society for conservation gis scgis agenda...sgis committees52 54 attendee listing 61 notes 62...

17th Annual SCGIS International ConferenceJuly 10–12, 2014Pacific Grove, California

Society for Conservation GIS

Shifting Lines

A Message from the Conference Committee

The world is transforming around us.

As Earth’s climate changes, isolines of physical and human geography shift, sometimes unpredictably. Glaciers retreat, reservoirs evaporate, habitats shrink, and climate refugees seek new places to live.

Learning to mitigate such harmful change and to adapt to it, we use the best available tools and technology to gather, analyze, report and visualize data relevant to our individual professions, pursuits and interests. Our hard work can effect profound change.

We and our allies remove dams, restoring long dormant salmon runs. We breach dikes, bringing life back to previously stagnant estuaries. We restore habitats, increasing biodiversity. We create wilderness and ocean sanctuaries, providing sorely needed refuge. And we develop new ways of providing clean water and distributing aid, creating better living conditions for thousands of people in need.

Coming from across scientific disciplines, our Society convenes each year to share information and knowledge in order to gain collective insight and wisdom. Creating professional connections and making deep personal relationships, we foster all of these positive changes—and we have a great time doing it.

Thanks for joining us as we discuss, debate, bemoan and celebrate these shifting lines.

Welcome to the 17th annual conference of the Society for Conservation GIS!

2014 SCGIS Conference Committee

David Asbury, Chair Lori Pelech Rob Rose

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4 Conference at a Glance

8 Preconference Training Workshops—Thursday, July 10

10 Opening Session Schedule

12 Session Matrix—Friday, July 11

15 Session Matrix—Saturday, July 12

19 Session Descriptions—Friday, July 11

34 Session Descriptions—Saturday, July 12

50 SCGIS Domestic and International Scholars

51 2014 SCGIS Board of Directors and 2013–2014 Advisory Council

52 SGIS Committees

54 Attendee Listing

61 Notes

62 Acknowledgments

Table of Contents

Registration Hours

Scripps, Asilomar Conference Grounds

Thursday, July 106:00 pm–8:00 pm

Friday, July 118:00 am–8:30 am 10:30 am–11:00 am 3:30 pm–4:00 pm

Saturday, July 128:00 am–8:30 am 10:30 am–11:00 am

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Thursday, July 10

9:00 am–5:00 pm Preconference Training Workshop 1: Working with Geodatabases and Geodatabase TopologyKiln

Preconference Training Workshop 2: Using CartoDB to Map, Analyze, and Share Scientific DataOak Shelter

1:00 pm–6:00 pm Field Trip: Monterey Bay AquariumMeet on Terrace of Phoebe A. Hearst Social Hall

Field Trip: Outrigger Canoe Trip—TentativeMeet at Del Monte Beach

6:00 pm–7:00 pm DinnerCrocker Dining Hall

6:00 pm–8:00 pm Registration and Welcome ReceptionScripps

8:00 pm–10:00 pm Movie Night Featuring DamNationChapel

Conference at a Glance

Map Gallery Opening and Reception Map products, posters, and multimedia map projects illustrating the achievements of the user community will be on display at the popular Map Gallery. Several special exhibits will include displays of unique and innovative uses of GIS from around the world.

The Map Gallery opens with a reception on Friday evening and will remain on display throughout the conference.

DamNation—A film by Patagonia and Stoecker Ecological This powerful film odyssey across America explores the sea change in our national attitude from pride in big dams as engineering wonders to the growing awareness that our own future is bound to the life and health of our rivers. Dam removal has moved beyond the fictional Monkey Wrench Gang to go mainstream. Where obsolete dams come down, rivers bound back to life, giving salmon and other wild fish the right of return to primeval spawning grounds, after decades without access. DamNation’s majestic cinematography and unexpected discoveries move through rivers and landscapes altered by dams, but also through a metamorphosis in values, from conquest of the natural world to knowing ourselves as part of nature.

See the trailer: http://damnationfilm.com/trailer

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Friday, July 11

7:30 am–9:00 am BreakfastCrocker Dining Hall

8:45 am–10:30 am Opening SessionChapel

10:30 am–11:00 am Refreshment BreakScripps

11:00 am–12:30 pm Paper SessionsChapel, Acacia, Toyon, and Heather

12:30 pm–1:30 pm LunchCrocker Dining Hall

1:30 pm–2:00 pm Break

2:00 pm–3:30 pm Paper SessionsChapel, Acacia, and Toyon

Technical WorkshopHeather

3:30 pm–4:00 pm Refreshment BreakScripps



5:30 pm– 6:00 pm Break


7:00 pm–10:00 pm Map Gallery Opening and ReceptionChapel

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Conference at a Glance

Saturday, July 12


9:00 am–10:30 am Paper SessionsChapel, Acacia, and Toyon


10:30 am–11:00 am Refreshment BreakScripps

11:00 am–noon Paper SessionsChapel, Acacia, and Toyon


noon–2:00 pm Lunch and Membership MeetingCrocker Dining Hall

2:00 pm–3:30 pm Paper SessionsChapel, Acacia, Toyon, and Heather

3:30 pm–4:00 pm Refreshment BreakScripps



5:30 pm–6:00 pm Break


7:00 pm–10:00 pm Auction and Wine ReceptionChapel

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Auction and Wine ReceptionYou are invited to an evening reception to celebrate our international scholars and the SCGIS community. Get ready to dress up, celebrate our global heritages, and raise some money to support conservationists from around the world!

There will be a silent and live auction to share treasures and artwork from around the globe. Please bring an item from your culture, community, or country and prepare to bid on some wonderful and exotic trinkets. All donations are appreciated and cherished; no item is too big or too small.

Items for the auction can be delivered to Chapel after breakfast on Saturday and during breaks before the reception. Before dropping off your item, please fill out a description form, available on the SCGIS website and at the registration desk.

Share your work, your history, or your passion with other conservation colleagues. All funds raised will be used to support training and to provide travel assistance to fellow conservationists from around the globe through the SCGIS International and Domestic Scholarship Program.

Sunday, July 13


10:00 am–11:30 am SpeedGeeking and Closing SessionChapel

noon Box Lunch Pickup Crocker Dining Hall

SpeedGeeking and Closing SessionNew for this year, we’re adding a SpeedGeeking session in Chapel on Sunday morning. SpeedGeeking is a great way for you to quickly catch some of those great talks you weren’t able to fit into your schedule and to do some last-minute networking. The annual membership meeting is being moved to be held over lunch in the Crocker Dining Hall on Saturday from 12:30 pm to 2:00 pm. Please arrive early and get lunch so we can discuss everything we’ve been up to last year, and look forward to the next!

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Workshop 1: Working with Geodatabases and Geodatabase Topology Room: Kiln

Presenter(s): John Schaeffer, Juniper GIS

ArcGIS for Desktop (Basic, Standard or Advanced) required. If you don’t have a copy, software will be available before the workshop. Please indicate on your registration if you’ll need one. This course introduces users to the Geodatabase, a data format that provides enhanced tools for data creation, data modelling, and data validation. Participants will learn how to design, create and manage Geodatabases, especially topology. The class concentrates on the Geodatabase structure and tools, including topology, subtypes and domains, for creating and editing data while maintaining data integrity. The course will work with data from the Florida Panther Refuge, and your task will be to create a Geodatabase to manage data for their burn plans. You will start by combining data from a variety of sources, then use Geodatabase tools to better organize the data. Then you will learn how to use Subtypes and Domains to better manage the attribute side of your data, and then how to create and edit Geodatabase Topology to clean roads, burn units, and boundary data. During this workshop, you will learn Geodatabase concepts and basics: converting data to the Geodatabase format, understanding Spatial References for the Geodatabase, validating attributes with Domains/Subtypes, validating features with Topology, and editing with the Geodatabase.

Preconference Training WorkshopsThursday, July 10

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Workshop 2: Using CartoDB to Map, Analyze and Share Scientific DataRoom: Oak Shelter

Presenter(s): Andrew Hill, Vizzuality

CartoDB is a powerful web platform that makes publishing online maps easy. It combines PostgreSQL, PostGIS, and an open-source technology stack to give you a dashboard for creating beautiful and insightful maps from your data. While the tool gives you access to powerful GIS tools, making your first maps is as simple as drag & drop. This course will teach you how to start mapping your data and publishing those maps online. The course will introduce you to the basics of CartoDB, including file import, visualizing data, applying custom styles to geographic data, merging multiple datasets and sharing maps with collaborators or with the world. We will also start to look at some of the basic GIS tools, including clustering, intersecting, and distance calculations and combining them with live visualizations. The tool is entirely in the browser, so taking part requires nothing more than a laptop.

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8:45 am–8:55 am Introduction and ThanksDavid Asbury, Lori Pelech, and Robert Rose Conference Committee

8:55 am–9:20 am Introduction of 2014 International ScholarsSasha Yumakaev Esri Conservation Program Coordinator

9:20 am–9:30 am WelcomeEric Sandoval SCGIS President

9:30 am–10:25 am Keynote Presentation Sustaining Our Ecological Infrastructure in a Changing World Andrew J. Gunther, PhD

10:25 am–10:30 am Announcements and ClosingDavid Asbury, Lori Pelech, and Robert Rose Conference Committee

Opening Session ScheduleFriday, July 11 | Chapel

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Keynote Presenter

Andrew J. Gunther, Ph.D.

Dr. Gunther received his Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley in 1987 and has worked at the intersection of environmental science and policy since 1979. He is cur-rently serving as the Executive Coordinator of the Bay Area Ecosystems Climate Change Consortium under contract to the California State Coastal Conservancy. He has worked on developing ecological indicators for the Bay Area since 2001, and he was the project leader for the State of San Francisco Bay 2011 for the San Francisco Estuary Partnership.

Dr. Gunther previously served (1991–2001) as the Assistant Chief Scientist for the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Restoration Program, where he helped coordinate the development of the restoration science program. Dr. Gunther was also the original manager (1993–1997) of the Regional Monitoring Program for Toxic Contaminants in the San Francisco Estuary and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Union of Concerned Scientists.

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Session MatrixFriday, July 11

8:45 am–10:30 am Opening SessionChapel

10:30 am–11:00 am Break Scripps

11:00 am–12:30 pm Chapel Acacia Toyon Heather

Community Mapping and Public Participation GIS

Marine Reserves and Ecosystems

Invasive Animals Conservation Reserve Design

Counter-Mapping and Conservation: Challenges and Opportunities in the Peace River Break++

The Value of Habitat Diversity in Marine Reserves: Spiny Lobster Use of the Intertidal Zone at the Santa Catalina Island MPA++

A GIS Driven Approach to Wetland Conservation by Nutria Eradication

The Northern Tanzania Rangelands Initiative*

Local Knowledge Meets GIS in Assessing the Natural Resources for Nicaraguan Coffee-Growing Cooperatives

Godzilla and the Potential of “Ridge-to-Reef” Conservation

Preventing Island Extinctions: Knowledge Products in Support of Invasive Vertebrate Removal from Islands

Measuring Conservation Efforts: Developing a Monitoring Program for Tosonkhulstai Nature Reserve*

Conservation of Fragmented Forests Surrounding Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar, Using Participatory Ecological Monitoring and GIS as a Tool for Biodiversity and Habitat Monitoring*

The Admiralty Sound: An Opportunity to Integrate Terrestrial and Marine Conservation Efforts*

Using ArcPad to Collect and Interpret Data for Invasive Vertebrate Eradications

Ecological Corridors as Strategy for Forest Ecosystems Conservation of the Caparo Forest Reserve, Barinas State, Venezuela*

GIS for the Assessment of Quality of Ramsar Sites at the Azov-Black Sea of Ukraine*

Modeling the Effects of Sedimentation on Marine Protected Areas in Yap, Micronesia++

12:30 pm–2:00 pm LunchWoodlands

* Scholar Presentation++ Indicates a Student Competition Presentation

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2:00 pm–3:30 pm Chapel Acacia Toyon Heather

Conserving Cultural and Community Values with GIS

Marine Indicators and Pollution

Invasive Plants Technical Workshop

Mapping the Unseen and Unheard—An Interactive View of My Iwi (Tribe) Using GIS*

Predictive Mapping of Water Quality Bacterial Indicators in Newport Bay++

Improving Invasive Species Management Using Cloud-Based Field Data Collection and Enhanced Workflows

Creating Map Books with Data Driven Pages

Nga Hau E Wha o Papararangi Community Site

What’s Upstream? GIS’s Critical Role in Developing Nutrient Reference Conditions for Estuaries

A Decade of Difference (2000–2013): Pitch Canker Infestation in Asilomar Forest, Pacific Grove, CA

Searching for the Lost Temple of Auzancata: A Geospatial Game Plan for Multidisciplinary Research in the High Andes

GIS Analysis on Representation of the PA Network in the Barents Euro-Arctic Region*

Projection of Native and Invasive Species Distribution Under a Changing Climate in the Southeastern United States++

Building GIS Capacity* Mapping Invasive Prosopis juliflora in Afar, Ethiopia, Using Participatory GIS Approaches

3:30 pm–4:00 pm Break Scripps

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Public Platforms for Science and GIS

Species Movement and Modeling

Plant Conservation and Biogeography

Technical Workshop

Making Connections with Twitter

Modeling the Relationship Between Post-Nesting Northwest Pacific Green Turtle Movement Patterns and Environmental Conditions++

A Phylogenetic Regionalization of the Phytogeographic Zones of Southern Africa++

Habitat Analysis for Overwintering Monarch Butterflies: Microclimate Meets GIS

Geek Speak—Case Studies in Translating Complex Spatial Data into Powerful Key Messages for General Audiences

Whale mAPP: Engaging Citizen Scientists to Contribute and Map Marine Mammal Sightings

Capturing Remnant Woody Vegetation on the Valley Floor of Yolo County++

DOC NZ’s Vision Change: Implications for an Enterprise Environment

Mapping Important Areas for Seabirds: How to Draw the Boundary Line

Rapidly Identifying Plants at Risk: Streamlined Methods to Address Target Two of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation

Using Webmaps as a Communication Tool for Environmental Compliance

Identifying Important Bird Areas for Waterfowl in Terrestrial and Coastal Alaska Using Aerial Survey Data

Potential Areas for Plants Conservation in Madagascar*

6:00 pm–7:00 pm Dinner Crocker Dining Hall

7:00 pm–9:00 pm Map Gallery and Wine ReceptionChapel

Session MatrixFriday, July 11 (continued)


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Session MatrixSaturday, July 12

9:00 am–10:30 am Chapel Acacia Toyon Heather

Restoration and Habitat Management

Primate Conservation Forests and Fire I Technical Workshop

A National Map of Restoration Priorities

Spatial Analysis of Anthropogenic Impacts on Gorilla Migratory Pathways in Okwangwo, CRNP, Nigeria++

