Preserving paleontological resources using photo- grammetry and geographic information systems

Introduction The American West is a storehouse of fascinating paleontological resources that include the footprints and skeletal remains of dinosaurs. These important scientific and educational resources are often on lands managed by government agencies for the benefit of the nation’s public. Land management agencies are challenged with providing public access to these resources, as well as preserving them for future generations. Conservation includes the scientific identification, documentation, curation, and monitoring of these national treasures. The natural process of weathering, combined with the effects of public visitation—including those of vandalism, unfortunately—can significantly affect a site. Documentation, collection (when appropriate), and retention of data and associated materials in a suitable public repository, where the information can be preserved into perpetuity, are vital. An excellent documentation tool is three-dimensional (3-D) data capture. Photogrammetry, conventional or global positioning systems (GPS) surveying methods, and ground-based laser imaging are techniques that can provide highly accurate 3-D representations of fossil resources.