The Maine Woodlot Assistance Web Site
Bringing Forestry to the Landowners of Maine
By
David Elliott Beers
A paper submitted for partial fulfillment for the degree of Master of Forestry
July 3, 1997
Committee
David Field (Advisor)
Alan Kimball
Susan Wesley
Table of Contents
Appendix B (Table of Contents)
Maine forest landowners often do not know where to find forestry information or assistance and, even if they do, it may be difficult to access or not of the variety they want. In a 1982 survey of non-industrial private forestland owners in Maine, 40% claimed the need for forestry assistance while 54% claimed they did not know whom to contact to get forestry assistance. Nineteen percent had received forestry assistance at some time (Birch 1986). These percents show a need for forestry assistance and an inability to obtain that assistance.
The Maine Woodlot Assistance Web Site helps fill the need for forestry assistance by aiding non-industrial woodland owners in Maine with their forestry decisions. The site provides information about options, opportunities, and assistance for woodland management in Maine. The site also addresses how woodlands interact with the owner’s community and pocketbook. Subjects are specific to the State of Maine, but the basic format and information is applicable to any state.
The site is easy-to-use and available to anyone with a computer and Internet access. The site makes use of text, tables, maps, graphics, links between subjects, and links to other Web sites. Special features include a table of contents, index, list of forestry definitions, list of references, electronic form for user suggestions, and a map of forestry assistance in Maine. Each page can be accessed directly from the table of contents by selecting the word pertaining to the subject of interest. The index allows the user to search all University of Maine Web sites (including this site) for use of a keyword, like "pruning". The list of forestry definitions includes most of the forestry terms used in the site. The list of references contains all sources cited. The References page and the Definitions page have an alphabetical menu that allows the user to jump to the part of the list he or she is interested in. The Suggestions page allows the user to suggest improvements to the site and send any other message to the maintainer of the site. All of these special features are accessible from the menu bar at the bottom of every page.
A special feature of the site is the ability to locate forestry assistance. First, the user chooses a type of forestry assistance in Maine. The types of assistance available are forestry consultants, industry forestry assistance, US Department of Agriculture, Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, County Extension Service, Maine Forest Service Field Foresters, and Maine Forest Service Rangers. Once selected, the computer presents a map of locations of that type of assistance. Each location is a blue dot. When a user selects a blue dot, information about that location is shown. When possible, addresses and phone numbers are given for all sources of assistance.
The Maine Woodlot Assistance Web Site is located on the University of Maine’s server, called Kramer. The site is an ongoing project and needs continual maintenance to keep it current, relevant, and interesting. The site needs someone to respond to user suggestions and comments and someone to find and correct problems. The site also needs many additions and improvements to realize its potential and fulfill the forestry information needs of its online users. The information this site provides is only as beneficial as the people it reaches. Marketing brings people to the site. This site has tremendous potential, not only for the State of Maine, but also as source of ideas and information for other states that are creating forestry education Web sites.
Site’s Internet address: www.ume.maine.edu/~woodlot/
I thank David Field for giving me the opportunity to pursue graduate studies and allowing me the academic freedom to create an unusual master’s program. I admire his devotion to the forestry profession. The amount of time and energy he gives to forestry education at the University of Maine is remarkable.
I thank Al Kimball for positive energy, creativity, and encouragement. Although Al is grounded in reality, he always has an open mind and a new idea.
I thank Susan Wesley for helping me see education and communication in new ways. Susan does not see boundaries between disciplines or people. She helps students take down their own boundaries.
I thank Louis Morin for his excellent GIS (Geographic Information System) instruction that made the forestry assistance map possible. I thank Randy Boone for using his computer wizardry to help create the forestry assistance map. I thank Jennifer McLeod for her hours of classroom and personal instruction on Web page creation.
Most importantly I thank my family. My parents (Chip and Margo) are the foundation of all I do. Leslie is my friend, partner, and soon will be my wife. I appreciate her patience with my infrequent visits and her support of my ventures.
"There is a real need for education about the forest: little things like the fact that trees grow back, the sustainability of the resource, the difference between hardwood and softwood, the importance of the forest to the entire economy."
-Speech by Angus King, Governor of Maine, at the 1997 Maine Watch Conference
According to a 1987 U.S. Forest Service study of NIPF (Non-Industrial Private Forestland) ownerships in Pennsylvania by Birch and Pywell, there are three problems with these ownerships. First, there is an overall lack of active forest management, which results in infrequent and unplanned harvesting. Landowners usually avoid harvesting to prevent destruction of scenery. When harvesting does occur, it is often spurred on by an immediate need for money or an attractive timber purchase offer. This study suggests that landowners view forest management like medicine. They only make a doctor’s appointment when the pain is intolerable. Proper forest management is planned so that harvesting is a deliberate action instead of a reaction. Forest management is more like preventative medicine, with regular checkups and a planned healthy lifestyle.
A person using preventative medicine is more productive. When a forest has a management plan, it is more productive. This explains the second problem found on Pennsylvania’s NIPF ownerships — low productivity when compared to other land ownership types (Birch and Pywell 1987). The third problem is not enough trained forestry professionals to answer landowner questions.
Maine has similar problems with its NIPF ownerships. Maine landowners often do not know where to find forestry information or assistance and, even if they do, it may be difficult to access or not appropriate. In a 1982 survey of NIPF owners in Maine, 40% claimed the need for forestry assistance while 54% claimed not knowing whom to contact to get forestry assistance. Nineteen percent had received forestry assistance at some time (Birch 1986). These percents show a need for forestry assistance and an inability to obtain that assistance.
Forestry consultants provide most of the forestry services to NIPF owners and, therefore, have a large effect on the forest in these ownerships and on the owner’s knowledge of forestry. In a 1987 survey of forestry consultants in Maine, Riefler found most consultants offer timber sale administration, management plans, timber appraisal, and timber inventory to NIPF ownerships. Most of their business was obtained through word-of-mouth and not advertising. This lack of advertising may help explain why only 19% of landowners have received forestry assistance.
Consultants claimed that the number one problem with landowners was the landowner’s lack of forestry knowledge, especially about the economics of forestry. Consultants would especially like to see education about pre-commercial treatments and the cost-share programs that help fund those treatments. Eighty percent of consultants see the role of government agencies as one of educating and demonstrating the benefits of forest management. Such a role includes targeting education efforts towards potential clients of professional forestry assistance. More effectiveness in this role can result in more landowners using and understanding the benefits of forest management (Riefler 1987).
The preceding problems are rooted in a single problem — not enough access to forestry information and assistance in Maine. The goal of the Maine Woodlot Assistance Web Site is to help solve this problem by providing forestry information and assistance to the non-industrial, private, forestland owner of Maine. Traditionally, forestry information and assistance has been given through publications, personal communications, seminars, and workshops. These methods have proven effective and continue to be used, but they are having difficulty filling all needs efficiently and effectively. The World Wide Web (referred to as the Web) is a type of communication and education medium that has the potential to complement traditional methods while providing a unique type of forestry education. The Maine Woodlot Assistance Web Site can help fill the need for forestry information and assistance in Maine by meeting the needs of the Maine woodlot owner.
"Did you know that over half of America’s timber supply comes from small woodlands."
-National Woodland Owners Association
I created the Maine Woodlot Assistance Web Site to help the Maine
woodlot owner with forestry decisions. Even though the site’s target
audience is Maine woodlot owners, the information it contains can be
just as useful to the non-woodlot owner interested in forestry. In
fact, because it is targeted towards the people making most of the
forest management decisions, the site has maintained a focus that
non-forestland owners may find interesting.
