Helpful Programs for the Pine Barrens Explorer

[Ben Ruset]

Here's a list of some helpful Windows based software for people who are interested in exploring the Pine Barrens. Please, send me suggestions for your favorite software. Send an email to bruset@njpinebarrens.com.

Graphics & Photos

Image Resizer Powertoy for Windows XP - free program from Microsoft that allows you resize a single (or a batch) of digital photos into whatever resolution you need. Simply right click on the photo and select "Resize Image"

REAWatermark - shareware application that allows you to easily add a watermark image or text to your digital photos.

Mapping and Exploring

USA PhotoMaps - freeware application that allows you to download USGS Topographic maps and Satellite Photos, quickly switch between the two, and create and display waypoints with your GPS. Supports Garmin USB GPS's too.

OziExplorer - Commercial ($85) software that allows you to extrapolate positions from historic map images. Helpful if you want to plot coordinates based on old maps.

Google Earth - Free - lets you see a stiched together composite of satellite imagery and maps, overlay road and topo data (in some areas), and search for addresses. PC & Mac.

 

[Ben Ruset]

Maps

NJPineBarrens.com Live Maps Beta

Libre Map Project - The purpose of the Libre Map Project is to aggregate and make digital maps and related GIS data available for Free

New Jersey Environmental Digital Library

Rutgers Cartography - a nice collection of maps that have fallen into public domain

DEP iMap-NJ - Aerial photography from 1930, 1995, and 2002. Very, very useful for exploring. (Thanks, Boyd!)

 

[Boyd]

And don't forget the i-MAP NJ: http://www.nj.gov/dep/gis/depsplash.htm#

The user interface is a bit awkward but it will give you some new insights by comparing the 2002, 1995 and 1930 ariel photos. Scroll down the list of layers on the left until you see these three options. Note that the availability of the layers changes depending on zoom level, so if the one you want is greyed out you will need to either zoom in or out until you can select it. The 1930 images are worth the price of admission all by themselves

 

[pinelandpaddler]

Thank you, Ben!

 

[pinelandpaddler]

The 1930 images are worth the price of admission all by themselves .

They are priceless, which is ironic being that they were nearly tossed to the trash.