The goal of this GIS/mapping project is to produce base maps in digital and hard copy form of Los Indios Reserve on Isla de la Juventud (Island of Youth), Cuba. The First objective is to scan, georeference, and rectify aerial photographs using GPS ground truth data that was acquired last year. Using this GPS data, the photos can be georeferenced and rectified. Once this is accomplished, there exist various thematic maps for the reserve. These thematic maps will be georeferenced to the aerial photography. The photographs of the thematic maps were acquired at the same time of the GPS data. Unforetunately, we do not possess the hard copy maps. This is largely because of the current political situtation in Cuba.
The next step is to use the these data layers to create base maps for reserve officials for their upcoming field projects. The base maps that will be produced by means of "on screen digitizing" of the thematic maps and aerial photography. Soils, slope and vegetation maps will be produced from the thematic maps and roads and trails maps and hydrograpy will be produced from the aerial photography. This work will provide maps of consistent scale and coordinate system and will be a valuable tool in the field to mark nest locations, outlying habitat types, or delineating study areas.
The final task is to use the GPS data of nest locations (also acquired with the GPS ground truth data),the thematic maps, and the aerial photography to conduct spatial analysis to identify crane habitat in the biological reserve. Such maps in digital form can aid in claryifying the distribution of cranes in Cuba and in recognition of the relationships crane distribution and habitat types.