Maine woodlot owners are categorized as NIPF (Non-Industrial Private Forestland) owners. NIPFs account for 46% of the forestland acreage in Maine in 1982 (Birch 1986). Fifty-six percent of the NIPF owners own less than 10 acres; these small holdings comprise two percent of the forestland acreage in Maine. Most of the forestland acreage in NIPF ownership consists of parcels between 10 and 100 acres. Overall, NIPFs are a significant source of forest-based products and services in Maine.
The characteristics of these owners are varied and partially reflect the citizenship of the Maine. The number of blue collared and professional NIPF owners are equal (Figure 1). Sixty percent of NIPF owners are over 45 years old. With over half of NIPF owners over the age of 45, it is not surprising to have a relatively large percentage (20%) of owners retired (Figure 1). Sixty-six percent claim their woodlot as their permanent place of residence. Almost half of NIPF owners own their land primarily as a place of residence. (Owners residing on their woodland may own the land for a reason other than residence.) Domestic use, aesthetics, and recreation are the other prevalent reasons for forestland ownership. Only two percent of owners claim timber production as the primary reason for ownership (Figure 2) (Birch 1986).
Altogether, Maine woodland owners are middle-aged and are most concerned with the non-timber resources on their land. Education of Maine woodland owners needs to emphasize non-timber forest resources and the problems facing an aging ownership. Non-timber resources include privacy, recreation, aesthetics, land value, and wildlife. Problems facing an aging ownership are estate taxes, supplementing a fixed income, and being able to pass on woodlands to family.
The most significant environmental and financial activity on these NIPF ownerships is timber harvesting. Maine’s past harvesting practices have had a predominance of highgrading. Highgrading is taking only the most valuable, and therefore, largest trees. Over half of the forestry consultants in Maine estimate that over 75% of the private woodlands in Maine have been highgraded in the past 50 years (Riefler 1987). Consultants are concerned about the large acreage of poor quality timber that has resulted from highgrading. Despite the prevalence of poor-quality timber, and the fact that timber production is an uncommon reason for ownership, 40% of surveyed NIPF owners in Maine in 1982 planned on harvesting timber in the next 10 years. Eighty-one percent planned on harvesting at some time in the future. Three quarters of the owners who are not planning to harvest had less than 10 acres (Birch 1986). This means the majority of NIPF acreage will be harvested. Not all of these harvests involve selling wood. In fact, 40% (Figure 3) of NIPF owners harvest wood for their own use, which is usually firewood (Birch 1986). Based on these figures, education efforts need to concentrate on subjects pertaining to harvesting and firewood.
Few landowners (3%) refrain from harvesting because they are opposed to cutting (Figure 4). NIPF owners usually avoid harvests because poor quality growing stock, insufficient acreage, or insufficient volume make harvesting impractical (Figure 4). These stand conditions, combined with the surprisingly low proportion (12%) of harvests done for profit (Figure 3), indicate education needs to emphasize the use of silviculture for stand improvement and not immediate profit (Birch 1986).
Even though Figure 4 does not show it, many landowners are forgoing harvesting and any type of forest management because of fear. Landowners fear logging will ruin the beauty of their woods. They fear that logging will spoil all the other uses of their woodlands. They fear of not getting the payments they deserve for cut timber. They fear logging will reduce the value of their land. These fears are based on the poor practices of a minority of loggers and they are based on poor communication between loggers and landowners. Poor communication results from the landowner seeing the logger as providing a service, like mowing a lawn. In reality, the logger is only a buyer of stumpage and the landowner is the seller (Long 1997). The logger wants to get the most valuable timber for the lowest price. The landowner has an image of what the forest should be after cutting. These two goals rarely match. The logger does the job he or she is hired to do and the landowner does not get the forest he or she anticipated.
It is the forester’s job to ensure the landowner is left with the forest he or she desires, the income he or she desires, and that just compensation is received for stumpage. The forester often helps the landowner make decisions about his or her woodland by providing options and predicting of the results of each option. The forester takes care of what is left after cutting. The logger takes care of what is cut.
Timber harvesting is as important and has as much or more of an impact on a landowner’s life and pocketbook as buying a car or a house. The decision to harvest timber should not be taken lightly. The landowner needs to do research about their options, educate themselves about the process, and hire a professional forester to represent their interests and provide advice. The Maine Woodlot Assistance Web Site provides information about the options, the process, and the results of timber harvesting and forest management. The site also provides the sources of forestry assistance needed to make wise forest management decisions.
"I’d describe the World Wide Web as a global, interactive, dynamic, crossplatform, distributed, graphical, hypertext, information system that runs over the Internet. Whew!"
-Laura Lemay, author of Teach Yourself Web Publishing
The Web is a part of the Internet. The Internet is a group of computers linked together by rules and guidelines for sharing information. Information is transferred between computers via telephone wires or television cables. Intranet is a similar term, except the inter-computer links occur only within a single organization (Hoffman 1995). The U.S. created the first Internet in the 1960’s. It really was more of an Intranet because only the military used it. The military had linked their computers together for more efficient communication in the event of a nuclear attack. In the 1970’s, scientists began using the military’s Internet. Scientists created their own Internet in the 1980’s. The 1990’s brought commerce to the Internet. The 1990’s also saw an increase in the types of Internet services. The Internet includes not only the WWW (World Wide Web), but also software programs like email, bulletin board services, gopher, Usenet, file transfer protocol, and Telnet. Each of these programs has its own method of inter-computer communication and all are part of the Internet. Each of these Internet programs is a software window to other computers (December and Randall 1995).
The most commonly used Internet program is the Web. The Web is a software window to other computers that organizes the information transfer between computers. What makes the Web different from other types of Internet software is its ability to communicate more than text.
The European Particle Physics Lab created the Web in 1991 to transfer graphics between computers. This new capability was tremendously popular. In 1993, the NCSA (National Center for Super Computing Applications), in Champaign Illinois, made a new Web software that expanded on CERN’s work. The new Web software was called MOSIAC. The superior graphics and ease of use of MOSAIC made it the preferred Web software until 1994. In 1994, some software engineers from MOSIAC formed their own company and created Netscape. Netscape’s improvements on MOSAIC have made Netscape the most heavily used Web software today (December and Randall 1995). Other Web software in use today (year 1997) includes Microsoft Explorer and Gopher.
The Web communicates information using a universal programming language called HTML (Hypertext Transfer Markup Language). As previously mentioned, the Web can communicate in more than text. The Web can communicate in multimedia and hypermedia. Multimedia includes text, photos, graphics, sound, animation, and videos. Hypermedia allows the user to select an image or section of text that links the user to further information (December and Randall 1995). Hypermedia lets users explore information at their own pace and based on their own curiosity.
Hypermedia links work by selecting text, maps, or graphics that then take the user to the subject in question. Links allow the user to find information in a non-linear fashion. For example; if the user is reading a page about timber harvesting that refers to the practice of clearcutting and the word "clearcutting" appears as blue text, the user can select the word "clearcutting". Selecting "clearcutting" brings up a page about the subject of clearcutting. The user may then find another link on the clearcutting page he or she wants to explore. At any time, the user can go back to the last page used or go back to the home page, where the main topics are listed. Using links, the user can jump from subject to subject within the same Web site or to other Web sites. Unlike a book, where the author or editor controls the order and flow of information, the Web allows the user to control the order and flow of information (Ellsworth 1994). The user is able to navigate through the site’s information based on his or her specific interests.
The other types of Internet software communicate only text and the text is not linked to more information. The Web communicates in multimedia and links information to information. Both multimedia and hypermedia help explain the popularity of the Web (December and Randall 1995).
