[mdvaden]

Lately, I learned a new trick from a small town forum - new to me. The forum has a "local sites" section with GPS coordinates embedded into image icons. Clicking automatically opens location on Google Maps, or, if you have the free Google Earth program installed, will intiate that too. It can just as easily be done with text links too. Anyhow, I started using it on my site for my hiking trails pages. Also, I did preservation work on a Catalpa tree for the local historical society, and linked GPS coordinates for anyone caring to see the condition of the tree after tinkering on it. One example on my site is at the bottom of this page where the icons pertain to the bottom photo and it's trail ...

http://www.mdvaden.com/advice.shtml

I saw a few examples of people trying this out to share botanical garden locations. And hiking forums seem to be implementing it. I'm not sure if any of you will have a major need for it, but that's the concept if you can find a use for it. Aside from embedding the code in an image, the most basic link will look like this (location of Catalpa tree in Jacksonville, Oregon) ...

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=42.312667,-122.963567

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=42.312667,-122.963567&output=kml

The first is Google Maps. The second is Google Earth. Be sure to remember that in the link code, there is NO SPACE after the comma between the numbers.

Without a GPS device, you can find coordinates on Google Earth if you can find a place. You can enter it's name or address, or play around zooming, dragging until you see the place in a town or area. Then.... place your cursor over the spot - whether garden, tree, nursery, etc.. - the coordinate numbers display at the bottom of Google Earth. When the cursor pauses, so does the GPS coordinates. Then you can write those down, and substitute them for the numbers in the bits of code posted.
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M. D. Vaden of Oregon

Photos - Largest Redwoods: Atlas Grove & Grove of Titans

[GPI]

Wow, thats so helpful, thanks so much for letting us know mdvaden.
I tried it already this morning on this older article http://www.gardenplansireland.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=2042#2042 regarding our native yew.
I added a clickable link to a google map showing the location of the Reenadinna yew wood.

[mdvaden]