Go On Assignment with National Geographic at BioBlitz

Ever dreamed of going On Assignment with National Geographic? If you live in Southern California, now is your chance! Starting Friday May 30th at noon and running for 24 straight hours, National Geographic and National Park Service scientists and naturalists along with thousands of volunteers will comb the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation area and conduct a thorough inventory of plants and animals.

Volunteers can choose from a variety of 4 hour shifts that will team up with an expert and track down specific species. If you love bugs, or prefer hunting for allusive night time creatures - now is your chance! Space is limited so register now.

Visit the National Geographic Maps Team at BioBlitz

If you make it out to BioBlitz, be sure to track down Fran Marshall, Dave Wright, Jess Elder, and myself! We'll be using NG Map's MetaLens multimedia mapping system to capture, record, and map species observations found by the scientists and naturalists. Throughout the event Dave and Jess will be crafting an ongoing “greatest hits” GeoStory (a map-based multimedia slideshow) for the NGS BioBlitz blog that will highlight the diverse species found throughout the event.

Stopping by the Maps tent will give you the chance to try your hand with GPS receivers, digital cameras, and the latest in map technology - plus it might even land you an appearance on the BioBlitz Blog or the TOPO! Explorer Community page for the event.

In addition, the Maps division recently completed a major revision to our Trails Illustrated map of the Santa Monica Mountains NRA. This update was timed specifically for BioBlitz and done in collaboration with local agencies. For those that frequent this amazing park, or those just getting introduced to it, this map is a must have. We will have sample copies on display and the Santa Monica Mountains Nature Association will have copies available for sale.

See you in Santa Monica!

TOPO Explorer Goes Live Friday :: Part One

In just a few short hours National Geographic's new TOPO! Explorer website will go live for public beta.

Over a year in the making, TOPO! Explorer is the platform for NatGeo's national recreation database - a first of its kind portal that provides outdoor enthusiasts with detailed maps, satellite imagery, up-to-date trails, and recreation information - plus it enables users to post reviews, trip reports, and their own custom maps.

"There's nothing on the web like TOPO! Explorer," stated Paul Glauthier, CTO for National Geographic Maps. "There are sites that provide maps, those that have trail descriptions, and a few that enable community interaction but TOPO! Explorer is the first site designed for and by outdoor enthusiasts that offers all of the above, and better yet freely browsable."

Between Friday and May 30th National Geographic will be adding more features and content to the site, plus getting ready for the launch of the new companion desktop application that will enable users to share their own photos, videos, and trips. At launch users can create their free accounts, build out their profiles, browse maps, post to the forums, and begin providing trip reports to fellow explorers.

Check Back Tomorrow Morning for Part Two: TOPO! Explorer FAQs and Tips and Tricks to Getting Started.

Trails Illustrated Adds Coverage in California | Interview with Shane Matthews, TI Product Manager

Just over a week ago National Geographic Maps began shipping Trails Illustrated map #809, Mammoth Lakes/ Mono Divide. This exciting new map is the first of 5 new titles for California's Sierra Nevada. To learn more about the series Contours sat down with Shane Matthews, Product Manager for Trails Illustrated & Adventure Maps.

Contours:: TI 809, is the first of five new TI maps for California. Can you tell us a bit more about this project?

Shane Matthews:: The newly published Mammoth Lakes / Mono Divide (TI809) title turned out beautifully! This was an interesting project in that it encompassed a wide range of public lands for recreation, to include National Park and Forest Lands, Wilderness Areas and a highly used Sierra Ski Area. This map includes popular areas of the Sierra and Inyo National Forest.

Contours:: Besides 809, what other new titles or revisions are in the works for California?

Shane Matthews:: Mammoth Lakes / Mono Divide (TI809) is just part of a much bigger picture. Two years ago we published three Tahoe National Forest maps to include the Lake Tahoe Basin Unit. So, the newly published TI809 and the upcoming Sierra map titles are added components of our extensive Sierra Nevada map coverage and there is going to be more!

Currently we are working on four new titles that will add to this map coverage. Crystal Basin (TI806) will highlight Eldorado National Forest and will include the Rubicon Trail, Pacific Crest Trail and other Scenic Trails, and loads of camping areas. Carson-Iceberg / Emigrant and Mokelumne Wilderness Areas (TI807) will take in portions of Stanislaus National Forest including generous overlap with TI806. This map will feature some of the best High Sierra back-country there is to offer, true wilderness! Merced and Tuolumne Rivers (TI808) will take in remaining portions of the Stanislaus National Forest and will feature two of most Wild and Scenic Rivers in the country. This map will also include a variety of recreational amenities that surround these rivers. Shaver Lake (TI810) will feature remaining portions of the Sierra National Forest. It will include recreational areas such Bass and Shaver Lakes. The Dinkey Lakes and Kaiser Wilderness areas will also be featured with a variety of trail systems for the back-country hiker. Another important note would be that some of these titles will share overlap with our Yosemite and Kings Canyon National Park maps, lending seamless coverage of adjacent lands for the map user.

Other interesting California projects would include some revisions and significant updates of existing Trails Illustrated maps. We have just recently finished an update to our Mojave National Park and Preserve map. We are doing a major overhaul of our Santa Monica National Recreation Area map and will be published very soon! This map will update should serve the recreationalists in the Los Angeles, Malibu and Santa Monica region extremely well.

In the next few months the Trails Illustrated California map titles will be in their best shape ever with all coverage either brand new or newly revised and updated! There may be even more next year.




