Create a 3D model (STL file) of the desired region using TouchTerrain.Expect to put lots of work into shopping for quality wood and getting it home safely, cutting to size, and possibly gluing layers. Be sure to click on the i with a circle around it to see the captions (or scroll up, if viewing on your phone). If you want to see some videos of the CNC carving process and even more photos of the Making Of one of my works of art, here is a Google Photos album I put together. Be sure to click on the '5 more images' buttons to see them all.
NOTE: there are a lot more images in this Instructable than those shown in thumbnail form. Find it on my YouTube channel, professorstevepotter. It has some more details and captions than the images I included in this Instructable. This is for those who prefer talking and images rather than printed words. To accompany this Instructable, I made a YouTube video.
When all goes well, the whole process takes about a week. The result can be a lasting heirloom that can also be educational or of great personal significance to someone who has lived on or trekked across the area represented. I will describe in detail my process of taking satellite terrain imaging data and turning it into a CNC-carved work of art.