Estimating Tree Mortality Following Wildfire Using Digital Aerial Photography and LiDAR++

Introduction to Marxan.net

Keeping Track of Mining Activity in Ontario’s Northern Boreal

Integrative Population Viability Analysis of the Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus): A Metapopulation Approach Linking Demographic Data with Landscape Processes++

Land Cover Change: The Nexus of Forestry, the Carbon Cycle and Economics

Using Technology to Improve Restoration Efficiency in Southern Nevada

Great Ape Population Analysis across Western Equatorial Africa

Addressing the Cumulative Effects of Development in Ontario’s Northern Boreal Region, Canada

A Novel Approach to Mapping and Quantifying Age Classes of Forest Habitat to Support Avian Habitat Management in the Upper Great Lakes

Pitheciid Primates in Fragmented Habitats: Land Cover Change and Its Implications for Conservation

The Meteorological Risk of Fire in Slovenia from the Canadian Forest Fire Weather Index System*

10:30 am–11:00 am Break Scripps

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11:00 am–noon Chapel Acacia Toyon Heather

Land Use/Land Cover Avian Conservation Forests and Fire II Technical Workshop

Urban Sprawl: Land Use Threats and Protected Areas: A Scenario-Based, Landscape Level Approach

Roosting Preference of Reintroduced Whooping Cranes in Wisconsin

Using GIS and LANDFIRE to Assess Large-Scale Fire Needs

Introduction to ArcGIS Pro

Land Use Change Due to Pavement of the 10th Road in the Mbaracayu Forest Biosphere Reserve*

Working Power Line Rights of Way to Enhance Habitat for Declining Early Successional Bird Species

Assessing Potential Climate Change Impacts on Private Forestland in the Conterminous United States

Estimating Land Cover Change in Usulután, El Salvador, from 1975–2013 Using Landsat Imagery++

Effects of Anthropogenic, Ecological, and Hydrological Variables on Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucoro-dia) Wintering Habitat within Poyang Lake, China++

The Fire Risk/Hazard Reduction and Conservation Benefits of Patch Mosaic vs. Fuels Reduction Burning

noon–2:00 pm Lunch and Membership MeetingCrocker Dining Hall

Session MatrixSaturday, July 12 (continued)


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Conservation Methods and Apps I

Mammal Conservation I Watersheds and Water Use

Energy, Pollution, and Economics

Good Practices in the Use of Marxan for Systematic Spatial Conservation Planning

Identification of Conservation Needs of Javan Leopard (Panthera pardus melas)*

Using GIS as the Backbone of the World’s Largest Water Conservation Rebate Program

Using GIS to Inform a Renewable Energy Streamlining Program for San Luis Obispo County

Applying ModelBulider for Multi-Species Habitat Assessment under Modeled Conservation Scenarios in Upper Michigan

The Distribution Pattern of Mammals of Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda*

Southern Nevada Water Authority’s Rates of Golf Play Study

Supporting Offshore Energy Planning with MarineCadastre.gov

The SMART Toolbox for Anti-Poaching

Habitat Selection of the First Reintroduced Giant Anteaters (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) Population at the Iberá Natural Reserve, Northeastern Argentina*

Conservation Status of Four Watersheds of the Eastern Area of Margarita Island*

Analyzing Employment Alternatives to the Keystone XL Pipeline

Trials and Tribulations of Utilizing Drone (UAV) Technology in Ecological Monitoring

Shrub Encroachment and Flooding Patterns Influence Herbivore Seasonal Movement and Food Supply on the Kafue Flats Wetlands, Zambia*

RIOS: Spatial Watershed Service Modeling to Help Optimize Water Fund Investments

FracTracker Alliance: Mapping Human and Environmental Health Impacts of the Oil and Gas Industry

3:30 pm–4:00 pm Break Scripps

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Conservation Methods and Apps II

Mammal Conservation II River Conservation Technical Workshop

Spatial Science for Applying the Mitigation Hierarchy

Relative Importance of Landscape Parameters in Determining African Elephants (Loxodonta africana) Directional Movement Decisions++

National Wild and Scenic Rivers Database

Understanding Projections for ArcGIS

A Biodiversity Indicators Dashboard: Addressing Monitoring Challenges to Aichi Biodiversity Targets

Decline and Consequences—The Loss of Forest Elephants in Central Africa

Developing Online Geocollaborative Tools to Support Springs and Springs-Dependent Species Management

Is It Worth It? Developing a Decision Support Tool to Inform Restoration Decisions

North American Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) Habitat Suitability at Multiple Scales++

Riverscape Survey of the Chehalis River, WA

Spatial Patterns in Greater Sage-grouse Exposure to Recent Climate Change

Effect of Primary Productivity on Guanaco (Lama guanicoe) Distribution and Abundance in Northern Patagonia, Argentina*

Basin (Holistic) Approach to the Analysis of Geo-ecological Problems of Amur River*

6:00 pm–7:00 pm DinnerCrocker Dining Hal

7:00 pm–10:00 pm Auction and ReceptionChapel

Session MatrixSaturday, July 12 (continued)


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Session Descriptions Friday, July 11

11:00 am–12:30 pm

Paper Session

Community Mapping and Public Participation GIS

Room: Chapel

Counter-Mapping and Conservation: Challenges and Opportunities in the Peace River Break ++

Presenter(s): Tim Burkhart, University of Northern British Columbia

Geographic Information System (GIS) technology provides a powerful tool for articulating visions of protected space and for equipping social movements with representative, visual productions of their goals but can also marginalize com-munities and individuals who do not have the expertise or resources GIS demands. Counter-Mapping seeks to empower communities to overturn the power dynamics of mapping by sharing a visual representation of space in a way that is accessible to the public and that presents utility to commu-nity conservation goals. I am building a community-driven, web-accessible spatial mapping “hub” for the Peace River Break region of BC. Through the design of this tool, I will be examining what opportunities and challenges GIS technology presents for conservation movements in empowering local communities to take a lead in decision making over protecting their landscapes, in generating public engagement with con-servation practices and efforts, and in challenging the limits of conservation to the fixed protected area. Through semi-struc-tured interviews with representatives of conservation organiza-tions, First Nations, and individuals involved in stewardship of the land, I will be examining how a GIS-facilitated conservation strategy can embrace a more reflexive epistemology that addresses and integrates multiple voices, views and under-standing of local conservation desires in the context of larger, regional conservation visions such as Yellowstone to Yukon.

Local Knowledge Meets GIS in Assessing the Natural Resources for Nicaraguan Coffee-Growing Cooperatives

Presenter(s): Iris Stewart-Frey, Santa Clara University

In Nicaragua, more than 50% of the rural residents live on the equivalent of less than $2/day; most of them are dependent on rain fed agriculture and local ecosystems, which have

been subject to deforestation, biodiversity loss, and water contamination. Because of its geographical location and its political and ecological history, Nicaragua is a hot spot for climate change related risks and hazards, exacerbating threats to food insecurity. The work presented here investigates whether smallholders affiliated with cooperatives with more common property natural resources will have shorter peri-ods of seasonal hunger and be more resilient to market and climatic shocks. We use a participatory process to estimate the availability of natural resources and understand management strategies that includes local knowledge and drawing of maps, joint (farmer—researcher) GPS-based data collection, surveys, and publicly available data sets (i.e., DEMs, forest cover).

Conservation of Fragmented Forests Surrounding Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar Using Participatory Ecological Monitoring and GIS as a Tool for Biodiversity and Habitat Monitoring

Presenter(s): Pascal Nalimanana Rabeson (Scholar), Centre ValBio/Institute for Conservation of Tropical Environments

Local people are usually not considered as stakeholders of their surrounding environment, including the biodiversity and forest habitat. Participatory Ecological Monitoring is becoming a more common approach used internationally to involve local people to be active and responsible for their environment. This project aims to engage villagers surround-ing Ranomafana National Park (RNP), located in southeast-ern Madagascar, in conservation and management of their own natural resources through the principle of participatory ecological monitoring using Geographic Information System (GIS) to monitor the biodiversity and its habitat. Ten villages surrounding RNP will be targeted to monitor the biodiversity of the fauna (lemurs, birds, and snakes), flora (specific trees), and the existing pressures in the forest. Three transects will be used for observations using the existing trails in the forest. Observations will be conducted once a month for four days in each village. Villagers will be trained on survey methods, data collection, use of GPS and cameras to conduct the transect observations. All transects from the forests belonging to each village will be mapped using GIS software. Data recorded on observations of biodiversity and pressures will be analyzed based on specific indicators (categorical presence/absence by taxonomy or type of disturbance). The goal is to have the local community trained on-site to be confident in conducting tran-sect observations via both behavioral observation and GPS tracking. Data analyzed from the surveys will then be used as a

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monitoring and management tool. Establishing the standard-ized methods for biodiversity monitoring adapted for com-munity participation will be applicable for future use in other regions in Madagascar. This project has important conserva-tion significance by providing training and motivation for local populations to have a sustainable monitoring and patrolling system for biodiversity conservation. In addition, a manual for monitoring and patrolling in other regions of Madagascar will be written for further use in other regions and also be instru-mental in our work toward adding these newly monitored sites as protected areas in Madagascar.

GIS for the Assessment of Quality of Ramsar Sites at the Azov-Black Sea of Ukraine

Presenter(s): Svetlana Vinokurova (Scholar), Azov-Black Sea Ornithological Station

Wetlands are unique ecosystems that shelter almost 2/3 the species of global flora and fauna. At the same time, birds are one of main criterion for the wetlands importance, according to the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, especially as Waterfowl Habitat.

In the framework of a special programme within the Azov-Black Sea coast of Ukraine and partly Russia, there are provided synchronized bird counts. Each count covers the territory from 700,000 to 1 mln ha, and over 2 mln individual waterbirds are recorded. These counts are carried out every two to three years, and at the moment 4 of them have been realized: in 2004, 2006, 2009 and 2012.

GIS analysis of data of synchronized counts within large region allows to estimate the condition of Ramsar wetlands as bird habitats, estimate the capacity of these sites, determine the stability of their usage by the waterbirds migrating along Afro-Eurasian Flyways, analyze ongoing changes in the number of breeding birds and their post-breeding distribution, identify the most important stopovers, determine the network of the key areas for conservation of rare bird species.

A Ramsar site of the South Ukraine was used for a case study (Molochnyi Liman, Zaporizhzhia Region). Using the remote sensing data, it was analyzed that one of the causes that had induced deterioration of the liman’s ecological characteristics: changes in its hydrological regime, rapid shrinkage of the area, and as a consequence, spatial redistribution of some ecologi-cal groups of birds as well as changes in bird abundance. Such changes impair sustainability of Ramsar’s criteria of Molochnyi

Liman that requires searching of practical restoration decisions. Basing on a 3D model, built with ArcGIS tools, there have been predicted changes in the liman in case of its further shrinkage or in case of restoration of its former hydrological regime.

11:00 am–12:30 pm

Paper Session

Marine Reserves and Ecosystems

Room: Acacia

The Value of Habitat Diversity in Marine Reserves: Spiny Lobster Use of the Intertidal Zone at the Santa Catalina Island MPA ++

Presenter(s): Sean Windell, CSUMB

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are a relatively new approach to managing exploited marine species. However, in order for MPAs to be effective, a diversity of habitats that incorporate all necessary ecosystem services for targeted species must be included in their design. The Southern California spiny lobster (Panulirus interruptus) is an exploited species for which MPAs have been designed. Previous work suggests this species forages within the intertidal zone at high tide; however, the relative importance of this habitat in the early design of MPAs was not considered. As part of a study to test the efficacy of a long-standing MPA on Catalina Island, California, snorkel and scuba surveys recording abundance, size, and gender were conducted along transects within the MPA and outside at high tide. Intertidal habitat composition was also assessed at low tide using GIS to create photographic transects based off spatial reference points, which were then classified manually. It was hypothesized that spiny lobster demograph-ics were greater in the MPA. It was also hypothesized that demographic patterns were higher in the intertidal zone relative to the subtidal at high tide. Results suggest current demographic parameters are higher outside the reserve due to more suitable intertidal habitat for foraging. These results provide insight on how MPAs should require ecosystem-based management that incorporates fine-scale habitat types utilized throughout the lifetime of managed species.

Session DescriptionsFriday, July 11 (continued)

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Godzilla and the Potential of “Ridge to Reef” Conservation

Presenter(s): Danielle LaBruna, WCS

The distinction between “marine” and “terrestrial” protected areas can be maladaptive when it comes to wildlife and natural resource conservation. Recent conservation efforts referred to as “Ridge to Reef” or “Land to Sea” initiatives seek to dissolve that line and are gaining traction. The main concept of such initiatives is that marine ecology is better protected when the land upstream is protected as well, with the effect of mitigating water pollution and sedimenta-tion in the downstream marine ecosystem. As the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) puts it: “Well managed coastal and estuarine ecosystems support liveli-hoods, income from fisheries and tourism. Wetland and marine environments (including coral reefs) are less vulner-able to damage when rivers are kept healthy. Solutions to water pollution are found in coordinating the use and man-agement of land and water from source to sea.” We examined the global potential for Ridge to Reef conservation, that is, future marine protected areas (MPAs) that would be linked to existing protected uplands. We used the World Database of Protected Areas (WDPA) to identify existing near-shore protected areas (1 mile inland of shore), then examined the offshore marine territory for existing MPAs within 12 nautical miles of the coastline. If none existed, that marine territory was identified as a potential MPA with Ridge to Reef connec-tivity. Despite technical problems with the massive size of a global coastline dataset containing Godzilla features (features with upwards of 1 million vertices), we conclude that there is great potential for Ridge to Reef conservation worldwide, not only in large coastal countries such as the U.S. and Canada, but also Chile, Brazil and Indonesia.

The Admiralty Sound: An Opportunity to Integrate Terrestrial and Marine Conservation Efforts

Presenter(s): Alejandro Rubén Vila (Scholar), Wildlife Conservation Society

In this paper we present the participative process to promote a Marine Protected Area in Tierra del Fuego, Patagonia, Chile, as well as a preliminary zoning to minimize conflicts between existing human uses and conservation.

Modeling the Effects of Sedimentation on Marine Protected Areas in Yap, Micronesia ++

Presenter(s): Megan Klein, University of Redlands

Some of the locals on Yap Island in the Federated States of Micronesia have proposed the construction of a golf resort in the Dalipebinaw municipality on the western side of Yap Proper. Just off the coast of Dalipebinaw is approximately 3 miles of a productive aquatic ecosystem that is a locally-managed marine protected area. The purpose of this project, which was pitched by Dr. Reed Perkins of Queens University of Charlotte, is to model the effects this golf resort would have on the health and vitality of the surrounding coral reefs. The proposed site is comprised of relatively erodible soil, and without adequate planning and management could contrib-ute to the sedimentation and erosion of the surrounding MPA. In order to minimize such adverse effects, I will use empirical models in conjunction with GIS to model and quantify how much damage may occur in the event that the golf resort is built. The Yap government is aware of the benefits conferred by the implementation of a GIS and its ability to minimize the negative interactions between the natural environment and the people by whom it is inhabited. The results of this project will advise them on how to develop land mindfully such that the marine life will not be forfeited.

