An exploration of the spatial distribution of national park units

Dan ServianGraduate Student

West Virginia University

Introduction The best way to learn about a region’s

people is to see what its citizens have protected and preserved.

Can open a window into a culture’s: heritage, intellectual philosophy, triumphs, and sorrow.

Preservation is not a small undertaking; it takes extensive planning, vast economic resources, and most importantly agreement in the significance of the resource

Purpose of Research The purpose of this study is to begin

the investigation for my research into the National Park designation process.

The use of Exploratory Data Analysis

as well as Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis will direct future research.

Final goal of the future research is to find what the measure of a places importance is.

The Yellowstone Act The first

designated National Park unit occured in 1872.

Yellowstone Act brought the federal government into the tourism industry.

“To set apart a certain tract of land lying near the head-waters of the Yellowstone River as a public park.”

Designation ProcessCongress

Special Resource Study

Consider NPS recommendation

Put the location up for a vote

President

Antiquity Act of 1906

Only Monuments

Anywhere on already on federal lands

WY and AK must get congress approval if enlarging preexisting monument

***** NPS has no authority in the designation process

National Parks today

392 National Park Units

36 Unit types

84,000,000 acres

11,700,000,000 visitors

NPS through time

NPS through time

NPS through time

Do politics influence designation?

224 designations Dem.

94 designations Rep.

Do politics influence designation?

212 designations Dem.

82 designations Rep.

Does income influence designation?

Nearest Neighbor

Nearest Neighbor

Global Moran’s I

North-East Region Correlated with senate

46 out of 63 Dem.15 out of 63 Rep.

2 out of 63 mix

Global Moran’s I

North-East Region Correlated with Date

42 out of 63 parks share dates

2 in WV 1988 3 in VA 19302 in VA 1978 2 in VA 1926

2 in NJ 1962

Local Indicator of Spatial Autocorrelation (LISA)

Cluster of Low Income and no NPS Sites

Cluster of High Income and NPS Sites

Conclusion

These findings along with the other findings don’t answer questions. They produce more.

Using EDA and ESDA creates a robust starting point to begin research. It allows researchers to focus their time on exploring definitive abnormalities, trends, and unique details.

Thank You