As a whole, the profession has done little to project a positive image.

Finding where a property boundary line has become established on the ground requires gathering the best available evidence that the reasonably prudent surveyor would find, evaluating that evidence, and then rendering a well-reasoned opinion on the factual question of location.

A discussion on social media on the subject of an easement demonstrated how little people understand property rights and the value of the services of a licensed surveyor.

Surveying is a practice. It takes a bit of patience and quite a bit of time to be a skilled professional, but if you are always striving to learn more, you will get there.

There is a long line of footsteps to follow to protect private property rights, personal wealth, and the health, safety, and well-being of those in the path of the project.

When a boundary dispute arises, the problem can either be resolved amicably or by adjudication, depending on the relationship between the adjoiners. In some instances, as in the case of the boundary dispute between Maryland and Pennsylvania, the dispute escalates to violence.

One aspect of professional land surveying that is most overlooked by the general public is the role surveyors play in protecting property rights.

Those who are heavily invested in a boundary dispute are passionate for many reasons and mistakenly assume that their surveyor of choice will share in and vigorously defend those same passions.

In the nearly three centuries since Pennsylvania’s 1737 “Walking Purchase,” the events have become shrouded in myth and legend until it is difficult to separate fact from fiction.

I have long held that the origins of a boundary dispute are misunderstood even by the participants. The cause of many disputes may be nothing more than territorial behavior.