic information systems technology to this multi-state Boy Scout Council. The USGS will continue to assist the Council to track forestry projects, prescribed fire actions, and construction efforts during implementation of their expansion project in 1999 and 2000. The camp will serve more than 2,000 Cub Scouts and families in the Colorado, Nebraska, and Wyoming area. (Karl Brown, Denver, 303-202-4240)
  
• USGS Scientists Help Develop DOI Geospatial Technology Training Strategy. Karl Brown and Ralph Root (USGS Center for Biological Informatics) and Mike Story (National Park Service) are working with the IGDC Remote Sensing Working Group to develop Global Positioning System, geographic information systems, and remote sensing training in the Department of the Interior. A series of coordination meetings with Jim Turner (Bureau of Land Management) will lead to a white paper on the training needs, content, and current cross-bureau offerings on these topics. Recent growth in software and image processing tools has prompted the need for geospatial technology training for DOI users of these tools. (Karl Brown, Denver, 303-202-4240)
  

II. Agency Works on Presidential Initiatives: No report.

III. Notable Congressional Activity: No report.

IV. Press/Media Inquiries: No report.

V. FOIA Requests: No report.