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Leveraging GIS Technologiesin Chesapeake Conservation and Restoration
Rachel SoobitskyGeospatial Project ManagerChesapeake ConservancyConservation Innovation Center
Kristin KirkwoodExecutive Director Harford Land Trust
Hali Plourde‐RogersExecutive DirectorVirginia Eastern Shore Land Trust
Jon ChapmanStewardship ManagerMaryland Environmental Trust
https://www.chesapeakebay.net/news/blog/many_regions_one_chesapeake
Conservancy Mission
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“Getting the right practices, in the right places, at the right scale, and
making sure they are working”
Previously Available Data
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High‐resolution Data
High‐resolution DataPlanning at the Parcel Scale
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Lidar Flow Path Mapping
Lidar Flow Path Mapping
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Goal: Identify priority locations for BMP implementation
Better data is only useful if it can be
harnessed to inform better projects
High resolution land coverHigh Resolution Land Cover & Concentrated Flow Paths
Pixel size: 1 meter by 1 meter
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Pixel size: 1 meter by 1 meter
Identified gaps in riparian forest buffer coverage
1.18 acres
1.16 acres
Compare restoration opportunity areas
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59.7 acres
4.27 acres
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Assessing the landscapeCriteria used in prioritization:• Area of restoration opportunity• Area of upland drainage area treated• Land cover/land use in upland
drainage area (runoff treatment potential)• Proximity to
Exceptional Value/High Quality Streams
• Proximity and upstream of Impaired Streams
DataLand Cover/Use
Flow Path Maps
Prioritization
Web‐based toolsAccess
Products
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STRATEGIC CONSERVATION PLANKristin Kirkwood, Executive Directorwith funding from the Chesapeake Bay Land and Water Initiative, a project of the Chesapeake Bay Funders Network and the Land Trust Alliance
• Founded in 1991
• Single county geographic focus
• 1 FTE and 2 PTEs
• Annual operating budget approx. $150,000
• Total assets approx. $4M
• Holds conservation easements or other restrictions on over 1,000 acres
• Owns approx. 350 acres in fee‐simple
BACKGROUND
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STRATEGIC CONSERVATION PLAN
OUTCOMES
• Articulate a science‐based conservation vision that incorporates both land and water elements
• Target and prioritize land conservation projects with greater precision and accountability
• Enhance HLT’s image and credibility with partners, community members, and funders
• Facilitate learning and communication across key stakeholders
ACTIVITIES
• Convene an advisory group of partner orgs. to leverage expertise, time, data and analysis, and GIS capacity
• Identify mutual and HLT‐specific conservation priorities and associated project selection criteria
• Use best‐available data and methods to analyze the County and target and prioritize regions/properties for HLT conservation
• Train HLT staff and transfer data and tools
GIS COMPONENT
• Framing of analysis questions
• Exploration and preparation of spatial datasets
• Attribution of the Harford County parcel dataset with information about each property’s standing against HLT’s land conservation criteria
• Web viewer with parcel results
• Technical training for HLT’s Executive Director
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GIS ANALYSIS ATTRIBUTES
Top priority: Water, Farms, Wildlife/Biodiversity = 10 weight • Chesapeake Bay Critical Area Line• Agriculture Development Rights• Targeted Ecological Areas• Maryland Marsh Protection Potential
Index • Farm Lands• Tier 1‐3 Habitat• Green Infrastructure Hubs and
Corridors• Ecologically Sensitive Areas• Stream NHD
• Slope• Land cover (Impervious)
Middle Priority: Scenic, Size, and Location = 5 weight • Proximity to Parks, County Historic
Landmarks, National Register Individual Sites, and Scenic Trails, Maryland Scenic Byways, Historic Districts, etc.
• Cadastral (Size)• Proximity to Protected Land
RESULTS
Direct
• Print maps
• Web viewer
• Excel data
Indirect
• Stronger position with funders
• Targeted outreach
• Can easily say no!
