The Hancock Loop Trail, Then and Now: Reflections from One Who Helped Build the Trail

A hiker who helped build the first trail up North Hancock and South Hancock in the White Mountains of New Hampshire in the 1960s, tells the story

E-Government Initiatives Case Study: New Models for Success

This case study examines the efforts of a mid-tier, cabinet-level state agency to transform its constituency services to be more effective using information technology. The agency, based in a rural Midwestern state, faced increased scrutiny to raise accuracy, lower wait times, decrease expenditures, increase constituency satisfaction, and expand services to the state. To meet these challenges, the agency conducted a series of meetings to determine best possible opportunities for change and decided that technology solutions, which supported their business vision of the future, would be the foundation for that change. Redesigning core organizational processes—using several technologies such as e-commerce, content management system, data warehousing, and mobile technologies—would revolutionize how the agency delivers these services to its constituency. Along the way, agency encountered several challenges such as staff turnover, leadership issues, outsourcing issues, and implementation issues. At the heart of their experience lie four theories: the technology adoption model, task–technology fit model, Delone–McLean model of information systems success, and Leavitt’s model of organizational change. This case will not only examine the academic issues surrounding the aforementioned theories, but will also discuss how the agency navigated through real-world issues to meet these challenges. By increasing the quality and quantity of information that governmental bodies provide “Joe Citizen,” our populations are able to have opportunities to be more self-sufficient and are able to hold our public trust more accountable and responsive to the needs of an ever-growing, ever-changing society at large

Pondering Graceful Aging on Table Mountain, South Africa: A Septuagenarian Rock Climber Reflects on His Past and Future

Douglass P. Teschner, at age 65, decides to hire a guide to help him on a rock climb

The Last Gift: Months Before a Father\u27s Death, He Encourages His Son to Seek Challenges

Months before his tragic death, a man encourages his yuoung son to seek challenges

Assessment of LANDSAT for rangeland mapping, Rush Valley, Utah

The feasibility of using LANDSAT MSS (multispectral scanner) data to identify and map cover types for rangeland, and to determine comparative condition of the ecotypes was assessed. A supporting objective is to assess the utility of various forms of aerial photography in the process. If rangelands can be efficiently mapped with Landsat data, as supported by appropriate aerial photography and field data, then uniform standards of cover classification and condition may be applied across the rangelands of the state. Further, a foundation may be established for long-term monitoring of range trend, using the same satellite system over time

Remote sensing applications to forest vegetation classification and conifer vigor loss due to dwarf mistletoe

Criteria was established for practical remote sensing of vegetation stress and mortality caused by dwarf mistletoe infections in black spruce subboreal forest stands. The project was accomplished in two stages: (1) A fixed tower-tramway site in an infected black spruce stand was used for periodic multispectral photo coverage to establish basic film/filter/scale/season/weather parameters; (2) The photographic combinations suggested by the tower-tramway tests were used in low, medium, and high altitude aerial photography