11:00 am–12:30 pm

Paper Session

Invasive Animals

Room: Toyon

A GIS Driven Approach to Wetland Conservation by Nutria Eradication

Presenter(s): Bryson Webber, USDA/APHIS/Wildlife Services

In 2002 the Chesapeake Bay Nutria Eradication Program (CBNEP) was initiated with the goal to eradicate nutria (Myocaster coypus) from the Delmarva Peninsula (Eastern Shore of Maryland, Delaware, and Eastern Shore of Virginia). Since the introduction of nutria in the 1940s they have greatly contributed to the loss of wetland habitat. Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge has lost approximately 50 percent of its emergent marshes (5,000 acres) through conversion to

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shallow open water habitats since the introduction of nutria. Through the collaboration of federal and state agencies, non-governmental organizations, and private landowners nutria driven marsh loss has been halted. Nutria eradication is expected to be completed by the spring of 2017. This effort was originally implemented with the use of recreational grade GPSs and paper data sheets, resulting in lost time and data entry errors. In 2012 CBNEP adopted a digital data collection system using mobile field mapping computers and creating a unique workflow using GIS to aid in informed decision making and increased productivity.

Preventing Island Extinctions: Knowledge Products in Support of Invasive Vertebrate Removal from Islands

Presenter(s): David Will, Island Conservation

Although islands make up less than 5% of the earth’s land area, 80% of known species extinctions have taken place on islands; and 40% of IUCN Critically Endangered species currently inhabit them. Invasive Alien Vertebrates have been a primary cause of insular extinctions and are recognized as a key risk to today’s threatened species. There have been over 1100 successful eradications of invasive vertebrates from islands worldwide, and these represent effective conserva-tion interventions to prevent extinctions and protect bio-diversity. Using the UNEP-WCMC Global Island Database (GID), which uniquely identifies 180,000 of the world’s islands, we created two key database tools, available in English and Spanish, to aid planning and development of these con-servation actions: the Threatened Island Biodiversity (TIB) database, and the Database of Islands and Invasive Species Eradications (DIISE). These databases were created as a col-laboration between academic and industry partners including BirdLife, IISG, UC Santa Cruz, and the University of Auckland. The TIB database identifies almost 1500 islands where 1100 IUCN threatened species are at risk from invasive vertebrates and highlights where eradications can be employed on a global scale to prevent extinctions. The DIISE records the tar-get species, method, and outcome from invasive vertebrate eradications on almost 1000 islands worldwide, providing invasive species practitioners the opportunity to learn from global eradication experience.

Using ArcPad to Collect and Interpret Data for Invasive Vertebrate Eradications

Presenter(s): David Will, Island Conservation

Islands are at the epicenter of the current extinction crisis, with invasive species being one of the primary extinction driv-ers. The eradication of invasive alien species is often feasible on islands and is a powerful conservation tool. We developed digital data collection systems on more than six projects using Esri’s ArcPad software and Microsoft SQL Server Express geodatabases to offer insight into a campaign’s progress and inform management decisions. These systems allowed project staff to navigate to and collect informa-tion about trap or bait station sites as related check events; record target animal sign; and log staff activity. Managers reviewed this data to inform daily resource deployment deci-sions. During a feral cat eradication in the California Channel Islands, we integrated our database with a remote trap moni-toring system to display real-time information about capture events to reduce impacts to the endangered San Nicolas Island Fox. On other projects, we leveraged the ArcGIS Time Slider to view bait uptake from bait stations over time and Microsoft Excel to plot cumulative bait totals. Finally, because data were collected with strict integrity, we were able to ana-lyze our data with quantitative Bayesian models to determine the probability that eradication had been achieved within a predetermined level of risk. Despite its steep learning curve, ArcPad has been a very effective data collection tool, particu-larly in remote work environments with limited connectivity.

11:00 am–12:30 pm

Paper Session

Conservation Reserve Design

Room: Heather

The Northern Tanzania Rangelands Initiative

Presenter(s): Alphonce Blass Mallya (Scholar), The Nature Conservancy

Comprising roughly eight million acres, the northern range-lands cover the heart of Tanzania’s Great Rift Valley. These savannah rangelands are ecologically significant to migratory wildlife and are home to some of Africa’s most recognized land-


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scapes—Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Serengeti, Tarangire and the Simanjiro Plains. With pastoralism as the dominant form of land use and central to the regional economy, the range-lands are also critical to supporting the livelihoods of resident pastoralists as well as small groups of hunter-gatherers such as the Hadzabe and Akie.

However, increased pressure from population growth, compet-ing land use interests and resource limitations threaten the ecological integrity of the rangelands, and in turn, the benefits they provide to local communities and the national economy. Thus hunter-gatherer, pastoralist, tourism development and nature conservation interests share common challenges across this landscape arising from growing natural resource pressures.

In 2011, a number of development, social enterprise and conser-vation groups joined together to explore strategies for address-ing these challenges and threats. The result was the beginning of the Northern Tanzania Rangelands Initiative (NTRI), which is a collaborative effort to achieve sustainable, local land use practices in order to safeguard the functioning of key ecosys-tems of northern Tanzania. The initiative seeks to achieve this by enhancing the integration of pastoralist and hunter-gatherer livelihood systems with the maintenance of key biodiversity and ecosystem services. The founding group includes The Nature Conservancy, Maliasili Initiatives, Wildlife Conservation Society and Dorobo Fund. NTRI aims to strengthen coordination, com-munication, information sharing and field-level collaboration amongst development, conservation, tourism and health care organisations in order to achieve whole system conservation. Member organisations complement each other, have a shared vision of success in the northern rangelands, share information (successes and failures), develop new interventions, raise funds, and increase awareness.

Measuring Conservation Efforts: Developing a Monitoring Program for Tosonkhulstai Nature Reserve

Presenter(s): Tuguldur Enkhtsetseg (Scholar), The Nature Conservancy

I will present a measuring of conservation efforts to the protected area of Eastern Mongolia. We implemented Conservation action planning on the reserve and one of the target species is medium sized carnivores. Medium and small carnivores are inherently elusive, making direct observational survey methods a near impossible task. As a result a variety of indirect methods have been developed to better deter-

mine carnivore distribution and abundance such as use scent stations with or without attractants to record tracks and other sign of individual animals.

Plaster scent disks were prepared (approximately 2 cm thick and 5 cm in diameter) and soaked in a solution of rotten egg and fish (100 raw eggs and 5 kg of boneless raw fish were placed in plastic air-tight containers and left in the sun for approximately one month) were placed in the center of each station (Image 3). We elevated the scent disk using either a small stone or horse scat to deter burying beetles from con-suming the bait; however, this had little effect. At each site, we created two track stations separated by 100 meters, one with and one without a moistening agent (unscented mineral oil).

Track station results of a total of 52 pre-determined scent sta-tion locations, 45 were successfully monitored as close to a 24 hour period as possible (mean = 19.6 hours). Of the stations that we did not record data from, two were within 200 meters of a household and the main UB-Choibalsan road and we elected to not put out a scent disc and 5 of the stations were created but washed out by heavy rain (4 on 3 separate occa-sions). Tracks from at least four species (Mustela eversmanni, Mesichinus dauuricus, Vulpes vulpes, and Vulpes corsac) were identified while incidental tracks were recorded from com-mon raven (Corvus corax), a gull (Larus sp.), and a Mongolian gazelle (Procapra gutturosa). Due to windy and dry conditions, track impressions were not as well defined as desired. This resulted in a number of impressions by corsac and red foxes indistinguishable and subsequently pooled as the detection of fox.

In total 24% (11 of 45) of untreated track stations had medium sized mammal sign while mineral oil treated stations had sign present at 31% (14 of 45). Sign attributed to ‘Vulpes’ was present at 22% of treated stations (10 of 45 stations) and 16% of untreated stations (7 of 45), indicating that the presence of mineral oil was not likely deterring animals from investi-gating the scented tablet. Only 3 sites had both treated and untreated stations visited by what we identified as either a red or corsac fox. Fox might not be interested in visiting a second station after discovering that the scent is not associ-ated with a food source and no longer worthy of investigating. Steppe polecat was detected at 3 of 45 untreated stations (07%) and at 4 of 45 (09%) at treated stations. Hedgehogs visited 2 of 45 dry sites and none of the treated sites. No wolf sign was detected.

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Ecological Corridors as Strategy for Forest Ecosystems Conservation of the Caparo Forest Reserve, Barinas State, Venezuela

Presenter(s): Alejandra Betancourt Rial (Scholar), Eulogio Chacón-Moreno, Institute of Environmental and Ecological Sciences (ICAE)

Deforestation is causing a transformation of the landscape, leading to ecosystem degradation and fragmentation, with the consequent loss of biodiversity. The semi-deciduous forests in the country are critically endangered and threatened due to human intervention including plant and animal species that inhabit these forests. A conservation proposal for forest ecosystems is presented in this paper, mainly focused on the semi-deciduous forests of the Caparo Forest Reserve, estab-lishing preliminary ecological corridors to rescue biodiver-sity flows, assuming that the negative consequences from fragmentation may be relieved by connectivity between the patches are negligent because the forest was not fragmented 60 years ago. To develop these corridors, a spatial approach was used incorporating distribution of all natural ecosystems and human intervention systems (Ecosystems Map). By satellite imagery analyzing and processing and GIS use, we defined six ecological systems or ecosystems and four human interven-tion systems. The spatial arrangement of forest fragments was determined and the corridors as conservation strategies were defined. Using ecological criteria, 66 links between patches of the original forest were proposed. With this strategy we are one step further towards the restoration of the forest in the reserve, with more biodiversity, with a healthy composition and structure maintained over time, in harmony with its inhabitants for the people of today and tomorrow.

2:00 pm–3:30 pm

Paper Session

Conserving Cultural and Community Values with GIS

Room: Chapel

Mapping the Unseen and Unheard—An Interactive View of My Iwi (Tribe) Using GIS

Presenter(s): Rangikauhoe Markus Heke (Scholar), Nga Whenua Rahui

Based in Kuku Beach New Zealand is the Te Hakari Dune Wetland Restoration Project. Currently legally protected

land under an Nga Whenua Rahui Kawenata (conservation covenant) for the purpose of enhancing native flora and fauna, invasive species eradication/control, water quality and the restoration of traditional medicines and resources.

My tribal bloodlines connect me directly to these lands and fuel my passion for all conservation work both as an employee of NWR and as a tribal member.

We currently use GIS in its traditional methods of decision mak-ing, boundaries, land use and mapping Maori traditional sites of significance (waahi tapu) to the local Ngati Tukorehe tribe.

My aim is to produce an interactive view of my IWI (Tribe) for the tribe to use for learning, querying and adding data through a tiered Login system to be made available to all tribal members. This map would also portray our tribe’s his-tory in the area including past papakainga (villages), battle grounds, stories, historical and current land use, the changing in ownership and traditional hunting/gathering grounds and the depletion of traditional resources over time.

Using hot spot analysis, I would like to show where our tribe was situated over time and how outside influences may have dictated the movements of our people to where our Marae (tribal meeting house) lies today. E.g., WW1/WW2, the inven-tion of Freezers and how that affected our seasonal harvests of fish/shellfish therefore easing our dependence on living near resource sites, the whereabouts of practical employment and other factors that may apply.

Why do this? A lot of tribal members are no longer part of the fabric of home, for various reasons like living or moving around the country and around the world. Also a lot of local tribal members know little about the history of our people, and with valuable traditional knowledge not being captured and passed down, we lose more with each passing of our elders.

My goal is to have this knowledge stored securely for the benefit of the future generations. The majority of this knowl-edge is what we call Matauranga Maori or intangible knowl-edge (the unseen/unheard). Traditionally, this was fiercely guarded knowledge handed down only to appropriate or deserving people, which is why I would place extra effort in ensuring all inputted data will be secure and for the use of tribal members.


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DATA SETS INCLUDE

• History

• Traditions

• Intangible Knowledge

• Resource Sites

• Conservation Efforts

GIS TYPES

• Story Map

• Hot Spot Analysis

• Multimedia Hyperlinks

• Time Lapse and the Ability to Create Personal Story Maps/Points etc. for Internal Discussion

Nga Hau E Wha o Papararangi Community Site

Presenter(s): Catriona O’Neill, Department of Conservation

Nga Hau E Wha o Papararangi community site, just outside Wellington city, is a picture perfect site 250 m above sea level, overlooking Wellington Harbour. A large number of stake-holders and volunteers are involved in this project, which aims at restoring the local native bush to its original glory. This includes planting trees and plants for weaving, medicinal and cooking purposes and an overall objective of returning birds and other wildlife species back into the area.

Nominated representatives from Nga Hau E Wha are being trained and educated on the use of Esri ArcGIS tools. This empowers and motivates them to be self-sufficient in the use of ArcGIS. It will allow the representatives to visualize and analyze the current landscape and assist with site optimiza-tion and suitability for planting and landscaping, pest and weed control, bird counts and biodiversity monitoring.

ArcGIS is crucial to the success of the project and is funda-mental to decision making and planning efforts.

Searching for the Lost Temple of Auzancata: A Geospatial Game Plan for Multidisciplinary Research in the High Andes

Presenter(s): Wetherbee Dorshow, The GIS Institute

This presentation provides a proposed archaeological and geographic expedition to investigate, document and protect

a previously unreported pre-Incan archaeological site cluster at an elevation of 16,000+ feet (5000 m) in the Cordillera Vilcanota range in southeastern Peru. In addition to architec-tural sites along the shoreline, at least one pre-Incan ceremo-nial site sits on the current lake bottom, in 13 feet of water. A key focus of this project is to capture compelling scientific data in a geospatially-integrated approach that will facilitate specific research objectives while at the same time provid-ing a base for 3D visualizations that can be shared with the public at large, allowing people to experience a sensitive and restricted archaeological site in a way that is both informative and entertaining.

The talk will open with an overview of recent multidisciplinary research in this sensitive, high alpine environment, with a focus on biology and archaeology. Subsequently, we will explore a variety of geospatial and archaeological data collec-tion methods and technologies, ranging from innovative video photogrammetry to UAVs and bathymetric data visualizations. Finally, we will explore some of the challenges and opportuni-ties on the path to protecting this global resource through film and communication. For more information on the project, visit http://www.thegisinstitute.org.