Use of multimedia and hypermedia in computers has its own development history. In the early 1980s, the Commodore 64 was the first personal computer to offer interactive graphics (called a graphical user interface or GUI). By the mid-1980’s, the Macintosh computer offered the first "user-friendly" GUI, which included the use of windows and scroll bars. This revolutionized computers by allowing a new computer user to quickly learn how to navigate through tasks. This meant the user did not need to know how to use cryptic DOS programming commands to work a computer successfully; instead, the user manipulated easy-to-understand graphics. Macintosh also offered the first software with hypermedia, called HyperCard. HyperCard allowed anyone to create their own interactive educational programs by using hypermedia to create links between information. In 1993, CD-ROMs began to be produced that were based on the use of multimedia and hypermedia. A year later, CD-ROM programs were overshadowed by Web documents that offered the same multimedia and hypermedia features, but with much greater affordability and public access (December and Randall 1995).
The Web is similar to an electronic library. There are a variety of topics that are presented in a variety of forms (text, graphics, photos, sound, video, and animation). Like a library, the information on the Web is usually free. On the other hand, the Web is in many ways different than a library in the way information is presented. The Web is able to combine form in a single document. A library separates form into the stacks, the listening room, and the video viewing room. The Web links information with hypermedia. The only way one can link information in the library is by walking to another stack. Web documents can be changed and kept current with a push of a button. Libraries are changed and kept current by obtaining new publications and editions. The Web is equally available worldwide. Libraries are regional and vary in their size and variety of holdings. Two-way communication between author and reader is possible on the Web via email. Communication with an author of a printed publication at the library is only possible if one finds the author’s address or phone number. Unlike publishing printed work for a library, Web publishing has no printing costs, no transportation costs, and has millions of readers (Hoffman 1995). All of these differences from a library are made possible by combining the capabilities of computer networking with multimedia and hypermedia. It is these differences that answer the question "Why use the Web?" What about the question "How do I connect?"
In order to connect to the Web, the user needs a computer, modem, and an Internet provider like America Online or CompuServe. A new way to connect is through your TV by using a WebTV device. A user can also connect at the local public library, a cyber-café, or at a school. I have accessed the Maine Woodlot site at the Camden Public Library, on my computer at home, at a WebTV display at a video store in Boston, and at the University of Maine’s computers.
Once the user is on the Web, there are different ways to find information. The most direct way is to type in the address or URL (Uniform Resource Locator) of a Web site or page the user is interested in. (The URL for the Maine Woodlot site is http://www.ume.maine.edu/~woodlot/.) A Web site is like a book and a Web page is a chapter within a Web site. Each page and site has its own URL. These URLs can be saved as bookmarks for future use. If you enter the URL of a Web site, you will be presented with the site’s homepage. The homepage is a starting point and introduction to the site. Other pages in the site can be accessed from the homepage.
If the user knows the topic, but not the address of a specific site, he or she can do a net search using a search engine. The major search engines are Yahoo, Lycos, Magellan, Infoseek, Web Crawler, and Alta Vista. These search engines hunt through servers for key word(s) that the user types in. Servers are computers that present Web sites to the Web. Some search engines search through all the text in each Web page and some only search through the titles of Web pages. Some search engines require that the Web site or Web page be registered with them for it to be searched. Each engine has its own strengths and its own search method. After searching, Web pages having the keyword(s) are listed for the user to choose from. This list includes the title of the page and the first few lines of text in the page or a description of the page that has been registered with the search engine. It is important that the title and the first few lines of text in the page communicate the subject of the page to the user of the search engine.
The last way information is obtained is by having it automatically sent to your computer by a "push technology" service. "Push technology" means the information is pushed to the user instead of the user pulling the information into his or her computer. The user specifies what sort of information is sent, based on his or her specific interests. Push technology software acts as the user’s agent by finding and filtering information that matches the user’s interests and desires.
Overall, the Web is a part of the Internet that uses multimedia and hypertext. A person who creates and maintains a Web site is called a webmaster. The uses of the Web are innumerable and expanding. New uses include publishing, voting, filing forms, distributing surveys, live interactive entertainment, live video, distributing software programs, distributing computer files, news, distance education, advertisement, commerce, and many more uses not thought of yet (December and Randall 1995). Not only are there new uses, but there are also new users. Web use is increasing 10% monthly. In 1998, an estimated 100 million people will have personal access to the Web (Ellsworth 1994). In addition to office and home, public libraries and schools are providing access to the Web. The Web is becoming part of our lives. Hopefully, it will be enriching and rewarding. The Web’s future is up to us.
"Oh, the places you’ll go."
–Dr. Seuss
Web publishing is just as serious, if not more, than publishing on paper. Like paper documents, readers tend to see the information on the Web as the authoritative truth. As already described, Web documents are easily available to anyone. For these two reasons, it is the webmaster’s responsibility to produce a credible and high quality product. This responsibility is even more important when you consider that the Maine Woodlot site will become, for some people, their first impression of forestry and, for many others, their first source of forestry information. The following describes how this site was created and published.
I learned Web site creation skills from University of Maine Fogler Library workshops on Web training and multimedia. These workshops are offered each semester. Each workshop is two hours long and provides hands-on experience. I took the following workshops: Web Design, Basic HTML, Intermediate HTML, Advanced HTML, HTML Editors, FTP, Introduction to PhotoShop, and Scanning. I also received individual Web training from Jen McLeod, the Web coordinator for the University of Maine.
The Maine Woodlot Assistance Web Site was created using a type of software called a Web editor. The editor authors the HTML code for you so that all you need to do is put in the information. A Web editor’s interface is similar to a word processor, except there are extra options to put in links, images, color, anchors, and many other Web-specific features. If you do not use an editor, you must type in the HTML code. There are many publications and Web sources on how to program in HTML code.
In addition to typing code and using editors, various software applications are beginning to provide the ability to save documents as HTML files for use on the Web. Microsoft Word 97 has this capability and it also can make links to Web sites from within a word document. If I was using Word 97 to type this paper, I could provide a link in this document that would open Netscape and bring you to the Maine Woodlot site. In addition, text that cannot be saved in HTML code does not need to be retyped into an HTML file. The text can be copied and pasted into an HTML file. There are many ways to create and put information into Web sites. As software improves, creating Web sites becomes easier and includes more options.
There are many types of HTML editors available. Choice of a Web editor is based on personal preference. This site was authored with Claris Home Page 2.0 (Claris 1996). Claris is easy to learn and use. It allows you to view files as they will appear on the Web. Claris also allows you to view and edit documents in HTML code. This feature is useful when you want to create features that are beyond the Web editor’s capabilities. Parts of the Suggestions page were written in code because the Claris editor did not provide the capabilities needed. Claris also provides a spell checker. Correct spelling and grammar are a reflection of the site’s credibility.
The first page I created was the homepage. The homepage is the page the user first sees when he or she enters a Web site. The homepage is the most important page in the site because it acts as a gate to the rest of the site. If the homepage is confusing and uninteresting, the user will leave. The Maine Woodlot site’s homepage gives the title of the site, a menu of links, instructions on how to use the site, a navigation menu bar, a link to the campus homepage, the official University of Maine seal, and a short message on the current status of the site and when it was last revised. The menu of links has the following choices: options, opportunities, assistance, pocketbook, and community. "Options" include all the different natural resources on a woodlot and the activities associated with those resources. "Opportunities" are the different programs available to assist and educate the woodlot owner. "Assistance" describes what sources of assistance are available to the woodlot owner and how to get that assistance. This category includes the forestry assistance maps (see The Maps section). "Pocketbook" covers the economics of forestry and woodlot management. "Community" looks beyond the boundaries of the woodlot to show how the woodlot affects and is affected by society. See Appendix B for the specific topics covered in each of these categories.
The Maine Woodlot site has two homepages. They are identical, except for one feature, a counter. The University’s server, at my request, added a counter to the homepage called "Welcome". The counter counts the number of ‘hits’, meaning the number of times users enter this homepage. Users can only access the Welcome homepage when they first enter the site. When users enter the homepage from another page within the site, they are not entering the Welcome page, but a copy of the Welcome page called "Woodlot". Woodlot does not have a counter. Having two homepages ensures that the counter only records new users and not users returning to the homepage from within the site.
