Video simulation as part of army environmental decision-making: Observations from Camp Shelby, Mississippi

Abstract

Effective environmental management requires intelligent, informed decisions. These decisions have become so complex and so important that Army managers are relying more on the support available through emerging technologies. At Camp Shelby, MS, a new technology called video imaging helped show decision-makers the potential impact of several proposed changes in the land use. In video simulation, an existing site is captured through photographs or video footage. The picture is digitized and then edited electronically using specialized equipment to show how the site can be expected to look after a proposed land use is implemented. The U.S. Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratories (USACERL) used video simulations throughout the development of an environmental impact statement at Camp Shelby. In January 1992, the images were presented during hearings on the Draft EIS, marking the first known instance of using this medium to communicate proposed land use changes within an EIS proceeding for military land use.