Building GIS Capacity

Presenter(s): Oldy Arnoldy Arby (Scholar), Forum Tata Ruang

This research focuses on aspects of building local GIS capac-ity on all levels of society, from middle school to NGOs to government. The data for the research were collected from students and government/NGO/society through surveys and questionnaires. Findings from the research generally support the hypothesis that exposure to GIS training at the middle school level has a significant effect on building GIS capacity at other levels in society, and the interactions between these different levels are important. Managerial implications of the research findings suggest that younger generation involve-ment and leader attention are necessary for successful efforts to build local GIS capacity.

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2:00 pm–3:30 pm

Paper Session

Marine Indicators and Pollutions

Room: Acacia

Predictive Mapping of Water Quality Bacterial Indicators in Newport Bay ++

Presenter(s): Ashley Ciglar, UC Irvine

Newport Bay in southern California is an estuary that pro-vides ecosystem services such as habitat for local and migrating birds and a recreational hub for water sports. The activities that occur in the bay create public appreciation for these services and help to ensure support for water quality conservation. Conservation begins with understanding how contaminants are transported throughout the bay such that contaminant loading standards can be improved. A model is developed to simulate advective and dispersive transport of bacteria in Newport Bay, and it can be easily adapted to add complexity as needed. The model predicts bacterial concentrations for percentile loading conditions calculated from ten transects conducted during 2006. ArcGIS is used to map the regions impacted by bacterial exceedances of EPA regulations resulting from percentile loading conditions. The impacted regions are indicated with Inverse Distance Weighting interpolation, which will be used to create graduated color maps. Public comprehension of impacted regions is facilitated through the ArcGIS Online map viewer. Furthermore, understanding the transport of bacteria in the bay can improve current total maximum daily loading (TMDL) regulations for bacteria. The transport dynamics in the model can apply to different TMDLs with varying levels of accuracy. With improved science-based policy, the health of the bay can be ensured for wildlife and recreationists.

Aquatic Conservation (Marine or Freshwater)

What’s Upstream? GIS’s Critical Role in Developing Nutrient Reference Conditions for Estuaries

Presenter(s): Patrick Clinton, U.S. EPA

Eutrophication due to excess levels of nitrogen and phos-phorus can seriously impair ecological function in estuar-ies. Protective criteria for nutrients are difficult to establish

because the source can vary spatially and seasonally, origi-nate either from the watershed or the ocean, and be natural or anthropogenic. GIS tools and processes can help in devel-oping nutrient criteria by establishing reference conditions representative of natural background nutrient levels. Along the Oregon Coast in the Pacific Northwest, the primary source of nutrients in the wet season (November–April) is generally riverine. We delineated and extracted explicit spa-tial data from watersheds upstream of riverine water quality monitoring stations for parametric comparison to recorded nutrient levels. The SPARROW model (Wise and Johnson, 2011) was used to estimate relative contributions of nutrient sources at each station. Both raster and vector spatial data were used and include land use/land cover, demography, geology, terrain, precipitation and forest type. The relation-ships of nutrients to spatial data were then explored as an approach to establishing the reference expectation.

GIS Analysis on Representation of the PA Network in the Barents Euro-Arctic Region

Presenter(s): Irina Danilova (Scholar), Transparent World

1. Two stages for spatial analysis on network representativeness:

• To classify the whole project area by certain geographical classes and to measure how much of each class is pro-tected in Pas by Vegetation type, Landcover class, biocli-matic zone, elevation level, Land ownership type, Level of human impact/fragmentation

• To identify the areas of high conservation value (which should be protected) and measure how much is/is not protected

2. Classification of BEAR protected areas;

3. Thematic maps produced in BPAN-project;

4. Steps for landscape connectivity analysis and map producing

• Step 1. Landscape transparency maps

• Step 2. Checking connections

• Step 3. Intact areas connectivity analysis (high conserva-tion value forest connectivity)


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2:00 pm–3:30 pm

Paper Session

Invasive Plants

Room: Toyon

Improving Invasive Species Management Using Cloud-Based Field Data Collection and Enhanced Workflows

Presenter(s): Brian Shepard, Clean Water Services

The management of invasive species throughout a large area, including urban and rural land under public and private ownership, involves rigorous data management. Creating and maintaining a system of record that provides both accurate data for management decisions and situational awareness for field crews require the maintenance of multiple datasets. Inefficient, manual workflows encumber management strat-egy and fieldwork with inaccurate or outdated information. Clean Water Services is undergoing a dramatic change in the way it collects and reviews data for its invasive species management program covering the Tualatin River Watershed in Washington County, OR. Adopting cloud-based solutions and leveraging existing technologies have allowed for a transition from paper maps and data sheets to a fully digital system of record. Landowner permissions and preferences and changes in tax lot ownership, size, and location are being tracked and reported in a user-friendly manner. Updates to this information are automatically pushed to both desktop and mobile GIS platforms enhancing management decisions in the office and situational awareness in the field. Survey and treatment data is now presented in real time, improving track-ing and customer service. High accuracy GNSS units com-bined with iPads allowed for a five-fold increase in both the number of data points collected and the locational accuracy of those points while reducing time and effort for both collec-tion and management of this data.

A Decade of Difference (2000–2013): Pitch Canker Infestation in Asilomar Forest, Pacific Grove, CA

Presenter(s): U Win, Winners Circle Consulting

In 2000 the Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office (MCACO) and the former Spatial Information Visualization Center of the California State University at

Monterey Bay (CSUMB-SIVA) conducted a survey of pitch canker infestation of Monterey pines at Asilomar Forest. In 2002 Dr. U Win conducted a study of 1,414 selected trees from the 2000 survey and concluded that 16% were dead, 11% had initial signs of pitch canker, 25% showed moderate infestation, 46% had severe infestation, and less than 2% were healthy. In other words, over 98% of the 1,414 trees studied were infested by pitch canker.

A dozen of years after the 2000 survey Monterey pines with brown branches that are a sign of pitch canker infestation were still standing tall in Asilomar Forest. In November 2012 MCACO initiated a new study. Data collection began in June 2013 using a Geo HX GPS device and was completed in September 2013 with 1,134 trees being surveyed. Geospatial analysis of the 2013 data was again conducted.

Only 490 records of 2000 survey dataset matched with 2013 survey dataset that were utilized for a comparison of pitch canker severity. Analysis of the two datasets has allowed us to see the percent changes in each category of pitch canker severity and changes in severity of infested trees within the decade. Results to date indicate a glimpse of recovery of sickened trees but will require confirmation by further study in coming decades.

Projection of Native and Invasive Species Distribution Under a Changing Climate in the Southeastern United States ++

Presenter(s): Zhen Sui, Mississippi State University

Longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) as a native species along the northern Gulf of Mexico has great ecological values among the southern forest ecosystems, while Chinese tallow tree (Triadica sebifera) is an invasive species which has been dramatically invading to the longleaf-slash pine and other forest types since 1990s. This study constructed three climate envelope mod-els (GLM, BIOCLIM, and MaxEnt) to predict future occupied probability under IPCC A1B scenario for the two species. The objective of this study was to detect the vulnerability of longleaf pine and the invasion ability of Chinese tallow. Besides mapping future distributions under the changing climate, spatial statistics associated GIS techniques were widely applied through model-ing procedures. One result showed that the significant climatic variables which affected species distributions not only referred to general trends (mean) and extreme values, but also included variation (seasonality). Another result showed that oak-gum-

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cypress forests turned to be the second vulnerable forests fol-lowed with longleaf-slash pine forests to Chinese tallow invasion in the southern United States. This study provided a comprehen-sive interpretation of effects on both native and non-native tree species due to climate change. The purpose of this study is to call attention to the risks of species invasion under a changing climate with respect to forest ecosystem conservation.

Mapping Invasive Prosopis juliflora in Afar, Ethiopia, Using Participatory GIS Approaches

Presenter(s): Tewodros Wakie, Colorado State University

We used participatory mapping and GIS techniques to map Prosopis juliflora invaded sites in Afar, Ethiopia. Sketch maps were made by more than 40 men and 30 women. We aggre-gated, scaled, and reproduced the sketch maps with support from local communities. Additionally, we provided GPS train-ing to selected community members who collected 70 geographic coordinates of key features and control points. Sketch maps were then digitized and geo-referenced using the 70 control points and ArcGIS software. We overlaid the community maps on Landsat 8 images, MODIS derived P. juli-flora distribution maps, and other ancillary land cover layers. The results show that Afar pastoralist communities correctly identified P. juliflora infested sites and many key features and resources. Comparisons with other P. juliflora maps show that communities mapped denser stands more than they did sparsely infested sites. Communities in Afar also mapped P. juliflora infestations that were close to settlement areas sug-gesting that these methods may be more suited to fine scale mapping. They also identified other problems that include conflict with rival Issa pastoral communities and overtaking of their land by the incumbent government for new large-scale agribusinesses. Participants showed a great sense of accep-tance and ownership to the produced maps, suggesting that participatory mapping approaches may be another tool for early detection of invasive species and guiding fine-scale management strategies.

2:00 pm–3:30 pm

Technical WorkshopRoom: Heather

Creating Map Books with Data Driven Pages


Data Driven Pages is Esri’s tool for creating map books. With Data Driven Pages, the user can create a series of map pages based on data within the map, usually a polygon grid or a set of polygons along a linear feature. This presentation will explain the commands and settings needed to create map books and will demonstrate how to create map books with different examples. The presentation will also show how to use dynamic text for page numbering and if time permits, some ArcPy mapping commands.

4:00 pm–5:30 pm

Paper Session

Public Platforms for Science and GIS

Room: Chapel

Making Connections with Twitter

Presenter(s): Jocelyn Tutak, Ecotrust

There are conversations—meaningful ones—happening about conservation, GIS, climate change, biodiversity, fund-ing, and more every day on Twitter. Are you taking part? Do you want to? This session will cover some of the basics of Twitter but will also be used to start a conversation about the many ways current users utilize Twitter, how to find and take part in the conversations you want to be a part of, and more. All experience levels welcome! Come with questions to ask or tips to share.


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Geek Speak—Case Studies in Translating Complex Spatial Data into Powerful Key Messages for General Audiences

Presenter(s): Melissa Clark, The Nature Conservancy

In order to widely influence conservation at regional, national, and global scales it is necessary to translate our long techni-cal reports and gigabytes of data into simple messages and basic clear datasets that decision makers, foundations, gov-ernment agencies, and general audiences can understand. In this presentation, I will discuss case studies from the Eastern Division of The Nature Conservancy in climate resilience, terrestrial habitats, conservation status, and large dataset dis-tribution and explore what has and has not worked in translat-ing these case studies. Rather than end with conclusions, I will end the presentation with interaction and reflection by asking the audience about ways they have successfully incorporated science translation into their own projects.

DOC NZ’s Vision Change: Implications for an Enterprise Environment

Presenter(s): Peter Hiemstra, New Zealand’s Department of Conservation

New Zealand’s Department of Conservation has recently gone through an organisational change that now puts more emphasis on partnerships with businesses and the commu-nity to meet conservation goals. This shift has resulted in a requirement to more readily interact and collaborate with these stakeholders in a meaningful and practical way. For the GIS team, this will involve using a range of Esri ArcGIS and non-Esri tools and methods to deliver engagement needs.

Using Webmaps as a Communication Tool for Environmental Compliance

Presenter(s): Molly Sandomire, TRC Solutions

Overhead power lines, which transmit electrical energy over long distances, often traverse sensitive habitats. There are almost 400,000 miles of electric transmission lines in the United States, much of which are aging and require upgrades to maintain system reliability. Due to their linear nature, power line projects can negatively impact wildlife. In California, one common conservation measure requires a biologist to conduct wildlife surveys prior to construction. For utility-scale projects, which can involve many work sites along miles of power lines, the challenge of communicating survey

locations and results can be daunting. In an effort to more efficiently communicate survey data, we created a webmap for biologists to record survey locations and to map the location and activity of sensitive wildlife. Use of the webmap did not require any GIS skills and allowed users to print maps and extract points of interest. Users of the webmap included project biologists, environmental compliance monitors, regu-lators, and construction managers. The webmap was a useful tool for communicating survey results and had the additional benefit of providing a mapping environment to use when unexpected construction challenges were encountered. The California ISO lists over 200 electric transmission projects that are currently in progress or are planned across the state. Thus the use of webmaps as a communication tool for environmen-tal compliance has broad applicability.

4:00 pm–5:30 pm

Paper Session

Species Movement and Modeling

Room: Acacia

Modeling the Relationship Between Post-Nesting, Northwest Pacific Green Turtle Movement Patterns and Environmental Conditions ++

Presenter(s): Wan-Hwa Cheng, University of Central Florida

Effective management for the conservation of marine turtles requires knowledge of how habitat characteristics relate to turtle movements. Satellite tracking data were used to provide information on migration between reproductive beaches and foraging grounds, location residency times, and utilization of these habitats. Basic oceanography conditions such as surface currents have been linked to sea turtle movement. In addition, dynamic mesoscale processes such as chlorophyll fronts may also influence sea turtle movements.

Our main objective in this study is to understand how envi-ronmental conditions influence post-nesting green turtle migratory behaviors in the Northwest Pacific using geospatial modeling. We used 35 satellite tracks from Taiwan and Japan taken from 1994–2013 and modeled the effects of environ-mental parameters (e.g., sea surface height, sea surface and below surface temperature, surface and below surface salinity,

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distance from the coast, ocean current speed and direc-tion, chlorophyll a concentration, magnetic field strength) on green turtle post-nesting movement behavior. Data from this study will be used to develop multiple regression models. The weightings from the multiple regression will be used to parameterize a circuitscape model which will be used to pre-dict the likelihood of possible movement pathway through the seascape. This study may be useful for improving government-led management and conservation practices for marine turtles.

Whale mAPP: Engaging Citizen Scientists to Contribute and Map Marine Mammal Sightings

Presenter(s): Dr. Lei Lani Stelle, University of Redlands

Studies focused on monitoring populations & distributions of marine mammals are expensive & resource intensive. To increase the availability of this essential information, a geo-graphic information system (GIS) solution was developed using a citizen science approach.

Whale mAPP is a system of mobile & web applications that allow the public to submit marine mammal observations & visualize the results on maps. An Android mobile application was developed to record sightings, automatically track boat paths, & collect photographs to provide a geography-specific list of species to users, & to work regardless of connectivity. A web application allows users to query data by region, date, & time, visualize sightings directly, & download data in shapefile format. Educational materials on the website include basic biological information along with images & illustrations. The site also includes marine mammal threats & research efforts highlighted with brief stories, interviews, & videos.

Efforts are being made to make Whale mAPP a more col-laborative & stable project. World-wide beta testing of the mobile app is underway to ensure its capability in a wide variety of environments. Whale mAPP is being extended to ArcGIS Online to enable its use by a wider range of users. Additionally, GitHub is being used to encourage collaborative development of the mobile app’s educational components by a graduate student assessing the use of citizen science data for research on cetaceans.