A special file name and extension is used for the Welcome homepage. In order for the Welcome homepage to be automatically presented to the user after he or she types in the site’s URL (www.ume.maine.edu/~woodlot/), it needs the file name "welcome" and the extension "shtml". This name and extension make the Welcome homepage the default page when the user enters only the site’s URL. If the user were to type in "contents.htm" after the URL, he or she would enter the Contents page and not the homepage. This touches upon the subject of file types.
There are many types of files used on Web sites. Most of the files are HTML files. Some of the HTML files draw information from other types of files. If an HTML file has an image, it is obtaining that image from a GIF (Graphic Interchange Format), a JPEG (Joint Photographic Expert Group) or a TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) file. GIF files can contain compressed graphics, like drawings. Compressed means that all repetitive information in the image is removed so that the image requires less memory when stored. The "under construction" symbol on the home page is a GIF file. JPEG files can contain compressed graphics and photographs. The assistance maps contain JPEG files (see "The Maps" section). TIFF files can contain non-compressed graphics and photographs. This site does not use any TIFF files. The third type of file this site uses is a CGI (Common Gateway Interface) file. This file connects HTML pages to other applications. The CGI file in the Maine Woodlot site connects the Suggestions page to email. When a user submits suggestions, the CGI file accesses email software so that the suggestions can be sent to the webmaster. There are many other types of files Web sites can use, like video files (MPEG) and sound files (AU).
Once files are created and combined they are ready to be put on the University of Maine’s server. To put a Web site on the University’s server you need a Web account. Accounts can be obtained from CIT (Computer Instruction Technologies). CIT is also an excellent source for computer assistance.
Once you have a Web account, Web pages can be loaded onto the University’s server with an FTP (File Transfer Protocol) program. I used WS_FTP95 because it transfers file names longer than eight characters. Some of the older versions of FTP will truncate any files with names longer than eight characters. File name truncation disables any links to the truncated files, making these files useless. Another potential FTP problem involves having file names with capital letters. The FTP program will change any file name having a capital letter to one with all capital letters. For this reason, it is important to name all files with lowercase letters. It is also important to refrain from using any spaces in file names. FTP does not recognize spaces. Successful FTP file transfers require knowledge of the rules for the FTP program.
Once you have entered an FTP program, it prompts you for information. In order to transfer files, you must identify the source and the sink of the information. The source is the drive and files the Web site is contained in. The sink is the Web site’s account on the University of Maine’s server, called Kramer. Files are transferred into the "home" and "www" directory of this account. HTML and CGI files are transferred in ASCII format. All other file types (like JPEG and GIF) are transferred in binary format. Be sure you have correctly chosen a binary or ASCII format before transferring files. The following is the table of information necessary for an FTP transfer.
|
FTP Prompt |
Your Reply |
|
Profile Name |
WS_FTP 32 |
|
Host Name |
Automatic Detect |
|
User ID |
******** |
|
Password |
******** |
|
Account |
http://www.ume.maine.edu/~woodlot/ |
|
Remote Host |
www |
|
Local PC |
C:/beers/web -drive and file |
Before transferring the site onto the University of Maine’s server, the site must meet the University’s standards for homepages. The site’s homepage requires an official University of Maine seal with a link to the University’s Web site. Information in the site must be accurate, correctly spelled, and grammatically correct. Each page in the site requires a name, title, and email or telephone number of the site’s webmaster. For more specific information on the requirements, visit the following URL: www.ume.maine.edu/Guidance/standard.htm. Besides following University guidelines, I followed some of my own guidelines.
My first guideline was to keep information short and simple. Tables and lists were used as much as possible to communicate in a succinct fashion. As a result, many of the pages are in an outline format. Headings were always used and emphasized so that the user can see the subjects covered on a page with a glance. This helps the user decide if he or she wants to read the page or move on. Use of headings, tables, and lists help ensure desired information is gained easily and quickly; otherwise, users move on and forestry education does not occur. For the same reason, pages were kept short (1-2 pages). If longer, I provided hypertext headings at the top of the page that link to subheadings further down the page. This mini table of contents at the top of each page is an excellent way for the user to see the topics covered on the page with a glance. The user can then select a link to a subheading for further reading. All the subheadings used are within parenthesis in Appendix B.
The second guideline was to create a consistent look. If a user sees a different format on each page he or she must decipher the format before trying to understand the information presented within that format. This can be frustrating for the user. Each of the pages in the Maine Woodlot site has a red title, green subheadings, blue and purple links, italicized referencing, horizontal bars separating subjects, and a navigation menu at the bottom. The navigation menu links the user to what I call the ‘anchor’ pages. The anchor pages include the homepage, table of contents, index, list of forestry definitions, list of references, and a form to send suggestions. Because the navigation bar is at the bottom of every page, the anchor pages are accessible from everywhere in the Maine Woodlot site.
Also located at the bottom of every page is the following: "http://www.ume.maine.edu/~woodlot/ Copyright © 1997: University of Maine Contact: dbeers@apollo.umenfa.maine.edu" The URL is given so that printouts from the site have the Web site address on them. Users will often make printouts for further reading and as references. The copyright prevents others from using the same information or ideas. The University of Maine is identified as the source of the copyright and therefore the source of the information. The contact information gives the email address for the webmaster of the site. The user has the right to know who is responsible for the site and how to contact them.
The third guideline was to make information easy to find. A user can find information on the Maine Woodlot site three ways. The first way is what I call the browser method. The browser method is for the user who is just browsing through the site as he or she pleases. The browser method uses links within text and links on menu pages. A menu page is a page of only links. The links are presented as a menu of subjects. A user may go through more than one menu page to get to specific information. A possible path of a browser is as follows. From the homepage, the user chooses "Options". Options opens a menu page of subjects, from which the user chooses "Timber". Again, a menu page is presented. The user chooses "Silviculture". This time, paragraphs, with specific information about silviculture, is presented. Within a paragraph, the word "prune" provides a link to a page about pruning. In this instance, the user took the following path to more and more specific information.
Browsing Path = Options Þ Timber Þ Silviculture Þ Pruning
This is only one of many possible paths to Pruning.
Because of the many pages, links, and possible paths to each page, the site is complex and becomes more so as it grows. To prevent confusion, duplication, and inconsistencies, a flow chart was used to keep track of progress. This flow chart shows filenames and major links between files. The hierarchy of the chart is the same as in the table of contents. See Appendix B.
The second way to find information is to use the table of contents. The table is a hierarchical listing of the subject of every page in the site. Because of the numerous links and resulting ways to navigate through the site, this hierarchy is only one of many. A user can select "Contents" in the navigation menu bar at the bottom of each page. The user can then select any subject to go to the page pertaining to that subject. See Appendix B for a modified version of the table of contents.
The third way to find information is to use the Index. This feature is geared towards the user who knows exactly what he or she is looking for. The index allows the user to type in a keyword into a white box. The Index searches for that keyword throughout the titles of all the Web pages on the University of Maine’s server. This search includes all the pages in the Maine Woodlot site. Once the search is completed, the user is presented with a list of all Web pages having the keyword in their title. To access any of these pages, the user simply selects it from the list. For example, if you type in the keyword ‘silviculture’, the search will provide you with a list of all Web pages on the University of Maine’s server that have ‘silviculture’ in their title. One of these pages would be the Maine Woodlot site’s Silviculture page. Upon selection of this page, you will have accessed the desired information.
