1 Chapter 1. Are we there yet?
Learning Objectives
At the end of this chapter, the student will
- understand the importance of analyzing maps – topographic, vegetation, climatic, and geologic – of the study area
- be aware of all the other logistical aspects of a field trip: clothing, food, tools, water and medication
1.1.Introduction
Every real field trip experience comes with a little bit of anxiety: Are we there yet? Can we start? What do we need to do? There are so many questions, so many new things for you to absorb, so many aspects that need to be considered, that you might feel somewhat overwhelmed. One thing that you can do to soothe that anxiety of the unknown is to do some leg work before the field trip. At minimum, some maps should be consulted for every piece of information that could help in the field, such as: location, relief, rivers or swamps, vegetation and possible dangers. Depending on the purpose of the field trip, a few geological specific tools will be required as well: GPS, altimeter, magnetic compass, shovel, trowel, brush, ruler, Jacob's staff, Munsell Chart, hydrochloridic acid, notebook, pencil, hand lens, hammer, and sample bags. And on top of that, some personal equipment: sweater, sun screen, mosquito spray, a pair of socks, first aid kit, and a lot of water. A virtual field-trip should be no different, even if you’re doing it from the comfort of your favourite chair. Might be a good practice to learn how to pack all that equipment in a way that allows for ease of use and it is as compact as possible. Imagine that you packed everything so that you can have access at all tools at all times but the backpack is the size of a bus. Impossible to use in the field!
Consequently, let’s have a look at all the pre-field trip aspects that could help us analyze and interpret a new area.
1.2. Pre-field study guide
Reading, even a little bit, about the study area goes a long way when you’re out in the field. For one, it gives you a baseline of information on what to expect, which in turn raises your level of confidence and it allows you more time to study aspects that are still unclear. Part of this pre-field exercise includes the maps and the information provided by them: location, relief, vegetation, climate, rock types and possible dangers. Basically, all the information that can be provided by a map will prove useful while in the field. Ready to have a look at the information provided by the maps and their usefulness?
1.2.1. Location, location, location
Remember those Real Estate TV shows? Most of them mention that one of the most important feature of a house is… You’ve guessed right, location!
Why is the location important? Well, for the sake of the exercise let’s imagine that we suggest to have a field trip to Venice, but we’re not going to mention exactly where this town of Venice is located. You’ll probably assume that we’re talking about the most famous place called Venice in Italy, and you’ll pack accordingly. But, did y