Fall NEARC 2024

This project examines street trees planted in 2012 - after the Longhorned Beetle outbreak that prompted the removal of 35,000 trees - that were surveyed in the summer of 2023. Using thermal and multispectral UAV imagery, we examine how UAVs can be used to assess temperature impacts and tree health.

Atmospheric carbon dioxide has increased by more than 50% over pre-industrial levels, which has important implications for global biodiversity. Mangrove forests naturally sequester two to four times greater carbon than mature tropical forests and contains the highest carbon density of all terrestrial ecosystems. Geospatial technologies are playing an increasingly important role in mapping the structure and biophysical properties of mangroves, including biomass and carbon stocks, while increasing the range of analysis, lowering expenses, and increasing efficiency compared to typical field surveys. The objectives of this study were to estimate above and belowground carbon stock of mangrove forests utilizing geospatial technologies and publicly available data. High-resolution multispectral and LiDAR data was used for geographic object-based image analysis of mangrove forests to derive mangrove forest stands. We estimated the total mangrove carbon stock for our study area of 225 ha within the Everglades National Park to be 277.45 Mg/ha.

The Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) has completed 132 fish passage restoration projects and reconnected 128 stream miles in Maine's 100-Mile Wilderness. However, inaccuracies in publicly accessible data resources, such as the USGS National Hydrology Dataset (NHD), prompted the need for a more precise stream delineation model.

In 2020, AMC launched a pilot project using GPS stream field data as a benchmark, referred to as the “GPS Streams,” to develop a model using ArcMap's Spatial Analysis package. This initial model was later refined in ArcGIS Pro using the ArcHydro package, which is specialized for hydrologic analysis within the ESRI suite. The model adheres to ESRI’s ArcHydro: Overview of Terrain Preprocessing Workflows.
The model was tested with one-, three-, and five-meter DEMs. The five-meter DEM provided the most accurate results compared to the GPS streams, as one- and three-meter DEMs overestimated stream lengths and density. Various Stream Definition thresholds were tested, and a threshold of 5000 cells was found to be most similar to the GPS streams.

To assess the model, the lengths of modeled streams were compared to GPS stream lengths using ESRI’s base tools. Errors between the modeled and GPS streams were calculated to determine under- or over-estimation. The model tended to over- or under-estimate stream lengths by at least 10%, likely due to the lack of topographic variability and interference from wetlands and forest types in the MWI area.

The integration of ArcGIS Hydro tools significantly enhanced the accuracy of stream and wetland delineation, supporting the AMC’s mission to protect aquatic ecosystems and aiding resource management agencies in making informed decisions. This initiative underscores the critical role of precise geospatial data in environmental conservation and habitat restoration.

This presentation will focus on GIS project setup and using mind maps as a tool to visualize the flow of data through systems, team structures, and role responsibilities to develop a better mutual understanding of project scope.

The Road Centerline Update Request App (https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/5b7c6df52704408da630658a1a922ac1) was developed using ArcGIS Experience Builder to help Vermont Agency of Transportation Mapping Unit staff and other outside state agencies report issues with the Vermont Road Centerline Data and to enter pending changes for annual updates to Town road mileage.  The intent was to create a spatially enabled tracking and reporting system for the Mapping Unit and to eventually replace an access database that tracks pending changes. In the future, this app will hopefully be shared with municipalities to use to report any new, discontinued, class changes, or mapping problems with existing roads.  If applicable, this reporting can then be used in conjunction with Certificates of Highway Mileage that each town must submit annually to VTrans.

Survey123 can improve data collection efforts through the use of Arcade scripting, Microsoft Power Automate, and calculations within the SurveyConnect application. By using factors like geographic location, previous survey responses, and layer attributes, Survey123 can auto-populate answers and simplify your workflow. Learn to take advantage of these features in collaboration with other services like ArcGIS Online and Field Maps.

During major storm events, the Vermont Agency of Transportation activates the Transportation Incident Command Center (TICC) using the Incident Command System (ICS) structure. This structure includes a significant mapping component in the Planning Section that aids in situational awareness by providing a Common Operating Picture (COP) of the extent of highway closures and openings, as the Agency responds to the storm damage. A simple dashboard has been developed to provide insight to the number of closures, partial openings, and segments that were opened. The Common Operating Picture (COP) is accessible to the TICC, State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC), as well as the public. The COP is generated through a feed of authoritative closure and opening information from the Traffic Management Center and the 511 system, repackaging it to provide a clear count and extent of closures across the state.