The fourth guideline was to make the site understandable. Making the site understandable includes use of the three previous guidelines (short and simple, consistent look, and easily found information). It also includes writing to educate an audience not familiar with forestry. To do this, I tried to use comparisons to non-forestry disciplines to explain forestry concepts. I also tried to avoid the use of forestry terms, except where meaning might be lost. All of the forestry terms used in this site and more are defined on the Definitions page (another anchor page). The Definitions page is an excellent reference unto itself or when used to define terms found on another page in the site. The Definitions page, along with my attempt to write for a general audience makes the site more understandable.
The fifth guideline was to make the site expandable. Expandable means showing the user where to go next or showing what the next step is beyond viewing this site. Expandable includes providing names, addresses, phone numbers, and descriptions of offices to contact for more help. Providing contact information for the Maine Forest Service Insect and Disease control office on the "Protection" page makes this page expandable. The forestry assistance maps are an excellent example of providing contacts (see "The Maps" section). Providing contact information is of little help if the user does not know what services an office provides. Whenever possible, descriptions of services are given for all contacts. Expandable means providing links to other Web sites. (See Appendix A for a list of Web sites the Maine Woodlot site links to.) Expandable also means allowing the user to explore information deeper by providing references. The References page lists all sources of information used to create the site. The References and Definitions page are alphabetical and have an alphabet menu bar at the top of the page. If the user is looking up the word ‘windthrow’, he or she can select ‘w’ in the alphabet menu bar to jump to the definitions beginning with the letter ‘w’. This saves scrolling and searching time. Providing contacts, links to other Web sites, forestry definitions, and references expands the possibilities for the user beyond the Maine Woodlot site.
The sixth guideline was to make the site responsive. As mentioned earlier, the Web offers two-way communication using email. The Maine Woodlot site allows the user to interact with the site’s webmaster via the Suggestions page. The Suggestions page has boxes where the user can type comments. There are boxes for the user to enter what he or she found were the strengths and weaknesses of the site, what should be added or deleted, and what was found to be most useful. The user is also given boxes to put any other comments, his or her email address, and his or her name. The user can enter information into all or none of these categories and then email them to the site’s webmaster by selecting the submit button. If the user selects the reset button, the form is cleared for new information. If the suggestions have been sent successfully, the user receives a thank you note for sending comments. The webmaster can then respond to and act on these suggestions. As the site’s first webmaster, I have provided immediate responses to all suggestions (half are forestry questions). Many of these suggestions I have used to improve the site or have used to help guide me on what needs to be added to the site. Overall, the Suggestions page puts the user in contact with the webmaster. This helps the webmaster create a better site, helps answer the user’s questions, and helps everyone be personally involved in forestry education on the Web.
The last guideline was to make the site accessible. In order for people to find the site, the site needs to be accessible. Most Web users find sites by using a search engine. Some search engines will find your site whether you register it with the search engine or not. It is best to register with each search engine in order to be sure that each engine will find your site. You can go to the Web site of each search engine to register or you can use registration services, like www.register-it.com/frontpage. Registration services are usually free and they will usually simultaneously register your site on multiple search engines. Some services charge a fee to register and advertise your site on the Web. Fees range from $20 to $1000’s. The larger fees pay for more extensive advertising. I found going to the site of each search engine the easiest and most reliable registration method. Registration usually requires the submission of key words that will point the search engine to your site and provide a description for the search engine’s display. Sites that do not require key words either search all the text in your site or search page titles for key words. It is important to include appropriate keywords in titles and text so that the site can be found. I used the following key words in order of decreasing importance: woodland, woodlot, forestry, forest, Maine, timber, forestry assistance, forest management, timber management, forest land, timber harvest, and Maine forestry. I registered with all the major search engines (Infoseek, Yahoo, Excite, WebCrawler, Lycos, Alta Vista, and Magellan). It usually took four to six weeks for the registration to take effect.
Besides registering with search engines, there are many other ways to encourage use of this site. All of these ways fall under the category of marketing. The easiest and most direct method is to ask the keepers of other Web pages to link to the Maine Woodlot site. If another site links to yours, it is common courtesy to link to that site in return. See Appendix A for the list of links to and from the Maine woodlot site. Links are also made to this site without permission. I am sure there are many links to the Maine woodlot site that I will never know about.
Marketing involves promoting with different kinds of media, other than the Web itself. Other types of media include conferences, seminars, publications, brochures, television, and word of mouth. My first attempt at non-Web marketing was a poster presentation at the 1997 New England SAF (Society of American Foresters) convention in Portland, Maine. The poster was a large tree. The roots were pictures of different types of forestry knowledge that are transferred by the Web site to the leaves. The leaves were pictures of users of the site. The trunk of the tree represented the Web site and the Web site’s ability to bring forestry to the landowners of Maine. The trunk displayed the site’s URL. On either side of the trunk were color printouts of the anchor pages and sample pages from the site. The whole poster was made to look like a computer monitor by having a raised gray frame. A keyboard and mouse were placed at the bottom of the poster to make the whole presentation look like a computer. Seventy- five abstracts were given out at the SAF poster presentation. The one-page abstract gives a succinct description of the site. I also extemporaneously gave a half-hour talk about the site at the forestry education and communications seminar. Overall, the SAF convention was a huge marketing success.
The second presentation was a poster and interactive computer display at the MaineWatch Conference on forest sustainability at the University of Maine. Conference participants could view the poster, take a handout, and sit down with me at a computer to try out the site. This hands-on demonstration was exciting for the participants and me. About ten people sat down at the computer. I see this type of hands-on marketing as the most beneficial because of its ability to excite people about the site.
The next two presentations were given using Microsoft PowerPoint (Microsoft 1996) and Netscape (Netscape 1996). PowerPoint allowed me to create a slide show that outlined the problem I am addressing, the audience, possible solutions, what the Web is, and where the site is going. In the middle of the presentations, I switched from PowerPoint to Netscape to show the site on the screen. The first presentation was given in the forestry seminar class to eight classmates and the three members of my committee. The second presentation was given at the Forestry Noontime Seminar. This seminar was advertised with flyers and an email announcement. About fifteen people attended.
The last presentation was the most exciting and influential of all. Maine PBS started a new show this spring (1997) called Emaine. It is a show about the use of computers and the Internet in Maine. After I watched the first show, I visited their Web site and emailed the producer. In the email message, I described the Maine woodlot site and asked to be on the show. The producer visited the Maine woodlot Web site and agreed to have it on the show. Two months later I taped an interview, where I showed the features of the Web site.
Each Emaine show consists of three seven minutes segments that are centered on a theme. My interview was the last segment of the show called "Growing Season". It aired on May 10 at 7:30 p.m. and May 11 at 11 a.m. The whole Email series will be rebroadcast in the summer. A video of the Growing Season program is being submitted with this paper. Emaine has also put a description of and a link to the Maine woodlot site on its own Web site. (See Appendix A.)
In addition to these presentations at conferences, seminars, and on television; I have been promoting the site by telling people about it in conversation, giving out copies of the site’s abstract, and sending the abstract to four printed publications. I asked these publications to print an announcement about the site in their magazine or newsletter. Those publications are the Small Woodlot Owners Newsletter, National Woodlands Magazine, Journal of Forestry, Maine SAF newsletter, and the New England SAF newsletter. I received an email reply from the Journal of Forestry that stated they did not have a protocol to announce Web sites. The July 1997 Small Woodlot Owners Newsletter had an announcement about the site. I have not heard from the other publications as of the writing of this paper.
Creating, publishing, and marketing the Maine Woodlot site was challenging, fun, and exciting. All told, the site contains 361 Web pages. Seventy-two pages are informational text. The other 289 pages comprise the infrastructure of the forestry assistance maps. These maps are a unique and significant feature of the Maine Woodlot site. The next section describes the creation of the maps.
