Technology

Technology supports the mission of IslandWood through:

• Supporting programmatic offerings to visitors to IslandWood.
• Providing an environmentally friendly infrastructure for IslandWood operations as well as a model for other organizations.
• Providing resource friendly (paper and people) information management by IslandWood Staff.
• Providing interpretive examples of sustainable design elements of IslandWood facilities.

Technology Uses

Infrastructure
IslandWood's network supports voice, video and data over an integrated network. Core operations such as phones, email and contact management are conducted via this infrastructure. This integrated approach was chosen to minimize construction costs and the use of resources.

Demonstration & Interpretation
The IslandWood facilities, network, and programs are designed to practice the principals they are teaching – that is, sustainable use of resources. To help achieve our mission, we make many of these design elements visible to visitors. Interpretive displays help people understand how the buildings are designed for solar heating and cooling, re-use of water, and many other elements.

Research
A variety of applications help staff and program participants conduct long-range research on various aspects of IslandWood and neighboring properties. For example, our stream is a likely candidate for salmon re-introduction. We are monitoring the water quality now to help us become eligible for some funding sources.

Instructional/Interpretive Technology
Computers, displays, models and other devices around IslandWood provide opportunities for:

Digital still and video cameras provide opportunities for visitors to document their field research. Time-lapse photographic equipment helps "speed up time" as visitors watch ferns uncoil, blossoms open, and other slow processes occur. Infrared and motion sensors allow people to record phenomena that might occur at night in the field.

GIS (Geographical Information Systems) allow visitors to gather and manage information about the ecology of the area and to manipulate their data and observations with geo-spatially referenced software programs.

Handheld devices, such as Pocket PCs, provide a variety of uses, including collecting field data through probes, recording observations, and accessing reference materials, such as digital photos, text documents, and audio files.

Computers allow clients to conduct research, build and test mathematical models that explore relationships and ideas, and construct multimedia presentations of their studies.