Determining Location Data

Getting data from the field - Determining Location Data (Longitude and Latitude)

Since knowing preciisely where an item is and how to find it is crucial to our record keeping, it is essential to know how to determine its location. When arboretum record keeping started at Medford Leas, the only method for finding location was to use a GPS Navigation Device, either a consumer grade portable device or a professional GPS receiver. 

With the advent of smart phones equipped with GPS, and online maps like Apple Maps and Google Maps, it is possible to use these devices and features to be even more precise by visually pinpointing the item in the satellite map view on the smart phone or on Google or Apple Maps on a computer.

Sometimes the information that you are given about the location of a new tree is very vague, e.g. behind Court 9. If you have a photo of the tree, you may be able to determine a more exact location by using the Geo-tagging information in the photo. Ultinately though, we want to be as precise as possible. This is possible without having expensive GPS Surveying equipment, using a technique called "Pinpointing."

Note that the arboretum record keeping system uses the Decimal Degrees format, e.g. 39.91080°, -74.81664°.

• Using Geo-tagged photos

• Pinpointing using satellite maps