Priory Navigation Maps

INTRODUCTION

In the previous lab the groups constructed navigation maps to use at the Priory Nature Center.  The maps that were created were used to find points that had been hidden in the woods.  We were armed with only a GPS unit and a compass tool.  Using these tools the groups were able to navigate to 5 different sets of points.  I was included in group 1.  We moved along quite well finding our first point quite early.

STUDY AREA
Our study area was at the Priory nature center.  This area is owned by UWEC and used to house students.  It is just a few miles south of Eau Claire.  This area is surrounded by thick forest areas.  The study area was full of ravines and hills the locator map that we used showed all of this in the contour lines.  There were times that we thought according to the map there should have been hills, when in fact the contour lines were showing us we were looking at a ravine.  We collected our first point quite effectively (Figure 1).

Figure 1:  This was us having a little fun with the first point that we discovered.  We got to this one quickly after we started.

Figure 2:  This was the third data point that we collected.  This image shows that the ribbon was not on the tree and actually on the ground.  This point was difficult for us to find.

POINTS

We did get to all five of the points that were given to us.  We took not the best track that we could have (Figure 3).  It was also very interesting to see how all of the different groups crossed paths as many times as they did (Figure 4).  We never actually saw one of the other groups, although we did hear them.  We knew that we were close to other groups, but we never saw them.

Figure 3:  This map shows the track that our group took and shows that we crossed over our own path multiple times.

Figure 4:  This map shows the different tracks of all the different groups.  Group 1 crossed over three other groups tracks.  This was very interesting since we never saw another group.

METHODS

The tools that we used were our locator maps, GPS units, and compasses.  We used the compass to find angles to direct us to the next points on the map.  The tools helped us in finding the points accurately and decently quickly.  We were the second group to finish.  

CONCLUSION

Our group worked very well together.  We all took our turns using the compass and GPS units.  This was very effective in creating a relationship within the group.  This make trudging through the briar bushes.  I was dressed for the part, however one of our group members did not have the correct kind of shoes on for this activity.  We made it work.  The terrain was tough to get through a few times, but everything worked out for us.  The point we struggled the most to find was point three.  We passed this point on 3 separate occasions before we finally found it.