Introduction to GIS and Conservation Planning
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Transcript of Introduction to GIS and Conservation Planning
THE ROLE OF GIS
IN CONSERVATION
DESIGN AND
SUSTAINABILITY
PLANNING
Case Study of Two Southern Appalachian Projects
A sense of place
GIS 101
Landscape Ecology & Green Infrastructure
Case studies of conservation and sustainable design:
- Roan Highlands
- Land of Sky
You are here
You are here
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You are here
GEOGRAPHIC
INFORMATION
SYSTEMS
(GIS)
Ask A Question
Select/Collect Data
Choose Analysis
Method(s)Process Data
View the Result
A LOOK AT A GIS
MORE FLAVORS OF GIS
GIS ON THE WEB
WHAT IS OUR SPATIAL RELATIONSHIP TO
THINGS WE VALUE?
Biodiversity Recreation
Mineral, Forest, & Water Resources Aesthetic & Cultural Values
WHERE DO WE LIKE TO LIVE?
Atlanta
Chattanooga
MANAGING OURSELVES AND RESOURCES?
HOW ARE THESE RESOURCES THREATENED?
Increasing Population
Interstate Corridor –bedroom communities
Overall Southeast population growth evolution of a “Mega-region” – 68% increase in SE population by 2050*
* Center for Quality Growth and Regional Development
(COGRD), Georgia Tech: http://hdl.handle.net/1853/13128
HOUSING DENSITY PROJECTIONS
THE DISCONNECT:
PLANNING
• Unsustainable growth causes permanent losses in:
- ecological function
- wildlife diversity
- agricultural resources
- hunting and recreation access
- water quality
- cultural identity
IMPACTING RESOURCES
GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE?
• Strategically planned, managed network
• Parks, preserves, conservation easements, greenways, and working lands
• Supports native species, maintains ecological processes
• Sustains air land, and water resources
• Contributes to health and quality of life
PRINCIPLES OF LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY
NATURAL CONNECTIVITY OF RESOURCES
WHERE SHOULD WE DIRECT GROWTH
CASE STUDIES:
EXAMPLES FROM APPLIED CONSERVATION
PLANNING OR GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE
ASSESSMENT PROJECTS
ROAN HIGHLANDS
CONSERVATION PLAN
Carter County, TN
Avery County, NC
A .Carroll 2008 A. Carroll 2008
A. Carroll 2008 Courtesy of Flickr
http://www.learnnc.org/lp/media/collections/nc/overmountain.jpg
(National Geographic Society 1979)Courtesy of The Conservation Fund
PRIVATELY OWNED
LANDS
• ~ 81% of total project area is private or not managed for resource conservation
• Spatially define multi-state priority habitat
• Prioritize results with recreational and cultural datasets
• Make this data available to local government and SAHC
PROJECT
OBJECTIVES
LAND COVER DERIVED FROM SATELLITE
IMAGERY AND AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY
SELECTED MODEL & PARAMETERS
CONSERVATION
PRIORITIES
LINKING LANDS AND COMMUNITIES
IN THE LAND-OF-SKY REGION
OBJECTIVES
• Spatially define ecological, agricultural, recreational, and cultural resources
• Illustrate relationships, connectivity, and distribution across the landscape
• Use existing GIS datasets
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ASSESSMENT APPROACH
• 3 assessments:
1) Agricultural
2) Water Quality
3) Wildlife Habitat and Biodiversity Assessment
• Resources ranked on ordinal scale of 1 -10
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Which lands are
valuable for farming
and forestry?
Primary Components:
• Presence of an existing farm/forest operation
• Land Cover
• Most productive soils
AGRICULTURE
ASSESSMENT –
CONCEPTUAL MODEL
Water Quality – Which
lands are valuable for
providing clean water?
Primary Components:
• Watershed Sub-Basins
• Land Cover/Land Use
• Stream Quality
WATER QUALITY CONCEPTUAL MODEL
• Create a model that prioritizes large naturally occurring ecological systems over impacted or altered landscapes
• Identifies and values known biodiversity hot spots
• Places highest values on special interest species and communities identified in the NC Wildlife Action Plan
Wildlife Habitat and
Biodiversity Assessment
Wildlife Habitat & Biodiversity Assessment
Habitat
Large & Functioning
Assemblage of Natural Systems
Core Area
Core Area Index
Perimeter - to - Area Ratio
Proximity
Agricultural and Open-developed Land Use
Open Water
Impervious Surfaces
BiodiversityAquatic
Significant Natural Heritage Areas
Native Trout Streams
DWQ Excellent and Good Bioclass Streams
DWQ High Quality Waters
DWQ Outstanding Resource Waters
Streams with Federal T&E Species
TNC - WRC - NHP Priority Watersheds
All Other Streams
Terrestrial Significant Natural Heritage Areas
Natural Heritage Element Occurrences
Important Bird Areas
Wetlands (NWI)
TNC Portfolio Sites
Agricultural and Open-developed Land Use
Impervious Surfaces
Special Interest Species or
Communities
WAP Ecological Systems
Impervious Surfaces
• We are all part of a much larger landscape
• GIS allows us to view our place within this landscape, while examining our relationship to natural resources and ecological functions
• Growth is coming to this region
• We can make better informed decisions on land use and sustainability through GIS and modeling methods such as “Green Infrastructure” assessments
• Goal is to direct growth in a way that protects the natural environment and cultural resources
• Allow for smart growth in less important places
IN SUMMARY