Mapping Important Areas for Seabirds: How to Draw the Boundary Line

Presenter(s): Melanie Smith, Audubon Alaska

During a multi-year process of identifying important Bird Areas in Alaska we established new methods for recognizing globally significant seabird hot spots using data from pelagic survey transects. The process required developing gradient maps summarizing bird density or abundance by species and a method for delineating boundaries. Drawing lines is neces-sary to establish conservation areas or perform marine spatial planning, yet few have focused on analytical approaches for moving from gradient maps to boundaries.

We explored many spatial-ecological questions to find the most effective approach. Delineation methods included expert-drawn lines, buffering significant seabird colonies, quantile maps, and density-dependent contours. We settled on a moving window approach to summarize data and derive boundaries because it required fewer processing steps, pro-vided a measure of local abundance which allowed us to easily test significance thresholds, and is not sensitive to scaling issues related to study area size. The approach worked well for a wide range of birds, including loons, albatrosses, shearwa-ters, storm-petrels, cormorants, diving ducks, gulls, terns, and alcids in marine areas ranging from temperate to polar.

These methods should be broadly applicable across ecosys-tem types and species guilds, including both short- and long-range foragers and locally common to widely abundant species.

Identifying Important Bird Areas for Waterfowl in Terrestrial and Coastal Alaska Using Aerial Survey Data

Presenter(s): Nathan Walker, Audubon Alaska

Important Bird Areas (IBAs) are based on an established pro-gram that uses standardized criteria to identify places that hold a significant proportion of the population of one or more bird species. Building on our work to use spatial analysis to delin-eate IBAs in the marine environment of Alaska, we adapted our methods to terrestrial and coastal areas of the state. First, we compiled nearly 1 million aerial survey bird locations identified


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to species, made up primarily of waterfowl observations. The surveyed areas covered almost one-third of terrestrial Alaska and one-half of the coastline. Next, we calculated average density, by species, within 5 km bins, and averaged multiple years of density data where available. Terrestrial survey data included transect polygons, allowing us to multiply the density across the 5 km bin to derive an adjusted abundance estimate. Coastline surveys did not include transect polygons and were treated as a census with no area adjustment. The resultant abundance gradient maps for 36 species were summarized using a 25 km moving window analysis to locate core areas meeting IBA criteria. These polygons were validated for IBA status by testing for total abundance and persistent occupa-tion of a site at a density exceeding the IBA threshold value. We identified more than 70 new IBAs for 18 different species. The methods can be used to identify IBAs in other geographies with available aerial survey data.

4:00 pm–5:30 pm

Paper Session

Plant Conservation and Biogeography

Room: Toyon

A Phylogenetic Regionalization of the Phytogeographic Zones of Southern Africa ++

Presenter(s): Barnabas Daru, University of Johannesburg, South Africa

The classification and delineation of biogeographical units provide a fundamental step in understanding the distribution of biodiversity across the globe. However, many bioregional classification schemes are laid down with little cognizance of phylogenetic relatedness, resulting in only a weak correspon-dence between bioregions and the evolutionary assemblages of species found within them. Because phylogeny captures information on the evolutionary history of diversification and dispersal, it provides a valuable tool for delineating biogeo-graphical boundaries. In this study, we use a dated phylogeny of trees and a metric of phylogenetic ß-diversity to delimit the phytogeographical zones of southern Africa. Based on

cluster analysis, we uncover 12 phytogeographic regions which differ in evolutionary uniqueness. Our phytoregions match surprisingly closely to traditional classification, but we also find mismatches for some regions. Notably, we identify new phyloregions which differ in evolutionary distinctiveness. We suggest conservation premium should be placed on ecozones with highest evolutionary distinctiveness, such as the savanna and the coastal forests.

Capturing Remnant Woody Vegetation on the Valley Floor of Yolo County ++

Presenter(s): JayLee Tuil, UC Davis

With efforts focused on regional resource conservation and restoration, the authors use object-oriented image analysis (OBIA) to segment high-resolution aerial imagery (NAIP, 2005) and spatially delimit remnant native woody vegetation on the valley floor of Yolo County. To begin, relevant vegeta-tion classes are assembled from various existing datasets to construct an initial mask for segmentation. The map is further developed using spatial subsets of LiDAR and hyperspectral data along a portion of the Sacramento River to train and classify the remnant woody vegetation polygons on the val-ley floor. Such a map would be a valuable conservation and restoration planning tool for the Central Valley region. With this spatial information, region-wide conservation planning can incorporate the potential building blocks of a regional and functional habitat network amidst the agricultural vernacular of the Central Valley.

Rapidly Identifying Plants At Risk; Streamlined Methods to Address Target Two of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation

Presenter(s): Wayne Law, The New York Botanical Garden

Target two of The Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC), “An assessment of the conservation status of all known plant species, as far as possible, to guide conservation action,” is set to be accomplished by 2020. To date, fewer than 15,000 plant species have conservation assessments under the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, the most widely recognized system used to esti-mate risk of extinction. Due to the difficulties assembling the data needed for Red List assessments, progress to achieve

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Target two has been extremely slow. The New York Botanical Garden has developed a streamlined method using herbarium specimens and ArcGIS to calculate an Extent of Occurrence (EOO) using a minimum convex polygon. Species with an EOO of less than 20,000 km 2, an IUCN threshold, are subse-quently evaluated as “At Risk.” However, the Pacific Islands need an additional metric because of the limited land area in this region. Plant species restricted to these islands might be identified as “At Risk” due to the small land area of these islands, despite being widespread locally. By also incorporat-ing digital elevation model (DEM), we calculate the area above a species lowest elevational occurrence, a metric we have coined, Extent of Inhabitable Elevation of Island Occurrence (EIEIO). These streamlined systems allow a rapid assessment for species that need plant conservation attention and allow a more timely response to Target two of the GSPC.

Potential Areas for Plants Conservation in Madagascar

Presenter(s): Eric Rakotoarisoa Solofo (Scholar), Kew Madagascar Conservation Centre

Madagascar is home of about 14000 plant species (Schatz, 2010), 90% of which are found nowhere else in the world. Now due to human activities (logging, slash and burn practical, ille-gal plant collecting) many species are threatened to extinction. This paper aims to identify potential areas for conservation in Madagascar by using the genera, Aloe and Palms, as a model. These are two charismatic taxa of the flora of Madagascar. The GIS analysis will determine the species diversity trends in each of the taxon and explain the reason of their diversity in dissimilar environments. Aloe species are highly diversified in the dry region, on the western side of Madagacar while palms dominate the humid forest in the eastern part of the island. Finally, the habitat modeling of Aloe and palms will be used for prioritizing the conservation of the area with high poten-tial species richness but not covered by the protected areas network yet.

4:00 pm–5:30 pm


Habitat Analysis for Overwintering Monarch Butterflies: Microclimate Meets GIS

Presenter(s): Stuart Weiss, Creekside Center for Earth Observation

Overwintering monarch butterflies require an exacting set of microclimatic conditions in forest groves along the California Coast—a mix of light exposure and wind shelter in a mild coastal environment that rarely freezes. We will take advantage of the proximity of Monarch Grove Sanctuary and George Washington Park in Pacific Grove to do a combina-tion presentation (1/2 hr) and field tour (1 hr) that will cover the integration of hemispherical photography and microclimate mapping in GIS. Hemispherical photos generate site-specific canopy cover, insolation, and wind exposure within complex forest canopies and are interpolated using Geostatistical Analyst to create microclimate surfaces. These are combined with a tree map (species, diameter, and height) to assess long-term management needs and options. Key elements of site management include anticipating tree decline and death, planting of new trees to maintain wind shelter, and management of hazard branches and dead trees. The often contentious history of site management will be covered, along with the recent success establishing a new shelterbelt against northwest winds, using non-native blue gum eucalyptus (a species that forms the backbone of Monarch Grove Sanctuary) planted in 1999. George Washington Park supports a native pine-oak forest historically (and still occasionally) used by monarchs and we will discuss incipient restoration plans that will play out over the next 20 years.


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9:00 am–10:30 am

Paper Session

Restoration and Habitat Management

Room: Chapel

A National Map of Restoration Priorities

Presenter(s): Paola Isaacs Cubides, Instituto Alexander von Humboldt

The Humboldt Institute has an entity of the National Environmental System with the responsibility to build the national map of restoration priorities for the country. We use a multi-criteria analysis that included indicators of intervention at 1:100,000 scale: 1) covers with intervention (fragmented forests, secondary vegetation, bare and degraded soils), burned areas and presence of alien species (conifer plantations); 2) map of deforestation 2010–2012; 3) map of land use conflicts in over-exploited areas or with unsuitable soils; 4) layer of drains and water bodies in agricultural areas; and 5) existing mining rights. An analysis of landscape metrics was performed using size, shape and contiguity. Areas with the highest priority restora-tion were located in the Andean region, the Caribbean and the eastern plains, to the margins of basins. In total has been reported 81.645.800 ha to restore, mainly in areas with land use conflicts by overexploitation with 14.311.321 ha, covers with intervention with 6.670.000 and 1.500.000 ha with small patches with regular forms in disturbed matrices. Based on disturbance, the mining rights reports 773.000 ha, 625.000 ha on drains with productive systems, and deforestation with 295.000 ha. This map is the first attempt in the country at this scale and should become an opportunity to better address restoration efforts in Colombia; however, these actions will depend on regional restoration efforts to work in more detailed scales.

Keeping Track of Mining Activity in Ontario’s Northern Boreal

Presenter(s): Meg Southee, Wildlife Conservation Society Canada

Ontario’s Northern Boreal is the largest intact boreal forest in the world and it is facing increased pressures from resource extraction, infrastructure development and climate change. Following the discovery of massive deposits of chromite, nickel and copper in the region named the “Ring of Fire,” Ontario’s Northern Boreal has seen a dramatic increase in staked mining claims, exploration activities and mining proposals. In order to monitor mining activities in the Ring of

Fire, Python scripts and GIS tools were developed to provide daily spatial updates on claim ownership and activity from the Ontario Mining Claims Information Database (http://www.mci .mndm.gov.on.ca/Claims/clm_mmen.cfm). Using these tools, we have been able to efficiently comment on environmental assessments for proposed mining developments in the Ring of Fire and incorporate the most recent mining information into our conservation analyses. Given the limited conservation dol-lars and staff resources available to address issues in an area the size of Sweden, these tools can rapidly inform organiza-tions concerned with the impacts of mining exploration at low cost. The next step is to make these tools available online and share them with First Nations and their environmental resource staff and other government and non-government organiza-tions engaged in environmental assessment in Ontario.

Using Technology to Improve Restoration Efficiency in Southern Nevada

Presenter(s): Kerry Holcomb, US Fish and Wildlife Service

From 1960 to 2010 Nevada’s rate of human population growth was the fastest in our nation; Clark County’s population grew by more than 40 percent between 2000 and 2010. During this time, public land in southern Nevada experienced increas-ing rates of human influenced (anthropogenic) disturbance to all ecosystem types. Synergy between rapid disturbance proliferation, slow natural recovery, and limited/fluctuating budgets challenged the ability of federal resource manag-ers to track and mitigate impacts to soils, hydrology, and biodiversity. In response, the Southern Nevada Restoration Team (SNRT) developed the Disturbance Inventory and Restoration Tracking (DIRT) geodatabase and protocol, which provides the BLM, NPS, US FWS, and USFS with a standard as well as seamless approach for documenting, prioritizing, and restoring disturbances, and monitoring restoration success. The DIRT geodatabase and protocol provides a decision tree based on specific disturbance attributes, and the success of the prescriptions will be monitored, informing periodic refinement and expansion of treatment actions. Following the steps and actions provided by the protocol assures that disturbances in southern Nevada are documented, prioritized, and treated using a landscape-scale adaptive management approach consistent across public land management jurisdic-tions, and that restoration efforts will be based on the best available scientific information as well as patterns gleaned from DIRT data.

Session DescriptionsSaturday, July 12

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A Novel Approach to Mapping and Quantifying Age Classes of Forest Habitat to Support Avian Habitat Management in the Upper Great Lakes

Presenter(s): Brian Tavernia, USGS

The implementation of management plans to halt and reverse declining trends of bird species dependent on early succes-sional habitat (ESH) requires information about the amount, configuration, quality, and location of habitat. Current habitat datasets do not allow managers to address questions about the amount and configuration of ESH age classes at spatial scales pertinent to management efforts. Landsat time series stacks (LTSS) contain spectral-temporal information revealing the timing and severity of forest disturbance events. We used LTSS and a Vegetation Change Tracker (VCTw) algorithm to produce maps of 5-year forest age classes across the Midwest states of Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Using Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) data, we carried out area- and site-specific assessments of VCTw age class maps. Across the study region, VCTw provided area estimates for young forest age classes (<20 years old) that were less than FIA estimates. Site-specific comparisons of FIA plots to VCTw pixels indicated that VCTw correctly classified age class for 13.7% to 30.2% of plots, depending on the age class considered. For our study region, our results are similar to assessments comparing other widely-used geospatial products, such as LANDFIRE to FIA data. Future evaluations will further build confidence in the VCTw age class map by examining the efficacy of age class-related predictors in regional models of wildlife abundance.

9:00 am–10:30 am

Paper Session

Primate Conservation

Room: Acacia

Spatial Analysis of Anthropogenic Impacts on Gorilla Migratory Pathways in Okwangwo, CRNP, Nigeria ++

Presenter(s): Princewill Odum, University of Calabar, Nigeria

The Okwangwo Division of the Cross River National Park (Nigeria) and the Takamanda National Park (Cameroun) is home to endemic and vulnerable colony of Gorillas (Gorilla gorilla diehli). Over the years, the activities of two enclave communities (Okwangwo and Okwa I & II) in Okwangwo Division have endangered and also inhibited the freedom of

movement of the wildlife in the area. The aim of this paper is to analyze the impacts of the enclave communities on the gorilla migratory pathways. The sources of data include Landsat image, ordinance documents establishing the park, historic and current data on gorilla trails, and ample fieldwork. Accurate representation of the Okwangwo Division was done with a view to examine environmental changes and spatial analysis of the effects of the changes on gorilla migratory pathways. Findings show that anthropogenic impacts on gorilla migratory pathways exist in Okwangwo Division with high potential for gorilla-human conflicts. This would further heighten the insecurity of both humans and gorillas, thereby thwarting conservation efforts. Protection of migratory path-ways, community sensitization, regional awareness, and rein-forcement of trans-border collaboration are recommended for effective conservation of wildlife in the study area.