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LESSONS LEARNED
• Employ an iterative process
• Vet result with individuals with strong local knowledge
• Minor changes in attribute weighting/scales did not change results
• Make provisions for updating data and analysis as more information arises to avoid static information
• Local partners were more important for next steps rather than the analysis itself
Questions? [email protected]
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Riparian Buffer Projectwith funding from the Chesapeake Bay Land and Water Initiative, a project
of the Chesapeake Bay Funders Network and the Land Trust Alliance
Hali Plourde-Rogers
Executive Director, Virginia Eastern Shore Land Trust
Summary
Background
Methods and Pilot Project
Lessons Learned
Resources
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BackgroundThe Eastern Shore of Virginia
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MethodsRiparian Buffer Pilot Project
Steps
Science based data to analyze bayside easements
Top 10
Determine what to plant
Identify how to protect the new buffer
Estimate cost
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Lessons learned
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Partners and resources
Partners
Chesapeake Conservancy
Natural Resource Conservation Service
VA Dept. of Conservation and Recreation, Natural Heritage Program
VA United Land Trusts
Virginia Outdoors Foundation
Resources
Virginia Coastal Geospatial and Educational Mapping System (Coastal Gems)
The Nature Conservancy, Coastal Resilience Tool
Thank youQuestions?
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SavingtheChesapeake’sGreatRiversandSpecialPlaces
Tracking Easement Monitoring in aNew Web‐based Mapping Application
Jon ChapmanStewardship Manager
Maryland Environmental Trust
SavingtheChesapeake’sGreatRiversandSpecialPlacesSavingtheChesapeake’sGreatRiversandSpecialPlaces
Maryland Environmental Trust (MET)
Over 1100 easements to monitor on over 134,000 acres!
Even more landowners than easements
More than half of portfolio co‐held with our Local Land Trust Partners
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SavingtheChesapeake’sGreatRiversandSpecialPlacesSavingtheChesapeake’sGreatRiversandSpecialPlaces
Paper‐based
Microsoft Access database
Manual entry of report data and photo‐points
MET monitoring process (before)
SavingtheChesapeake’sGreatRiversandSpecialPlacesSavingtheChesapeake’sGreatRiversandSpecialPlaces
Updated protocol for monitoring
1. Mobile field report form 2. Web application for display and storage
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SavingtheChesapeake’sGreatRiversandSpecialPlacesSavingtheChesapeake’sGreatRiversandSpecialPlaces
Integration with GIS
SavingtheChesapeake’sGreatRiversandSpecialPlacesSavingtheChesapeake’sGreatRiversandSpecialPlaces
Report display/products
SummariesReport fields
Photo points
DownloadsSummary report
Zip of photos
Easement map
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SavingtheChesapeake’sGreatRiversandSpecialPlacesSavingtheChesapeake’sGreatRiversandSpecialPlaces
Locate Integration
• Easement data & contacts management (CRM)
• Reporting tools & dashboards• Due Diligence of CE restrictions• Flag and track items of concern
• Monitoring reports• Easement maps• Photo summary/points• Photo Zipfile
LOCATE
SavingtheChesapeake’sGreatRiversandSpecialPlacesSavingtheChesapeake’sGreatRiversandSpecialPlaces
Connected
• Monitoring reports• Photo summary• Due Diligence• Flags items of concern
• Easement management database• Reporting tools• Strategic stewardship of priority
properties and landowners
Connected!
LOCATELocal Land
Trust PartnersVolunteers
Monitoring App
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SavingtheChesapeake’sGreatRiversandSpecialPlacesSavingtheChesapeake’sGreatRiversandSpecialPlaces
Jon Chapman, Maryland Environmental [email protected]
www.dnr.maryland.gov/met
Michael Norton, Chesapeake [email protected]
www.chesapeakeconservancy.org
Contact Information
SavingtheChesapeake’sGreatRiversandSpecialPlaces
Final Questions?Rachel Soobitsky- [email protected] Project ManagerChesapeake ConservancyConservation Innovation Center
Kristin Kirkwood- [email protected] Director Harford Land Trust
Hali Plourde-Rogers- [email protected] DirectorVirginia Eastern Shore Land Trust
Jon Chapman- [email protected] ManagerMaryland Environmental Trust
https://www.chesapeakebay.net/news/blog/many_regions_one_chesapeake