Rural System

Rural System's affiliate

Contours: Geospatial Information Services

An early Affiliate of Rural System, Contours has become the backbone of most of the working groups. It has a major work load serving the progressive Nature Folks, Forest Group, Gardens Group, Realtors Group, the Fishery, and others. Be sure to see our own special web site.

Contours provides unique computer maps but more importantly, it provides tables of data and other information to decision makers in many different forms to help analyze situations, see problems and limits, and examine different scenarios of land use. Contours has access to and can deliver in unique forms more information than you can dream about for every area in Virginia, Tennessee, and for most surrounding areas. Most people do not yet realize the power of computer maps ... but just consider ... we can deliver to you:

a map of the best place to locate a road, powerline, or foot trail
a map of the best places for managed pastures (given that we know about soil, climate, roads, slopes, elevations and other factors)
what species of trees to plant where for rapid, stress-free growth
grades of primeness of farm land (for planning or zoning)
areas where rare plant or animal species are likely to be found (and thus avoid conflicts over uses of areas)
areas that meet all of your requirements for the "perfect" building site.
maps that help protect you against litigation
fire hazard maps and documents related to insurance risks
energy conservation and solar energy collection strategies
Care to see examples and suggestions?

We're doing exciting work that we can share with you...

We are developing unusual, powerful, three-dimensional analyses of ponds and small lakes and streams.
Our new analyses of shadows cast by mountains on nearby land surfaces can offer you new insights and scientific "control" for the ecology of shaded sites and their restoration and potential uses
Our new algorithms let us cast maps of where well-described structures or events are likely to occur.
The research potentials are unlimited (but we'll share a reasonable length list with you) and will be glad to partner with you in developing proposals and in responding to agency requests for proposals.
Let us make multidimensional maps of key factors in your county to help in planning, taxation, and impact analyses
We can show you how to include dynamic computer maps in a dynamic planning system called the Trevey
We're creating never-seen before maps using the global positioning satellite technology (GPS).

We work at many scales, from county (here) to microscopic (surfaces of microbes). Colors can be selected to emphasize topics and relative values. The counts and proportions of areas in each shade or color may be more important than the map itself.

As a suggestion of one application of geospatial analyses at the county scale, we show all National Forest land (in white) and further analyses of the land use types throughout the private lands.

We'll conduct specialized training programs for you, but we think that it is more cost-effective for most organizations to employ us to do your specific tasks. The technology changes rapidly, projects are diverse and expertise is expensive and limited, differences in student needs are very great, and full-time committment is needed because of the learning curve, poor documentation of most GIS systems, high costs of space, the ever-changing needs of your company, and changing support staff. (We can show you the cost differences, even for the short-term.)

Contours Geographic Information Services was founded in 2003 as a privately-owned GIS consulting firm in Knoxville, Tennessee. Our founding principles were simple: to responsibly manage project work, to strive to provide exceptional quality services to our customers, and to grow without incurring debt.

We're building on the experiences and ideas of Dr. Bob Giles who was doing GIS work with graduate students at Virginia Tech as far back as 1969. The leader and founder, Bill Card, has a MS in natural resource science (wildlife) from Virginia Tech. He has X years of experience within the US Department of the Interior. Through years of hands-on GIS project experience and education, we have acquired the knowledge, skills, and abilities to provide high quality services to all of our customers. We know, like you, that there is no substitute for experience. We carefully strive to understand your needs and to emphasize the quality of services provided and your satisfaction. References are available. We're eager to develop superior geospatial analyses for you with appropriate products and will provide consulting.

Bob Giles shares with us some of his ideas about GIS potentials and opportunities in private land development and management.

As Rural System expands and replicates, we shall be pleased to consider inquiries for expanding in other regions of the U.S. and the world.

With partnership with Rural System, our combined expertise and talents will increase our ability to provide you with the best information products and solutions available. A part of all of our financial gains go to Rural System and its diverse programs to stabilize and improve the rural conditions of the U.S. and Earth.

We sell several GIS maps and products through Rural System's General Store.

The area around your place (3 maps)
Your county (a packet of 10 maps)
A three-dimensional view of your county or region
The land use of Virginia (24-inch rolled map in color with brochure) ... and others.

Working toward reasonable, profitable solutions to persistent, real-world, wicked problems in new ways
then moving past analysis to action

Please call us at xxxxx or contact us at xxxxxx.

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September 17, 2004