Integrative Population Viability Analysis of the Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus): A Metapopulation Approach Linking Demographic Data with Landscape Processes ++

Presenter(s): Rochelle James, University of Sydney

Population assessments based on direct counts of individu-als can be biased by imperfect detection and often fail to consider a broad range of species survival drivers. The koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) is an arboreal folivore that inhabits the tree canopy of eucalypt forests in Eastern Australia. The species cryptic behaviour reduces the probability of detec-tion, which is often not accounted for in population viability analysis studies. A novel occupancy-based approach to meta-population viability analysis was applied to regional koala populations in Queensland, Australia. The Bayesian model-ling tool was used to estimate probabilities of colonisation and extinction while accounting for imperfect detection and landscape connectivity using GIS tools. Original integrated modelling of ecological, demographic and landscape-level parameters was conducted to determine the key drivers of population persistence. We identified knowledge gaps around potential drivers of koala population persistence and modelled new parameters, together with previously identified parameters, to determine the most significant factors for koala metapopulation viability. The results of this modelling tool will provide decision makers with a greater degree of confidence in applying targeted species management plans, thereby increasing the likelihood of positive conservation outcomes.

Programming and Modeling

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Great Ape Population Analysis across Western Equatorial Africa

Presenter(s): Samantha Strindberg, WCS

Great apes are important components of ecological functionality of the central African forests, and, together with forest elephants, are the primary dispersers of many tree species. An expanding road network has facilitated rapid access into the region’s forests over the last few decades, allowing hunters, guns, and munitions to reach once-remote forest areas. Hunting for bushmeat has intensified everywhere as a result, increasing the pressure on all wildlife. The great apes have, in addition, undergone successive epidemics of Ebola in part of their range in Gabon and Congo. Distribution and abundance assessments of western lowland gorillas, central chimpanzees, and both ape species combined was based on spatially explicit ape nest data from 82 surveys (in 60 sites) carried out between 2003–2013, comprising 8,580 km. Surveys were conducted by WCS, WWF, ANPN, AP, CI/MPI/INDEFOR, MIKE and JGI. Known or suspected drivers of ape distribution and density such as ecological conditions, the degree of human influence, and the nearest Ebola epidemic, among others, were considered during the analysis using a spatio-temporal mixed modelling approach. Mapping the predicted density and distribution of great apes was crucial to understanding their current and past status. Results show the pri-ority areas for great ape conservation, in terms of high densities and large populations, are largely within the more remote forests and protected areas network of the region.

Pitheciid Primates in Fragmented Habitats: Land Cover Change and Its Implications for Conservation

Presenter(s): Sarah Boyle, Rhodes College

Pitheciids (titi, bearded saki, saki, and uacari monkeys) have experienced variable habitat loss and fragmentation in South America. I used IUCN Red List data to delineate the geo-graphic range and conservation of 43 pitheciid species. Using GlobCover land cover data, I calculated the amount of modi-fied land cover within the range of each species, as well as the extent to which the remaining habitat exists in small fragments. Critically Endangered and Endangered species represented 21% of the pitheciid species, and 47% of these species had popula-tion trends documented as decreasing. Modified land cover was greatest for titi monkeys (18% of geographic range), followed by bearded saki monkeys (14%), saki monkeys (4%), and uacari monkeys (1%). Species of greater conservation concern had smaller geographic ranges, a greater proportion of their range consisting of modified land cover, and a greater proportion of

remaining forest in fragments smaller than 1000 ha than species of lower conservation concern. Most studies of pitheciids in habitat fragments have concentrated on census data, and the behavior of pitheciids in habitat fragments has been addressed for only 21% of the species. Therefore increased data on the responses of pitheciid species to habitat loss and fragmentation are necessary in order to address pitheciid conservation in the future, especially in areas with severe habitat loss.

9:00 am–10:30 am

Paper Session

Forest and Fire I

Room: Toyon

Estimating Tree Mortality Following Wildfire Using Digital Aerial Photography and LiDAR ++

Presenter(s): Brian Bishop, Cal Poly

Digital aerial photography and LiDAR are remote sensing prod-ucts commonly used to assess vegetation, including change detection following disturbance events such as forest fire. Forest managers need information about mortality following wildfire, but direct assessment from the ground is time-con-suming and expensive. The use of remote sensing to estimate mortality can be more efficient and cost-effective. This study modeled mortality of trees following the Lockheed fire, which burned 3,163 ha in the Santa Cruz Mountains in August 2009. Trees in 47 plots were assessed for three years following the fire. Plot percent mortality of trees 25 cm DBH and greater was sorted into three categories: <25%, 25–50%, and >50%. Using normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) from National Agricultural Imagery Program orthophotos, plots were classi-fied with 74% accuracy. Combining the same NDVI with 4 post-fire LiDAR variables yielded 85% accuracy; combining NDVI with differenced (pre- and post-fire LiDAR) variables yielded 83% accuracy. These findings indicate that remote sensing data can be used to map the distribution of tree mortality fol-lowing wildfire with reasonable accuracy, and that the addition of LiDAR data provides some improvement over photo-based methods. This information could be used to assess effects of wildfire on carbon cycling, plan salvage and reforestation efforts, and identify areas at risk of erosion or mass movement.

Session DescriptionsSaturday, July 12 (continued)

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Land Cover Change: The Nexus of Forestry, the Carbon Cycle and Economics

Presenter(s): Shellye Suttles, USDA: Economic Research Service

The balance between cropland, forestland, pastureland and other land cover impacts our world. One such interaction is the link between deforestation and increasing levels of carbon diox-ide in the atmosphere. The Future Agricultural Resources Model (FARM) is used to analyze the effects of bioenergy policies that promote the use of forest biomass in the United States and Europe on global land cover change and global carbon cycle. FARM is a computable general equilibrium model scaled for a regional (supranational) level of economic analysis. It is primar-ily based on the Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP) database, which incorporates economics, trade, land cover, and energy use. We hypothesize that commercial bioenergy production from for-est biomass will increase total forestland area vis-à-vis cropland and pastureland area. In addition, this expansion of forestland may potentially increase carbon sequestration. Our talk will include a discussion with the audience on land cover definitions in FARM (focusing on forestland area) as well as the potential for refinement to the model’s land cover data.

Addressing the Cumulative Effects of Development in Ontario’s Northern Boreal Region, Canada

Presenter(s): Cheryl Chetkiewicz, WCS Canada

Ontario’s Northern Boreal region contains some of the world’s most intact subarctic terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems as well as species at risk including woodland caribou and lake stur-geon. It is also the homeland of First Nations who hold rights to traditional livelihoods. In 2010, the Government of Ontario com-mitted to working with interested First Nations to plan for new industrial development and conserve 50% of the landscape. At the same time, new mining proposals are considered in envi-ronmental assessment processes that do not address regional effects. We applied a cumulative effects simulation model (ALCES®) to explore the impacts of development on caribou, wolverine, moose, and watershed integrity over the next 50 years. We found a three-fold increase in anthropogenic footprint due to road and transmission corridor expansion to support industrial developments. Simulated forestry activity impacted the Pagwachuan caribou range with disturbance exceeding a national guideline for sustainability. Wolverine habi-tat quality declined with expansion of the road network while moose expanded their range, especially given climate change scenarios. The development scenario resulted in some water-sheds receiving multiple impacts due to mines and dams. Our

pilot project highlights the challenges and risks of conserving intact landscapes, wide-ranging species, and First Nation liveli-hoods using current approaches to environmental planning.

The Meteorological Risk of Fire in Slovenia from the Canadian Forest Fire Weather Index System

Presenter(s): Tomaž Šturm (Scholar), Slovenia Forest Service

The European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) supports the services in charge of the protection of forests against fires in the EU countries and provides the European Commission services and the European Parliament with updated and reliable information on wild fires in Europe. Every day meteorological fire danger maps and forecast up to 6 days are made using Canadian Forest Fire Weather Index System (CFFWIS). The system uses meteorological forecasted data received daily from French and German meteorological services (Meteo-France and DWD). Slovenia Forest Service has now long-term assess-ment of forest fires using forest management plan data. We decided to use the model for The Meteorological Risk of Fire in Slovenia from the Canadian Forest Fire Weather Index System (http://cwfis.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/background/summary/fwi). We used meteorological data from our meteorological stations. I tested the model first in a smaller part of Slovenia (cca 150,000 ha) and found out that it is accurate enough for everyday use (http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10342-011-0556-7). After that I started to work on the model for the whole state. From 1995 to 2013 I collected meteorological data for 22 meteorological sta-tions. I calculated fire weather indexes and their ranges. I used kriging as point interpolation technique, MySQL database for data storage and automatic calculating CFFIWS on daily basis. Results (Fire Weather Index [FWI]) can be seen on the Internet using ArcGIS Server (http://www.zdravgozd.si/fwi.aspx). The FWI is calculated automatically for every day for Slovenia. This work has been done with my colleague Dr. Nikica Ogris (Slovenian Forestry Institute) who will be the co-author in the presentation.

9:00 am–10:30 am


Introduction to Marxan.net

Presenter(s): Dr. Heather Coleman, PacMARA (Pacific Marine Analysis and Research Association)

Marxan spatial planning software supports systematic

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conservation and resource use planning. It is most know as a decision support tool to aid the development of marine protected area networks but is just as applicable to other systems and scales. Using Marxan or Marxan with Zones, planners can identify an efficient system of conservation or other management areas that represents a suite of biodiver-sity targets for a minimal socioeconomic “cost.” Previously, Zonae Cogito or other support software has often been used to run Marxan analyses, facilitate input file manipulation, and conduct sensitivity analyses. In 2013, the University of Queensland began migrating Marxan software to the cloud and created a web-based interface to use supercomputing resources for spatial planning. This development is helping to improve decision support delivery and ease of use, enhance computational scalability, and improve software performance. In a related new development, Marxan users can now log in to the R Studio Server console and access a series of R Shiny Server applications to conduct analyses. This technical work-shop will cover differences between Marxan and Marxan.net and include a tutorial to introduce participants to elements of the new platform.

11:00 am–noon

Paper Session

Land Use/Land Cover

Room: Chapel

Urban Sprawl: Land Use Threats and Protected Areas: A Scenario-Based, Landscape Level Approach

Presenter(s): Tamara Wilson, U.S. Geological Survey

Anthropogenic land use will likely present a greater challenge to biodiversity than climate change this century. Even if species are equipped with the adaptive capacity to migrate in the face of a changing climate, they will likely encounter a human-dominated landscape as a major dispersal obstacle. Our goal was to iden-tify, at the ecoregion-level, protected areas in close proximity to lands with a higher likelihood of future land use conversion. Using a state-and-transition simulation model, we modeled spatially explicit (1 km 2) land use from 2000–2100 under seven alternative land-use and emission scenarios for ecoregions in the Pacific Northwest, USA. We analyzed scenario-based land use conversion threats from logging, agriculture, and develop-ment near existing protected areas. A conversion threat index

(CTI) was created to identify ecoregions with highest projected land use conversion potential within closest proximity to exist-ing protected areas. Our analysis indicated nearly 22% of land area in the Coast Range and over 16% of land area in the Puget Lowland had very high CTI values. Broader regional-scale land use change is projected to impact nearly 40% of the Coast Range, 30% of the Puget Lowland, and 24% of the Cascades (i.e., two highest CTI classes). A landscape level, scenario-based approach to modeling future land use helps identify ecoregions with existing protected areas at greater risk from regional land use threats and can help prioritize future conservation efforts.

Estimating Land Cover Change in Usulután, El Salvador from 1975–2013 Using Landsat Imagery ++

Presenter(s): Aimee Teaby, CSU Monterey Bay

In developing countries, economic globalization, inequitable land distribution and population growth generally work together to cause deforestation. Using a suite of Landsat images, we completed a supervised classification time series of land cover in the Usulután Department of El Salvador to quantify land cover changes from 1975 to 2013. We generated a classification model by iteratively applying a support vector machine (SVM) tool in ArcMap using a small-sample and mixed-pixel method. To account for the variation in spectral reflectance, we normalized the images with an iteratively reweighted multivariate alteration detection (irMAD) tool prior to classification. The SVM process created a model and was used in ArcMap as iterator tool to automate the image classification process using radiometrically normalized images. Classification accuracies were assessed using ground validation and Landsat images. From 1975 to 2013, the extent of mangroves and agricultural land showed decreas-ing trends, while forest and urban land cover showed increasing trends. Our results are consistent with previous research suggest-ing an increase in reforestation over the last few decades. The decadal fluctuations in land cover also correlate with the depop-ulation and resettlement related to the civil war and subsequent peace process. This high-resolution analysis of land cover change can aid local municipalities with ecosystem management while improving their land use and development policies.

Land Use Change Due to Pavement of the 10th Road in the Mbaracayu Forest Biosphere Reserve

Presenter(s): Laura Rodríguez Yakisich (Scholar), Moises Bertoni Foundation

The Mbaracayu Forest Biosphere Reserve is located in the Department of Canindeyu, northeast part of the eastern region


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of Paraguay. Until 2003, the Biosphere Reserve had no paved roads and the main activity was large scale ranching and peas-ants and indigenous settlements that had their self-consumption crops. There was also a large area of forests remaining. When the 10th road (that crosses the Reserve in the south part from east to west) started to be paved, a big part of those ranching fields and forests were converted to agriculture, changing not only the landscape, but also all the economic activity.

The intention of the work is to show those changes and make some assumptions about the possible effect of the pavement of another road that crosses the Reserve from north to south.

11:00 am–noon

Paper Session

Avian Conservation

Room: Acacia

Roosting Preference of Reintroduced Whooping Cranes in Wisconsin

Presenter(s): Dorn Moore, International Crane Foundation

The International Crane Foundation has been working as a founding partner for the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership (WCEP) since the group’s founding in 2001. Since that time, WCEP has been working diligently to re-introduce a self-sustaining eastern flyway population of whooping cranes to migrate between Wisconsin and the gulf coast of Florida. There are xxx cranes currently in the reintroduced eastern population and the team is interested in better understand-ing how the reintroduced birds are making decisions about where (spatially) and in what types of habitats to roost. The authors use GPS coordinates collected from Argos PTT units attached to the birds before their initial release and wet-land habitat data from the Wisconsin DNR to calculate the preference for certain wetland classifications. These data are informing WCEP on matters of release methods and training methods for new cohorts of reintroduced whooping cranes.