"A picture is worth a thousand words (especially if it is a clickable image map)"
-Unknown
The forestry assistance maps provide the user with locations and contact information for seven types of forestry assistance in Maine. The user is able to spatially navigate throughout Maine for the type of forestry assistance he or she desires. The types of assistance available are licensed forestry consultants, licensed foresters representing industries that offer forestry assistance, MFS (Maine Forest Service) Rangers, MFS field foresters, Cooperative Extension offices, USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) Offices, and Maine Department of IF&W (Inland Fisheries and Wildlife) offices. Once the user has chosen a type of assistance, a map of the assistance locations is presented. The user can then select a location to find more information about that location. The following describes the process of creating these seven clickable image maps of forestry assistance.
First, information was gathered about sources of forestry assistance in Maine. The Penobscot County USDA office provided a complete listing of their 14 county offices. The Cooperative Extension Service sent information on their 15 offices and information on the seven Maine IF&W offices. Kathy Nitschke, from the MFS, sent a database file of the 168 licensed consulting foresters and 18 licensed industry foresters offering assistance to non-industrial landowners in Maine. Finally, the MFS office in Old Town provided a listing of the 41 MFS Ranger offices and eight MFS field foresters.
Using the DeLorme Gazetteer of Maine; USDA offices, Cooperative Extension offices, IF&W offices, MFS Ranger offices, and MFS field forester offices were manually geocoded into a MapInfo workspace (MapInfo 1996). The workspace consisted of a map layer of Maine townships and a map layer of Maine counties. Information from each type of assistance was entered into browser tables. This gave each location "how to contact" information. Contact information usually included name, phone number, and address. The consulting and industry foresters were automatically geocoded using a database file. These files had a column for "city" that was matched with township names in the township layer. Most of the cities had the same name as the township they were located in. Those that did not have the same name were manually geocoded. The automatic geocoding placed the location symbols in the center of townships. Using the Gazetteer, each of these placements was manually adjusted to a more accurate location. Manual and automatic geocoding mapped all forestry assistance locations in Maine. Connected to each map were the data associated with each location.
At this point, the data entry was complete and the workspace had seven layers of forestry assistance, a layer of Maine towns, and a layer of Maine counties. Next, a legend was made to match each location symbol with its corresponding type of forestry assistance.
With the map finished, work with the MapInfo software was finished. Next, a Web version needed to be constructed. First, a copy of the MapInfo workspace was made for editing. Each of the forestry assistance layers was split into a separate map, saved as a JPEG image, and pasted into an HTML page. All maps were edited to use blue dots as locator symbols. The MapInfo workspace had used a different symbol and color for each type of assistance.
Second, the browser tables were saved as comma-delimited Excel files. Randy Boone used a BASIC program to make each row of information in the Excel files into an HTML page. Next, each blue dot was linked to its corresponding HTML page.
Third, the map of forestry consultants was broken down into a grid of 11 separate "zoom in" maps. The high density of consultants on the Maine map made a grid necessary.
Now a user can go to the Maine Woodlot site and choose "Assistance". He or she then chooses "Assistance Maps" and a list of types of assistance is given (forestry consultants, industry assistance foresters, Cooperative Extension foresters, USDA offices, MFS Rangers, MFS field foresters, and Maine IF&W offices). Once the user chooses a type of assistance, he or she is presented with a map of Maine counties with blue dots. Instructions are given to select a blue dot for more information. Upon selection, a page of information about that assistance location appears. Information always includes name and phone number. If the user selects "Forestry Consultants", he or she must click on a grid to get a ‘close-up’ map, at which point, he or she can select a blue dot. At any time, the user can return to the Maine map or to the list of types of forestry assistance. There is also a link on each map to a page that describes the services provided by that type of assistance.
Continual editing is necessary to keep maps and contact information current. Contact information is easily edited within its HTML page. Changing, adding, and deleting map locations must first be done in the MapInfo files. Each type of assistance has its own MapInfo file. The blue dots in each file can be moved, added, or deleted. Once the location changes in the MapInfo files are made, the new map image is saved as a JPEG file. The old map image can then be replaced with the new image by pasting in the new JPEG file. Over the top of each map image is a layer of links. This layer must be edited to match the new map image. If a blue dot is moved on the map, the link over that blue dot must be moved to the new location. If a blue dot is deleted, the corresponding link and page of contact information must be deleted. If a blue dot is added, a new page of contact information must be added, along with a new link to that page. As long as the new image is the same size as the old, blue dots that have not changed location will have the same links and therefore require no editing. Map editing is a necessary component of Web site maintenance.
For more specific MapInfo GIS (Geographic Information System) instruction, please refer to "Inside MapInfo Professional" (Daniel, Loree, and Whitener 1996). I also recommend consulting Louis Morin or taking his GIS class (FTY 480). Louis’ GIS students must complete a semester project each spring. Updating the forestry assistance maps would be an excellent project. If this sounds like a possibility, just ask Louis.
The maps are a unique and significant part of the Maine Woodlot site. Users seem to get the most excited about this feature of the site. I hope whoever takes over the site will promote the use of the maps and keep the maps current.
"’The University of Maine’s ‘Maine Woodlot Assistance Web Site: Bringing Forestry to the Landowners of Maine’ has a rather unwieldy organization, but provides a wide range of information and links of interest. Especially useful to Maine landowners, but also to others interested in forests, forestry, or woodlot management in New England."
-David Dobbs, Co-author of The Northern Forest, Northern Forest and Related Links Web page
I am finished adding to and maintaining the Maine Woodlot site. This section is meant to help guide the next webmaster of the site. It is only a guide and not a rulebook. I offer suggestions based on my experience creating the site and my vision for the future of the site. There are problems with the site that should be fixed. There are improvements that should be made. There is an endless amount of information and many features that could be added. Whoever takes over this site has a tremendous opportunity and a huge responsibility.
Of first priority are the current problems with the site that prevent it from functioning as planned and described in this paper. Two of the anchor pages are not working as well as planned. The Suggestions page worked correctly when the site was first activated. In early May, it stopped sending messages and instead gave an error message to anyone trying to submit suggestions. An error in the server’s CGI script was causing the problem. In early June, the University’s Web coordinator, Jen McLeod, fixed the problem. Reoccurrence of this problem could severely damage the site’s credibility. It is important to periodically test the interactive features (links, Index, and Suggestions) of the Maine Woodlot site to catch problems early.
The other anchor page not working as planned is the Index. Sometimes it works well and sometimes it does not work at all. The University’s server performs the keyword searching for the Index. Again, this is a server problem. Besides fixing the Index, the Index could be made to search only the Web pages in the Maine Woodlot site for keywords. Such a search would be more efficient and useful than searching through all University of Maine Web pages.
The last problem is being able to find the Maine Woodlot site with all the major search engines. Even though I registered the site with all the major search engines two months ago, WebCrawler still does not show the Maine Woodlot site when I enter ‘Maine’ and ‘woodlot’ as the keywords. I have re-registered this site with WebCrawler. WebCrawler needs to be periodically tested to make sure it eventually recognizes the Maine Woodlot site.
Users are frustrated when Web sites do not work as claimed or when search engines do not find a Web site that claims search engine availability. These problems undermine the credibility of the site. I am sure that as more people use the site, more problems will be found. Web site creation is only the beginning. Web site maintenance is never ending.
The number and type of improvements to the Maine Woodlot site will be decided by the next webmaster. I have a few improvements I see as most important. The first improvement relates to the quote for this section. The "unwieldy organization" should be changed. I am not sure what it should be changed to. The change could start by redoing the choices in the menu of links on the homepage. The site has been criticized for these choices being too vague. If this menu is redone, many links will need changing. The table of contents would also need to be reorganized since its hierarchy is based on the current menu structure. Such a meticulous reorganization of menus and links throughout the site shapes how users will navigate through the site.