Contours:: TI maps are completed in cooperation with local land managers – who did you work with on 809?

Shane Matthews:: Establishing a cooperative relationship with public land agencies is essential to a successful TI map. TI809 was no exception to this rule. We worked with The Sierra and Inyo National Forests and their knowledgeable staff. Everyone from Public Affairs, Land Ownership, GIS Mapping, Trails and Recreation Specialists, Interpretation and Wilderness Rangers were included and this is typical for any map we publish. In addition, we always work with regional Managing Associations to these forests and other public lands. In this case we worked with the Eastern Sierra and the Three Forests Interpretive Associations.

Contours:: Creating a new map from scratch must be a pretty extensive project. Can you describe what went into the creation of 809?

Shane Matthews:: Our production team treated this new map like any other, really. It starts with establishing that relationship with the key people as I just mentioned. Securing the most updated information these land agencies can provide is the next big step. Having these two things in place we are off and running. Typically, the map base is generated using USGS information then we add a variety of information obtained from land agencies and other trusted sources in the region.

Editorial and other essential information is also collected and included in all of our maps. We put TI809 through several in-house edits before it went to the land agencies for an on-site review before publishing. We found that working the district-level forest staff, the people who “walk the ground” was key with TI809, which can be said for any project.

Contours:: What do you think users of 809 will most appreciate about the map?

Shane Matthews:: The map user will appreciate a variety of things about TI809, but quite simply they will appreciate this map because it can be trusted. It is published at a very usable scale with extreme detail to landscapes. TI809 offers practical information that the user will need for trip planning and for use while exploring and recreating in the region.

Contours:: What popular places are contained on 809?

Shane Matthews:: TI809 contains portions of Sierra and Inyo National Forests, Ansel Adams and John Muir Wilderness Areas, Devils Post Pile National Monument, Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, The Eastern Sierra Scenic Byway, The Pacific Crest Trail just to name a few.

Contours:: Finally, besides California what other projects is your team working on right now?

Shane Matthews:: We are busy with many Trails Illustrated revisions around the country. Mammoth Cave National Park, Pisgah Ranger District , Fontana and Hiwassee Lakes, Nantahala & Cullasaja Gorges, and many Colorado and Utah region maps are among the revisions on the exhaustive docket for the year. New titles will include two maps under the Adventure Map Series covering the California Baja of Mexico. These Baja maps will be the latest in the quickly expanding Adventure Map Series and will include the comprehensive travel information these maps are known for. Look for them this Fall!

Contours:: Thanks for your time Shane and keep up the great work!

Nat Geo Maps at APPL

APPL is the Association of Partners for Public Lands. Members include associations at National Parks and National Forests dedicated to public understanding, appreciation, and stewardship of America’s natural and cultural heritage. They operate stores at information centers that sell books and maps, and that's where we come in.

Our Trails Illustrated maps cover all the major National Parks and a growing list of National Forests and recreation areas. APPL member stores are our points of sale within the parks and forests. The land management agencies they work with provide key information on trails and much more that help make our maps the most comprehensive guides to the backcountry.

APPL's annual convention and trade show brings together federal and state land management agencies and their nonprofit partners to learn, conduct business, and build a national public lands community. The 2008 convention took place this week in Denver, Colorado, not far from our office in Evergreen.

We're proud to have built a successful business, in cooperation with APPL member associations, providing maps that help people enjoy their public lands.

NGMaps Sales Manager Christy Schoonover with customers at the APPL show

NEW Trails Illustrated Map for SW Colorado!

MAP FEATURES:

Scale
1:63,360

Size
Sheet = 25.5” X 37.75”
Folded = 4.25” X 9.25”
Waterproof – Tear Resistant

Map Highlights
• San Juan National Forest
• San Juan & Piedra Rivers
• Vallecito & Lemon Reservoir
• State Wildlife Areas
• Chimney Rock Archaeological Area
• Piedra Natural Area
• Navajo State Park

Towns
• Pagosa Springs
• Bayfield
• Ignacio

Scenic Byways
• San Juan Skyway

Product Numbers
ISBN 13: 978-1-56695-239-2
ISBN 10: 1-56695-239-5
UPC: 749717001459
EAN: 9781566952392

Price
SRP = $11.95

OTHER MAP FEATURES:

This title provides overlapping coverage of the newly published TI144 Durango-Cortez, TI142 South San Juan-Del Norte & TI140 Weminuche.

• Detailed road and trail network
• Classed Trails by Use
• Locations of popular recreation sites

Outdoor recreation maps - great things on tap

We're cooking up some great things for outdoor recreation map users this year.

mapXchange, our site for downloading trail and other map overlays to use with TOPO! will enjoy a major upgrade this spring.

Look for an announcement about this and other TOPO! news January 22nd.


Trails Illustrated will continue its march across northern California this year with great new maps.

And based on the success of National Parks Explorer 3D, Southern Appalachian Mountains Explorer 3D and Adirondack Park Explorer 3D, we're also working to make more TI maps available digitally.

New Trails Illustrated Title: New River Blueway

National Geographic Maps is pleased to announce our newest Trails Illustrated title, but with a twist.

This title has a "Geotourism Feature" that not only highlights recreational amenities, but also the region's cultural and physical features of select areas of North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia, with a focus on the New River, an EPA designated American Heritage River.

Whether you're planning a float trip or visiting the many protected parks and natural areas, this map can serve as an excellent trip-planning tool and cultural resource.