Working Power Line Rights of Way to Enhance Habitat for Declining Early Successional Bird Species

Presenter(s): Margaret Fowle, National Audubon

Bird species that rely on early successional habitat have been showing long-term region-wide declines, including the Eastern Towhee, Field Sparrow, Prairie Warbler Golden-

winged Warbler, Blue-winged Warbler, and Brown Thrasher. There is the opportunity to provide habitat for these species over long time periods in power line rights-of-way (ROW), where vegetative structure is actively maintained in early successional stages. This project worked with citizen sci-entists from Audubon chapters and the VT Electric Power Corporation (VELCO) to survey thirty-four focal areas of the ROW in the Champlain Valley of Vermont. These focal areas were identified through remote and on-the-ground methods, and volunteers surveyed the sites for seven target species during the spring and summer of 2012 and 2013. Bird loca-tions from the survey were then transferred to GIS. Treatment type, ROW width, and surrounding landscape were analyzed to help determine the most important factors in determining bird abundance. Audubon VT biologists developed recom-mendations that would help VELCO create the desired habi-tat structure for the target species.

Effects of Anthropogenic, Ecological, and Hydrological Variables on Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia) Wintering Habitat within Poyang Lake, China ++

Presenter(s): Benjamin Sullender, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Poyang Lake, the largest freshwater lake in China, provides critical wintering refuge for over 300 species of migratory waterbirds, but little is known about what determines optimal habitat within this system. This study uses spatially-explicit analysis to determine hydrological, ecological, and anthropo-genic drivers of foraging site selection for Platalea leucorodia (Eurasian spoonbill) within Sha Hu and Dahu Chi sublakes. To calculate hydrological variables within both sublakes, a digital elevation model (DEM) of the study area was generated from a series of water depth measurements by using kriging to determine intermediate values. This DEM was used to inter-polate daily water level across the sublake basin from central water level data provided by Poyang Lake Nature Reserve (PLNR). Water level data, water turbidity, distance from human development, and zooplankton and macrobenthos biomass densities were used in a geographically-weighted multivariate regression with an annual time step. Both across and within years, P. leucorodia flocks showed significant clustering and were correlated with winter water level and summer water tur-bidity. Proximity to human settlement did not appear to affect P. leucorodia populations. These results will be used to gener-ate species distribution models for use by PLNR staff and will provide valuable information for ongoing impact assessments of the proposed dam at the outlet of Poyang Lake.

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11:00 am–noon

Paper Session

Forest and Fire II

Room: Toyon

Using GIS and LANDFIRE to Assess Large-Scale Fire Needs

Presenter(s): Sarah Hagen, The Nature Conservancy

As states and organizations move toward more robust fire programs, the first step is often to implement a Fire Needs Assessment. These assessments help make the case for restoring fire to departed ecosystems and can inform fire management strategies. One resource that exists for states and organizations creating or revising their fire programs is The Landscape Fire and Resource Management Planning Tools Project, also known as LANDFIRE. We will demonstrate how simple GIS techniques combined with LANDFIRE Program products can assess the historic role of fire on a large scale landscape and how that role compares to current conditions.

Assessing Potential Climage Change Impacts on Private Forestland in the Conterminous United States

Presenter(s): Greg Liknes, USDA Forest Service

Forests are constantly being reshaped by a patchwork of biotic and abiotic disturbances. Owners and stewards of forest land will ultimately make decisions on how to adapt to or mitigate the effect of these disturbances based on their own values and goals for the land. In the conterminous United States, nearly two-thirds of forest land is held in private ownership. The Forests on the Edge (FOTE) project seeks to document and to communicate the impact of a variety of pressures on private forestland and to place this information in the hands of deci-sion makers. As part of a current FOTE project, we examine potential impacts resulting from a suite of pressures that could increase under a climate change scenario. Using nationwide, publicly-available, peer-reviewed datasets and methods, we conducted a GIS-based assessment of changes to forest land due to wildfire, insects and diseases, extreme weather, shifting species ranges, and others. We discuss the relative potential impact of these factors as well as uncertainty in the projections.

The Fire Risk/Hazard Reduction and Conservation Benefits of Patch Mosaic vs. Fuels Reduction Burning

Presenter(s): Brean Duncan, Kennedy Space Center Ecological Program

Prescribed fire is critically important to maintain habitat for fire-dependent native species. Fuels reduction to reduce fire risk is the most frequent justification for funding and conducting pre-scribed fire. However, fuel reduction fire prescriptions homog-enize fuel age structure/habitat and often minimize or ignore ecological considerations. Patch mosaic burning is being implemented globally as a means to increase heterogeneity to mimic natural fire regime results. Resulting pyrodiversity may encourage and support higher rates of biological diver-sity within landscapes. We combine Geographic Information Systems and a spatial fire event model to determine which managed fire regime (fuels reduction or patch mosaic) reduces fire extent/fire risk most effectively. After running over 700 simulations at different spatial scales and different fuel configurations, the model indicated that patch mosaic fire reduces fire size/fire risk more effectively than fuel reduction prescribed fire. The smallest average fuel reduction fire size was 50% of the study site while the smallest average patch mosaic fire size was 12% of the study site. To highlight the significance of these findings we combined the results with outcomes from existing studies on natural fire regimes and a fire dependent habitat specialist, the Florida Scrub-Jay. This process indicates that it may be possible to improve the ecological effectiveness of fire management, at least in east central Florida.

11:00 am–noon


Introduction to ArcGIS Pro

Presenter(s): Miriam Schmidts, Esri

ArcGIS Pro is a new application in ArcGIS 10.3 for Desktop. Besides ArcMap, ArcCatalog, ArcScene, and ArcGlobe, the new ArcGIS Pro application has been designed as a premier applica-tion for visualizing, editing, and performing analysis using local content or content from your ArcGIS Online or Portal for ArcGIS organization repository. Content can be authored in both 2D


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and 3D and published as feature, map and analysis services, 3D web scenes, and web maps. ArcGIS Pro supports project-centric workflows, multiple views, and multiple layouts of the same map. It is a 64-bit, multithreaded application with a modern user experience that runs on the Windows platform. This workshop will teach the fundamental concepts of ArcGIS Pro and give you a quick start on key workflows such as mapping and visualization, GIS data editing, and geoprocessing.

2:00 pm–3:30 pm

Paper Session

Conservation Methods and Apps I

Room: Chapel

Good Practices in the Use of Marxan for Systematic Spatial Conservation Planning

Presenter(s): Heather Coleman, PacMARA (Pacific Marine Analysis and Research Association)

Marxan spatial planning software (hosted by the University of Queensland) supports systematic conservation and resource use planning, particularly for the creation of protected area networks. Using Marxan or Marxan with Zones, planners can identify an efficient system of conservation or other management areas that represents a suite of biodiversity targets for a minimal socioeco-nomic “cost.” Many challenging decisions are inherent to solving this minimum set problem, including setting targets, determining appropriate cost values, and working with stakeholders to under-stand the role and outputs of a decision support tool. Technical considerations for successful Marxan and Marxan with Zones use are also under-discussed considering the popularity and wide usage of the tool, and good practices in both areas deserve more attention. Teaching managerial and technical Marxan courses internationally has provided insight into challenges and problems faced by most Marxan users in any context. This presentation will include a quick overview of Marxan as a tool for systematic spatial conservation planning and current good prac-tice considerations (e.g., target setting, socioeconomic inclusion, stakeholder communications, reserve design considerations like connectivity and compactness). Examples from case studies of innovative techniques for Marxan to solve common and unusual systematic conservation and marine spatial planning problems will be included.

Applying ModelBulider for Multi-Species Habitat Assessment under Modeled Conservation Scenarios in Upper Michigan

Presenter(s): Kristina Nixon, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Conservation strategies with goals of supporting diverse habitat needs often lead to unmeasured trade-offs of managing for one species over another. We considered the effectiveness of alternative conservation strategies in an Upper Michigan landscape by their ability to provide habitat for multiple target species. From previously mod-eled landscape scenarios of four conservation strategies, we evaluated habitat availability for five target bird species of local conservation concern. Using a repeatable sequence of geoprocessing tools with ArcGIS ModelBuilder, we classified the landscape output maps into habitat classes for each spe-cies based on habitat requirements and quantified availability with Fragstats. Resulting maps show available habitat and can reveal gains and losses for each species over time. Scenarios were ranked based on combined relative performance of three habitat metric results for each species. The final overall rank for each scenario was generally related to harvest inten-sity, although ranks were not consistent across all response variables. Relative species sensitivity to the scenarios also did not match expectations, with the more habitat generalist species showing the highest sensitivity. The approach here provides a simple and rapid method for repeating multiple species habitat assessments from a series of map outputs. Conservation planners could use similar approaches for iden-tifying trade-offs aimed at optimizing protection for a variety of target species.

The SMART Toolbox for Anti-Poaching

Presenter(s): Chris Nicholas, Consultant

This presentation introduces the Spatial Modeling and Reporting Tool (SMART), a collaborative effort by major NGOs, zoos, and other stakeholders specifically designed to simplify field data collection and reporting workflows to combat poaching and other illegal activities. SMART enables intuitive, icon-based collection of up-to-date field and intel-ligence data by rangers without Western European language skills and rapid feedback and communication between protected area managers and frontline enforcement staff. It quantitatively measures the impact of anti-poaching efforts in order to judge which tactics yield the best results and which

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ones need to be modified, thereby greatly improving the evaluation and strategic planning of enforcement operations. Lessons learned introducing the software to rangers at the Kahuzi-Biega national park in Eastern Congo will be shared as well. Open-sourced and freely obtainable, SMART currently integrates with Cybertracker and MIST, with a road map to include Open DataKit (ODK) XForm. Further information can be found at http://smartconservationtools.org.

Trials and Tribulations of Utilizing Drone (UAV) Technology in Ecological Monitoring

Presenter(s): Dean Walton, University of Oregon

We are investigating the use of a Blade 350 quadcopter drone combined with a Sony HDR-AS30 camera for use in ecological monitoring. The quadcopter was tested at several elevations from sea level up to 1,900 meters and in calm and windy condi-tions (25 kmph+). The camera records still images (~12 mega-pixel resolution) and HD video (1080i 60p) that are tagged with GPS coordinates. Using this camera, we and other users can cre-ate videos with embedded flight path information and animate the drone position onto a synced highlighted path. This feature is particularly interesting for monitoring purposes. We will utilize our system to test specific wetlands monitoring objectives and in other areas sensitive to trampling. We will also conduct a resolution test at several low altitudes to determine how well we can spot objects of known size using this drone-camera configu-ration. Finally, we plan to develop a protocol to integrate drone collected data into a GIS and identify strengths and limits to our methodology. These results will be presented at the meeting.

2:00 pm–3:30 pm

Paper Session

Mammal Conservation I

Room: Acacia

Identification of Conservation Needs of Javan Leopard (Panthera pardus melas)

Presenter(s): Hariyawan Agung Wahyudi (Scholar), HarimauKita—Sumatran Tiger Conservation Forum

Javan leopard (Panthera pardus melas) was recognized on the basis of molecular markers by Miththapala et a.l (1996) and Uphyrkina et al. (2001). This species was highly distinctive from mainland Asian forms which may indicate that it has been

separate for hundreds of thousands of years. Javan leopard is listed as Critically Endangered by IUCN Red List of Threatened Species on 2008. This status is decreasing from Indeterminate (Groombridge 1994) then listed as Endangered in 1996.

The Distribution Pattern of Mammals of Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda

Presenter(s): Tomonobu Akiyama (Scholar), Field Egg

Murchison Falls National Park is the largest National Park in Uganda, which is only one stronghold of Ugandan giraffe in the world. Our study set 160 trap cameras in the park with various vegetation types throughout a year. It recorded more than 90000 photos of animals with 54 species of mammals identified. It also took the photo of a chimp which was never thought to be there.

In the paper, I would like to analyze the distribution pattern of mammals recorded from the photo data using GIS.

Habitat Selection of the First Reintroduced Giant Anteaters (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) Population at the Iberá Natural Reserve, Northeastern Argentina

Presenter(s): Yamil Edgardo Di Blanco (Scholar), Asociación Civil Centro de Investigaciones del Bosque Atlántico (CeIBA)

Visualizing the distribution or ecological characteristics of rare or threatened species is necessary for effective imple-mentation of conservation initiatives. The giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) belongs to the order Xenathra and inhabits the neotropical regions of Central and South America. In Argentina and the world it is considered as Vulnerable species, and it has been extinguished in some regions of their distribution. In Corrientes province, northeast Argentina, giant anteaters has disappeared in the last century, and a recent restoration project is trying to return a population to its natural habitat through reintroduction. The habitat selection by the first reintroduced giant anteater population was studied in the Iberá Nature Reserve of NE Argentina, an area dominated by marshes, grasslands, savannahs and patches of forests, in lands restricted to or under cattle management. Each habitat differs in canopy cover and other vegetation characteristics that allowed us to create defined polygons of each habitat. Eighteen animals were released and radio-tracked between 2007 and 2012 for periods of 6–46 months, producing 1181 locations. To assess habitat selection Resource Selection Functions were used at two spatial scales using as covariates affecting selection Habitat type: Grassland, Open Savannah, Closed Savannah and Hygrophilous Forest; Distance to Forest Edge (DFE) and Distance to a Main Road (DMR). We used the


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RSF models to generate maps of the relative probability of occurrence of giant anteaters with (1) poor, (2) low, (3) moder-ate, (4) good and (5) high probability of occurrence. There was a high positive selection towards lands without cattle. No important differences were found between scales among RSF models. Models including Habitat type and DFE yielded better fit. The DMR did not affect habitat selection. Even though <4% of the landscape was covered by forests, this habitat type proved critically important for the species, where the higher probability of occurrence was concentrated in the Hygrophilous Forest or its proximity. Future reintroductions of this species should be performed in protected areas with forests and without traditional cattle management. These char-acteristics may also be important causes of local extinction in the study site, and its consideration can ensure the sustainabil-ity of wild giant anteater populations.

Shrub Encroachment and Flooding Patterns Influence Herbivore Seasonal Movement and Food Supply on the Kafue Flats Wetlands, Zambia

Presenter(s): Griffin Kaize Shanungu (Scholar), Zambia Wildlife Authority

Woody plant species encroachment in grassland ecosystems is a global phenomenon that drastically alters the vegeta-tion structure and ecosystem functioning of areas. The Kafue Flats—a floodplain grassland ecosystem in central Zambia—has experienced significant encroachment of woody plant species by both native and invasive species in the last 30 years, causing negative impacts to biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. This study is aimed at determining the spatio-temporal spread of woody plants and assessing their impact on understory plant productivity and quality as well as establishing the spatial movement of the vulnerable semi-aquatic antelope Kafue lechwe (Kobus leche kafuenisis) in relation to woody encroachment, food availability and hydrology on the Kafue Flats Floodplains. In order to achieve this, the spatio-temporal spread of woody plants was deter-mined using a GIS and remote sensing approach. Further, the annual spatial movement of lechwe and changes in their nutritional status in relation to hydrology and food supply was studied. Results showed that woody cover increased from 26 to 45% while open grassland areas decreased from 50 to 33% of the park area between 1986 and 2010. The encroach-ment of the shrubs significantly reduced the available biomass thus reducing the food supply for herbivores in this ecosys-tem. Furthermore, results showed that the annual migration

of the lechwe was strongly linked to flooding levels and food resources in the wet season habitat range. These results sug-gest that shrub encroachment has reduced food supply for grass-eating herbivores, particularly the endemic Kafue lechwe. The remote sensing analysis shows that shrub encroachment has likely not reached its end yet, and hence might even further reduce the food for these herbivores in the future.