Another improvement is to make the Suggestions page more prominent in the site. When the Suggestions page is working correctly, relatively few users send suggestions. I had only five suggestions sent in the month of April and I had over 100 new users. Perhaps a noticeable link (besides the link in the navigation menu) to the Suggestions page from the homepage would improve use. Another way to receive more suggestions is to create "mailto" links. When a user selects a piece of hypertext that is a mailto link, the user is presented with a dialog box allowing him or her to send email to a designated receiver. For example, if my name is a mailto link, a user can select my name to send me email. However it is done, receiving more user suggestions is vital to satisfying user needs.
It is debatable whether adding frames to the site would be an improvement. Frames separate Web sites into two or more windows. Each time a frame is added, a window is split. Each window acts independently as its own Web page with its own URL. This allows the user to see more than one page of information at the same time. Links can be made to appear on the window of choice. This allows each window to interact with the others. The big problem with frames is that not all computers are able to display and use frames. Sites having frames should have a no-frames version available. Frames should only be used where they truly enhance the site. Use of more than one frame makes a site confusing and difficult to read.
An excellent use of frames in the Maine Woodlot site would be to put the menu bar into its own small window. When links in the menu bar are used, the resulting pages are displayed in the large window. This ensures that the menu bar is always available and is easily editable. Currently the menu bar is at the bottom of every page. If editing needs to be done to the menu bar, every page needs to be edited. By using frames, the menu bar would have its own window that can be edited in one step.
I have endless ideas for additions to the site. The most important addition is completing unfinished Web pages. The unfinished pages have a title, are listed in the table of contents, and have links to them, but have little or no information in them. These pages should be completed to make the site whole. They are listed in bold in Appendix B and also listed here as follows: Maps, Shelterwood Cutting, Selection Cutting, Wildlife, Recreation, Forestry Extension, US Department of Agriculture, Investing in Woodlands, Ethics, and the income tax section of Taxes. Besides the pages in the preceding list, all of the site’s pages could use additions and modifications.
Most people learn best by looking at images. Many ideas and concepts are best described with the help of images. Associating knowledge with an image is often the easiest way to remember that knowledge. For these reasons, this Web site needs images. Images include photographs, drawings, icons, diagrams, and any other graphical representation of reality. Claris HomePage 2.0 allows you to bring JPEG or GIF images into the site, manipulate the images (size, color, brightness etc.), and place them anywhere on a page. Unfortunately, the Maine Woodlot site has few images.
Images can be interactive by making whole images or parts of images links to more information. The forestry assistance maps are images with links to further information. Such interactive images are called clickable image maps. Clickable image maps need not be a map in the traditional sense. Oftentimes they are informative diagrams. An example would be a clickable image map of a tree. If the user clicks on the leaves, a page about photosynthesis appears. If the roots are selected, an image of the soil appears. The user can then select different soil layers to learn about each layer or return to the image of the tree. Clickable image maps let users spatially navigate through knowledge. Spatial learning can bring a more complete understanding of how parts of a whole are related and interact.
My work has concentrated on creating the organization and basic information for the site. It is up to the next webmaster to add appropriate images. These images can be created in other software, pasted from other sources, or scanned in from paper documents. Avoid using any copyrighted images. It is best to assume that everything on the Web is copyrighted, unless it says otherwise. Once obtained, images can be a page’s background, a link, a border, or they can just stand-alone. The downside of images is the large files they require. As file size increases, transmission and loading time increases. The more images a Web page has, the more time it takes to load the page onto any computer. (This will be less of a problem as the technology improves.) Web users will often lose patience and move on if a page is taking too long to load. To prevent this from happening, keep images small (< 30K of memory) and use them sparingly. A single Web page with images and text should be no larger than 60K. By only using images that truly enhance the site, you keep impatient users happy and you ensure the site does not become a video game. The following are some possible sources for images.
New subjects and information should be added to this site. There are two ways to add new subjects and information. First, is to create new pages for additional subjects. When new pages are made, appropriate links must be added that allow the user to find the new pages. New pages also should be added to the table of contents. Any new references should be attached to the References page. Any new forestry terms should be defined on the Definitions page. Finally, the revision date on the homepage should be updated after the site has been changed. Adding new information to the site is more than just typing it in.
The second way to add new information is to integrate it into pages already created. When new subjects are added, it is best to make subheadings for each subject and at the top of the Web page have a subject menu that links to subheadings. Link destinations at each subheading within a page are called anchors. Each anchor is given a name and can be placed anywhere on a page. Links are made to anchors from within the same page or from another page. Unlike regular links, links to anchors can place the user anywhere on the page instead of only the top of the page. An example would be adding a new subject to the Cost-Share Programs page. Currently, the page has a menu at the top linking to three programs (FIP, SIP, and FSA). If you added a fourth program, called NPA, it would require a subheading separated from the other subheadings by a horizontal bar. NPA would also need an anchor next to its subheading. Once a link to this new anchor is added to the subject menu, the user can jump right to this new subject without having to search down the page. The top subject menu acts as a mini table of contents for the page. If a reference is made to the NPA in the text of another Web page, a link to the NPA anchor can be made from that page. Subject integration into previously created Web pages utilizes horizontal bars, subheadings, subject menus, and anchors.
You can add to the Maine Woodlot site by creating new pages or expanding old ones. Be careful that any new information is logically integrated into the current structure of links and page headings so that users can easily find new information. The following is a list of possible new subjects for the site. The list is meant to be a spark plug for even more ideas.
Before adding new information you should be sure that another site has not already done the work for you. If another site has acceptable information about a subject that you want to add to this site, just make a link to that site, in an appropriate location, and the work is done. There are similar sites to the Maine Woodlot site that might already have information you want to add. Here are a few. See Appendix A for more.
1. Vermont Woodlands Magazine www.sover.net/~vtwdmag/
2. Maine Tree Farm Committee www.treefarm.org/whatis.html
3. Maine Cooperative Extension www.umext.maine.edu/publctns.htm
4. Association of Consulting Foresters www.acf-foresters.com
5. Maine Wood Products Association www.mwpa.org/
6. Society to Protect New Hampshire’s Forests www.spnhf.org/
7. Woodland Owner Notes www.ncforestry.org/
8. USFS Northeast Area State and Private Forestry www.nena.org/NA_Home/NA_online/NA_online.html
9. Wood Products Certification and Sustainability weber.u.Washington.edu/~esw/sustain.htm
It is important to keep pages current. This is called site maintenance. Site maintenance includes adding new forestry consultants to the consultants map, making sure contact information is still correct, updating information about events like forestry camp at Tanglewood, checking that links still work, updating information about forestry issues, updating forestry regulations, and updating tax information. Without site maintenance, the site loses its credibility and viability. For example, if a user calls a forestry consultant he or she found on the Maine Woodlot site and finds that the consultant has stopped practicing, the user will see the site as outdated and not useful. Such a scenario is easily prevented with diligent site maintenance.
Site maintenance also includes updating any information related to the webmaster for the site. This includes the contact information on each page, the site’s URL, and where the Suggestions form is sent. Whoever takes over the site can either use my email address (dbeers@apollo.umenfa.maine.edu) or can use their own. If they use their own email address, the Suggestions form needs to edited so as to be sent to the new email address. Also, the contact information on each Web page would need to be edited.
Besides fixing problems, making improvements, adding more information, and site maintenance; the site need to be continually marketed to attract new users. Marketing can include the previously used methods (word of mouth, links from other sites, conferences, seminars, publications, and television) along with new methods like a brochure about the site. There are still many Web sites that would gladly make a link to the Maine Woodlot site, if asked. When asking another site for a link, it is best to make a link to their site in return. There are also many lesser-known and new search engines that the site has yet to be registered with. As the Internet grows and diversifies, more ways to market the site will emerge. Marketing the site will be a never-ending process to let people know the site exists.
