Mapping

Hello,
So I'm doing some initial mapping and have been playing around with all kinds of mapping programs, gps tools, and basically anything that would keep me from running around this somewhat large dense thicket of forest land with a long measuring tape and sight level. My current goals of this initial map are: identify plant communities, trails/roads, property lines, soil types, major features, and basic map for design work. When I get to the dam and swale phase I'm sure I'll be renting the ol' laser level and such. As fun as that may be, it seems like a gps and google earth will get us what we're looking for at a minimal cost. We've avoided subscribing to google earth plus because it won't interface with our holux m241, nor would it export a track to the gps(kind of lame).

The process we've currently developed:
1. Take our small holux m241 GPS device to record tracks and waypoints
2. download them onto my computer using BT747 and save them as a KML file
*This program will access the kind of GPS chip our holux device has, MTK, and offers us interfaces to it that the very basic device doesn't offer. It also allows us to download the tracks AND waypoints and converts it into KML(google earth language). BUT it's not so user friendly, it took our programmer a couple hours to figure out the finiky glitches of the program. As a non-programer I wouldn't have been able to operate the program. If anyone has a more user friendly free program to download tracks and waypoints i'd love to check it out.

3. Open the KML file in google earth. Our initial playing around has found that our GPS has about a 5' accuracy.

Then i use google earth tools to make polygons or paths to overlay over the imported GPS data. I find that the native google earth tools are easier to make changes to. Another cool google earth thing I was able to do, was import and add as an overlay a free topographic map my county has provided that has 20' contours: http://www.co.cowlitz.wa.us/gis/atlas.html
Then print from Selected Folder in My places, which i've arranged to print all the plant communities i've polygoned, etc. So this has been the low-tech mapping we've been playing around with.

So, anyone have advise for a better way to import tracks and waypoints into google earth?
Also importing the coordinates into google earth seems to be working, but using it's polygon tools seems a little clumpsy. Does anyone have advise on a better program to import these maps into for a more interactive landscaping type program that would give more tools?

Thanks,
warren