Contact: Bob Ratliff
Research under way at Mississippi State may soon make it harder to get away with state wildlife violations.
A project begun this summer by the university's Forest and Wildlife Research Center is using geographic information systems, or GIS, to plot precise maps that illustrate patterns of wildlife law enforcement violations. The data is collected both by satellites and individuals on the ground.
The project is the first of its kind ever funded by the law enforcement division of the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks. It also makes Mississippi the first state to use GIS technology to examine locations of wildlife citations.
MSU scientists are analyzing nearly 30,000 MDWFP citations issued since July 1, 1996. Data captured from each report includes the type of violation, animal species involved, time and date, and specific location.
The GIS technology will be used to plot violations on detailed county maps, according to project coordinator and wildlife and fisheries research scientist Richard B. Minnis.
"This project will enable wildlife law enforcement officers to be more proactive in their duties," Minnis said. "They can use the GIS data to determine both enforcement weaknesses and 'hotspots' within a county."
Days of the week and times when deer spotlighting and other illegal activities occur, as well as descriptions of landscape features where the incidents take place, are among other factors being compiled.
When analyzed and displayed, the information will give law enforcement officers a better understanding of violators' habits. The study also will enable their supervisors to better determine the most effective use and placement of personnel when additional coverage is required, especially during peak seasons.
"Using GIS in this way has the potential to give officers a different perspective on their territory," Minnis said. "In addition, officers unfamiliar with a territory can quickly learn about their new surroundings."
When fully in place, these new tools should result in important time and cost savings for the state-funded agency. Initial plotting of violations is scheduled for completion by February 2001.
During the final phase of the two-year project, MDWFP personnel will be trained to use GIS technology to plot and examine future violation patterns.
While spotlighting and other forms of illegal hunting and fishing will get major attention from the MSU research, Minnis said the technology also should help officers get a better grip on the most prevalent violators in Mississippi's outdoors: the ones without current licenses.