Finally, I have some miscellaneous advice for the next webmaster.
I hope whoever takes over this site finds the site as enjoyable and exciting as I did. I also hope they tap as many resources as possible. Other Web sites are an excellent source of Web organization and special effect ideas. Some excellent non-Web information resources include Maine Cooperative Extension, any person or publication from the University of Maine Forest Management Department, Maine Forest Service, SWOAM (Small Woodland Owners of Maine), Maine Tree Farm Committee, Maine TREE Foundation, and the Maine Chapter of the Society of American Foresters.
As the Web evolves and its capabilities increase, the possibilities for this site become innumerable. The explosion of innovation on the Web make it difficult to stay informed of the Web’s latest communication abilities. I cannot imagine what the Web will be like in five years, let alone ten. I am sure it will be much different and much better. The Maine Woodlot Assistance Web Site has tremendous potential, not only for the State of Maine, but also as source of ideas and information for other states that are creating forestry education Web sites. This site will only remain desirable to users if it evolves with the Web. I hope others will improve and add to this site to make it the Web destination for forestry assistance and information in Maine. Be creative and good luck!
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Ellsworth, J. 1994. Education on the Internet. Sams Net Publishing. Indianapolis, IN.
Hoffman, P.E. 1995. Netscape and the WWW for Dummies. IDG Books Worldwide Inc. Foster City, CA.
Long, S. 1997. Consulting Foresters: What They Do Why You Need One. Vermont Woodlands 4 (2):33-37.
MapInfo Corporation. 1996. MapInfo Professional 4.1.
Microsoft Corporation. 1996. Microsoft PowerPoint for Windows 95 Version 7.0b.
Netscape Communications Corporation. 1996. Netscape Navigator Version 3.0 Gold.
Riefler, J.R. 1987. Characteristics, services, and needs of consulting foresters in Maine. Master of Science Thesis in Forestry. University of Maine.
Links To
Association of Consulting Foresters www.acf-foresters.com
Society of American Foresters www.safnet.org
Maine Extension Publications www.umext.maine.edu/publctns.htm
Coverts Project www.umext.maine.edu:80/coverts.htm
Maine Forest Service www.state.me.us/doc/mfs/mfshome.htm
Maine Natural Areas Program www.state.me.us/doc/nrimc/mnap/home.htm
Land Use Regulation Committee www.state.me.us/doc/lurc/lurchome.htm
Maine Tree Farm www.treefarm.org/whatis.html
Forest Health Highlights of ME www.fsl.wvact.edu/fhp/fhh/me.html
Asian Cerambycid Beetle willow.ncfes.umn.edu/pa_ceram/ceramb.htm
Hemlock Woolly Adelgid www.nena.org/NA_Home/NA_online/hemlock/hemlock.html
Butternut Canker willow.ncfes.umn.edu/HT_but/ht_but.htm
WP Blister Rust & Weevil willow.ncfes.umn.edu/HT_white/white.htm
How to Prune willow.ncfes.umn.edu/HT_prune/prun001.htm
Guide to the November Vote (Kennebec Journal) www.centralmaine.com/forestry/home.html
ME Green Party www.envirolink.org/greens/maine/index.html
USFS FIA www.nena.org/NE_Home/FIA_Home/
ME Game Farm www.state.me.us/ifw/gamefarm.htm
U of ME Forest Mgt. Dept. www.ume.maine.edu/~nfa/for_mgt/welcome.htm
U of ME www.ume.maine.edu
SWOAM www.f1support.com/swoam.html
AF&PA Sustainable Forestry Initiative www.afandpa.org/forestry/
Forestry Compact www.mint.net/intlpaper/compact.html
Forestry Ethics www.esf.edu/ideas/ethics.htm
ME Citizens Guide to the Referendum www.state.me.us/sos/cec/elec/intcon.htm
Northeast Decision Model www.fsl.uvm.edu/ned/index.htm
Dendro on disk //149.119.1.26/dendrodisk.html
Links From
Association of Consulting Foresters www.acf-foresters.com
Maine Tree Farm Committee www.treefarm.org/whatis.html
WWW Virtual Forestry Library www.metla.fi/info/vlib/forestry/
University of Maine www.ume.maine.edu
Northeast Research Associates www.neravt.com/environ.htm#Woodlands
The Northern Forest plainfield.bypass.com/~ddobbs/nflinks.htm
Environmental Organizations Web Directory www.webdirectorg.com/
UMO Forest Management Department www.ume.maine.edu/~nfa/for_mgt/welcome.htm
Maine PBS show Emaine www.mpbc.org
The hierarchy and ordering of the pages below is one of many possible combinations. For example; "Soils" is not only a subheading under "Goals", via a link from "Goals", but can also be accessed from the "BMPs" page. These links provide numerous ways to navigate through the site's subject matter. The subjects in dark green have little or no information. These are subjects that deserve priority attention when adding to the Web site. The subjects in parenthesis are subheadings within a single Web page. Each of these subheadings has a link to them from the top of the page they are located in.
Options
Planning
Soil
Deed and Boundaries
Maps
Stands
Timber
Silviculture (tending, regeneration)
Pruning
Shelterwood Cutting
Clearcutting
Selection Cutting
Crop Tree Management (not a thinning, the process, the goals (timber, wildlife, aesthetics))
Silviculture Poem
Harvesting (choosing a logger, landowner liability, timber sales contract, woods roads, skid trails, landings, felling)
Protection (fire, windthrow, erosion, insects, disease, vigor)
Common Maine Trees (Conifer (hemlock, fir, red spruce, white spruce, cedar, black spruce, white pine, red pine, larch), Hardwood (sugar maple, beech, yellow birch, ash, red maple, oak, black cherry, paper birch, gray birch, poplar, pin cherry))
Wildlife
Recreation
Watershed
Best Management Practices (woods roads, skid trails, landings, erosion control devices)
Other Uses
Christmas Trees
Christmas Wreaths (harvesting tips, forest management for tips)
Maple Syrup
Opportunities
Cost-Share Programs (FIP, SIP, FSA)
Maine Tree-Growth Tax Law
Treefarms
Education
Maine Tree Foundation
Project Landshare
Certified Logging Program
Project Learning Tree
Forestry Camp
Coverts Project
Tanglewood Summer Camp
Assistance
Why a Forester? (services, advantages, licensing)
What to Do?
Forestry Assistance Maps
Forestry Consultants
Map of Forestry Consultants
Industry Assistance Programs
Map of Industry Foresters
State Assistance (field foresters, rangers, insect and disease control)
Map of Maine Forest Service Field Foresters
Map of Maine Forest Service Ranger Offices
Forestry Extension
Map of Extension Offices
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Map of U.S. Department of Agriculture Offices
Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (duties, significant wildlife habitat, deer wintering areas, endangered or threatened species)
Map of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Offices
Woodland Owner Organizations (SWOAM, NWOA)
Pocketbook
Taxes (income tax, property tax, estate tax, forest management tax credit, commercial excise tax)
Farmland and Open Space Tax Law (farm tax law, open space tax law, penalties)
Appraisal
Investing in Woodlands
Community
Regulations and Zoning
Forest Practices Act
Harvest Reporting (harvest notification, harvest reporting, contact information)
Slash Disposal and Burning
Theft and Damage (general, survey monuments, hunting, litter, timber, Christmas trees and boughs)
Shoreland Zoning (organized towns, unorganized towns)
Issues
Natural Areas (Maine natural areas program, Maine biodiversity project)
Clearcutting
Development
Industry's Sustainable Forestry Initiative
Ethics
HOME / CONTENTS / INDEX / DEFINITIONS / REFERENCES / SUGGESTIONS
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