2:00 pm–3:30 pm

Paper Session

Watersheds and Water Use

Room: Toyon

Using GIS as the Backbone of the World’s Largest Water Conservation Rebate Program

Presenter(s): Lou Reinbold, Southern Nevada Water Authority

Formed in 1991, the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) is the wholesale water provider for the cities of Southern Nevada in the Las Vegas Valley. The SNWA has developed and implemented one of the most progressive and comprehensive water conservation programs in the nation.

The flagship program of the conservation measures under-taken is the WaterSmart Landscapes (WSL) program. To date the WSL program has provided rebates that have converted over 160 million square feet of lawn to water-efficient landscap-ing, saving the community billions of gallons of water each year.

Field staff use a custom ArcGIS application on a daily basis to calculate square footage. This custom ArcGIS application has been created as an ArcMap add-in. The application, called the Turf Analysis Project (TAP), is utilizing an ArcGIS server, multiple data layers, and databases. TAP processes over 3,000 rebates per year.

The application allows field staff to draw their field measure-ments for use with the WaterSmart Landscapes program. Field measurements are taken before the turf is removed and once the customer has completed the landscape conversion. In addition, TAP gathers data from parcel tables and reads/writes to a separate web-based application that process rebates. When a property completes the landscape conver-sion, TAP creates a separate map that is filed with the County Recorder’s office as part of a legal Easement that guarantees lifetime water savings from the conversion.”

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Southern Nevada Water Authority’s Rates of Golf Play Study

Presenter(s): Michael Drinkwine, Southern Nevada Water Authority

Golf courses account for nearly 7% of all municipal metered water consumption in the Las Vegas Valley. Although golf courses in Southern Nevada have collectively converted over 36 million square feet of turf saving well over 2 billion gallons a year, opportunities exist to further conserve water without impacting a golfer’s rate and quality of play. Traditionally golf courses have identified potential areas for conversion through discussions with maintenance and management staff. With present technology, we can develop a more accurate way to find areas of non-functional turf to reduce or eliminate without impacting the quality of golf play Using GPS data logging equip-ment, the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA), using methods based on a study by the Unites States Golf Association, will track golfers on the course throughout a round of golf. This will allow SNWA staff to analyze and present the data using ArcGIS to see which areas are highly, lightly, or even unutilized.

Conservation Status of Four Watersheds of the Eastern Side of Margarita Island

Presenter(s): Pablo Lacabana (Scholar), Centro de Estudios de Ambiente Economía y Sociedad

Problem to solve:

Lack of awareness of environmental problems and conserva-tion status of the major watersheds of Nueva Esparta State, their ecological systems, availability of habitat for endangered species and the risk to human populations within basins.

Justification:

Given the large increase of human population that the eastern side of Margarita Island is now undergoing, it becomes neces-sary to evaluate ecological systems in order to determine their function and how they are being affected, as well as to evalu-ate the risk to endangered species and human populations, caused by this uncontrolled growth, within watersheds.

General Purpose:

Assess the ecological systems of the eastern basins of Margarita Island using satellite images to determine coverage changes and associated risks to the environment and human populations. Also, to divulge these results through lectures and forums to establish solutions to major environmental problems.

Methodology:

Satellite images of Margarita Island of 2001 and 2011 will be classified to establish ecological systems. Watersheds will be delineated using a digital elevation model, calculating from the contour lines of the maps of 1:25,000 of Nueva Esparta State. Once obtained, basins will be intercepted with each of the ecosystems to delimit the area of each ecosystem within each basin; the same procedure will be carried out for other types of land use. The availability of habitat for endangered species will be determined, as well as the risk to human popu-lations depending on their proximity to water bodies.

Expected Results:

Delineate, calculate the area and determine changes in the coverage of basins and ecological systems. Evaluate the growth of human population and the risks associated with this growth. Finally, determine habitat availability for major endan-gered species in the eastern part of the island.

RIOS: Spatial Watershed Service Modeling to Help Optimize Water Fund Investments

Presenter(s): Stacie Wolny, Natural Capital Project

Water funds are a relatively new and rapidly evolving way to help improve both the water quality in a watershed and the livelihoods of people living there. Stakeholders, such as farm-ers, water supply plants and breweries whose business relies on a dependable source of high-quality water, put money into the fund, and this money is used to pay people living in the watershed to do restoration and conservation activities, with the goal of improving watershed services for all. Without sci-entific guidance, water funds tend to invest in these activities wherever an owner is willing, regardless of where it is located in the watershed. But if watershed dynamics and hydrologic service factors are considered, investments can be targeted toward areas that are likely to give the biggest bang for the buck in terms of improved ecosystem services such as erosion control, baseflow and flood mitigation. The Natural Capital Project has designed the free, open-source tool RIOS to pro-vide a standardized, spatially-explicit, science-based approach to watershed management around the world. It combines bio-physical, social, and economic data to help users identify the best locations for protection and restoration activities in order to maximize the ecological return on investment, within the bounds of what is socially and politically feasible. I will provide an overview of RIOS and give examples of how it is being used to help guide the investments of several water funds.


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2:00 pm–3:30 pm

Paper Session

Energy, Pollution and Economics

Room: Heather

Using GIS to Inform a Renewable Energy Streamlining Program for San Luis Obispo County

Presenter(s): Tracy Valentovich, Aspen Environmental Group, Inc

As part of the Renewable Energy Streamlining Program, which was funded by a grant from the California Energy Commission’s Renewable Energy Conservation Planning program, Aspen Environmental Group assisted San Luis Obispo County and recently prepared an Opportunities and Constraints Technical Study (OCTS). This GIS-intensive study was intended to identify the County’s renewable energy resources and to identify loca-tions where development of those resources could be stream-lined while avoiding negative impacts to the environment. The resources analyzed include aesthetics, agricultural resources, biological resources, land use, and other resources. Specialists in each resource area used spatial data to determine the impacts that would be caused by a moderately-sized solar or wind proj-ect; spatial data of each resource was weighted based on how much it would potentially restrict or promote renewable energy development. Aspen was able to overlay the weighted resource layers to identify REDAs where renewable development could exist with minimal environmental impacts. A map book was cre-ated, illustrating the locations of resources and potential REDAs, which will be used to help SLO County in their planning efforts. San Luis Obispo County is one of the first counties in California to utilize the RECPG grant to build a renewable energy streamlin-ing program, and as more counties pursue renewable energy potential, GIS spatial analytical tools will continue to be integral to such large-scale plans.

Supporting Offshore Energy Planning with MarineCadastre.gov

Presenter(s): Lindsay Goodwin, NOAA

MarineCadastre.gov is an integrated marine information system that provides ocean data, offshore planning tools, and technical support to the offshore energy and marine planning communities. The project is a collaboration of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and was designed specifically to

support renewable energy siting on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf but is being used for a wide array of ocean-related activi-ties. The project delivers its content through map viewers and a spatial data registry and provides analytical tools to the ocean planning community. MarineCadastre.gov has recently undergone several updates to support the growing need for web services, maps on the fly, and focused web and story maps. This talk will highlight some of the new features being developed and demonstrate how the various components of the project are being used by ocean professionals.

Analyzing Employment Alternatives to the Keystone XL Pipeline

Presenter(s): Nick Lyman, Ecotrust

The Keystone XL is a proposed 1,179 mile pipeline that would carry tar sands oil from central Alberta to the U.S. Gulf Coast through Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas. Requiring endorsement from the U.S. State Department and approval from President Obama, arguments for and against the pipeline are currently being made. One key argument in support of building the pipeline is that it would provide a jobs boom for the construction sector. We researched the claims and reports in support of this argument and concluded that we could present an alternative job scenario that was focused on repairing failing water and gas pipeline infrastructure within the Keystone XL states; these repairs are desperately needed and will not further degrade the environment. Ecotrust worked with the Labor Network for Sustainability and the Economics for Equity & Environment (E3) Network to create a report titled the “Keystone Pipeline Debate: An Alternative Job Creation Strategy.” A team of economists, GIS analysts, and labor organizers used the best available data to prepare a detailed report, pamphlets, and maps comparing the jobs created by fixing our water, sewer, and gas pipes versus the construction and operation of the Keystone XL pipeline. Our research found that repairing or replacing failing water, sewer, and gas infrastructure in Keystone XL-affected states would create substantially more jobs, and longer term jobs, than the proposed oil pipeline.

FracTracker Alliance: Mapping Human and Environmental Health Impacts of the Oil and Gas Industry

Presenter(s): Karen Edelstein, FracTracker Alliance

The pressure to extract difficult-to-access reserves of oil and gas in today’s energy-hungry world comes with a great cost, economically, socially, and environmentally. The FracTracker

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Alliance shares maps, data, and analyses to communicate impacts of global oil and gas industry and inform actions that positively shape our energy future. In the eastern US, where hydraulic fracturing for oil and natural gas from the Marcellus and Utica Shale Formations is in full swing (in PA, OH, WV), or temporarily on hold (in NY), FracTracker Alliance staffers are working with academic partners, community groups, and the media, compiling data, creating maps, and encouraging dis-cussion about the human and environmental health impacts of the oil and gas industries nation-wide. We look at drilling activity, industries such as frac sand mining and waste dis-posal, political responses to fracking, and impacts on water, wildlife, and human populations. In addition, FracTracker’s efforts in California include spatial analyses of on- and off-shore oil and gas development activity in relation to sensitive environmental species and conservation areas, especially located in or along the boundaries of critical and protected habitat, prime and important farmland, and preserves. We’ll present an overview of FracTracker’s accomplishments and demonstrate how we have utilized ArcGIS Online as a map-ping platform to showcase and share our work.

4:00 pm–5:30 pm

Paper Session

Conservation Methods and Apps II

Room: Chapel

Spatial Science for Applying the Mitigation Hierarchy

Presenter(s): Marisa Guarinello, The Nature Conservancy

The Arizona Chapter of The Nature Conservancy has devel-oped a new methodology to measure the absolute degree of human modification on the landscape. This methodology derives data from aerial imagery without the use of models and can be applied at state or regional scales to comple-ment existing model-driven datasets on land cover and landscape integrity. Using this methodology, we catalogued the intensity and type of human modification across the state of Arizona (84,631 mi 2). We are using these data to identify contiguous patches of intact lands and vegetation classes, providing a refinement to existing habitat coverage data. These data have already been instrumental in our response

to recent transportation planning in the state. Furthermore, this dataset provides critical landscape context to mitiga-tion decisions typically made at the project scale, laying the groundwork for regional offsite mitigation.

A Biodiversity Indicators Dashboard: Addressing Challenges to Monitoring Progress Toward the Aichi Biodiversity Targets

Presenter(s): Xuemei Han, NatureServe

Recognizing the imperiled status of biodiversity, the world’s gov-ernments committed in 2010 to take urgent action to halt bio-diversity loss through the Convention on Biological Diversity’s

“Aichi Targets.” To track progress toward Aichi targets requires comprehensive and easily understood information on biodiver-sity trends at appropriate spatial scales. To help address this need, we envision a biodiversity “dashboard”—a visualization of biodiversity indicators designed to enable tracking of biodiver-sity and conservation performance data in a clear, user-friendly format. The dashboard is organized around the Pressure-State-Response-Benefit framework and is being piloted with four initial indicators to measure pressure on biodiversity (deforestation rate), state of species (Red List Index), conservation response (protection of key biodiversity areas), and benefits to human populations (freshwater provision). Disaggregating global data, we present dashboard maps and graphics for three geographi-cally diverse regions of critical biodiversity concern (the Tropical Andes, the African Great Lakes, and the Greater Mekong). These visualizations provide charts showing regional and national trends and lay the foundation for a web-enabled, interactive bio-diversity indicators dashboard. The Biodiversity Dashboard will help track progress toward the Aichi Targets, support national monitoring and reporting, and inform outcome-based policy-making for the protection of natural resources.

Is It Worth It? Developing a Decision Support Tool to Inform Restoration Decisions

Presenter(s): Jocelyn Tutak, Ecotrust

Abandoned riparian gravel pits exist all over the world. The drastic landscape changes that result from their excavation disrupt hydrologic flows, destroy native fish habitat, and foster invasive species. In western North America, gravel pit restoration efforts are increasingly undertaken as a holistic approach to restoring complex, dynamic river habitat. How can practitioners and funders make informed decisions to invest limited resources in potential gravel pit restoration projects?


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To answer this question, Ecotrust is currently developing an online decision support tool with The Nature Conservancy to facilitate the choice to commit resources to riparian gravel mine restoration. We are using TNC’s current work on the Willamette Confluence project in Oregon to develop the initial approach, but the tool will be applicable to other regions where similar gravel mine operations exist. Decision support tools are becoming increasingly valuable in the conservation movement. They can help us to make informed decisions that deal with both complex and non-existent datasets, as well as uncertainty. Dynamic, web-based decision support tools can also help to document the decision-making process and share potential outcomes. We will discuss our analytical approach, the tool development process, and its underlying decision sup-port approach, Bayesian Belief Networks.

Spatial Patterns in Greater Sage-Grouse Exposure to Recent Climate Change

Presenter(s): Matthew Kling, EcoClim

The greater sage-grouse (GRSG) (Centrocercus urophasianus) has experienced major population declines over the past century and is currently among the most politically contentious species in North America. GRSG is dependent upon sagebrush habitats (Artemisia spp.), which have also experienced extensive degrada-tion and conversion. Studies have suggested that future climate change may be an additional significant stressor on sagebrush ecosystems, but conclusions are couched in long time frames and large global climate model uncertainties. With the GRSG being considered for listing under the Endangered Species Act, information is needed now about the potential impact of climate change on sagebrush ecosystems. We analyzed spatial varia-tion in recent climate trends across GRSG habitat to understand how climate change is already unfolding in this ecosystem. For the years 1950 to 2012, we applied nonparametric trend detec-tion tests to each pixel of a high-resolution gridded climate time series interpolated from weather station records (PRISM). This analysis describes the rate, magnitude, and spatial and temporal distribution of directional trends in climate across U.S. sagebrush habitat over the last 60+ years. Trend significance across months and climate variables was merged to generate an index of overall climate change exposure per pixel. These results identify loca-tions of relatively high and low climate change already being experienced across the GRSG range. These spatial climate trend analyses can inform the efforts of local, state, and federal resource managers currently focusing on strategies for conserv-ing the GRSG and the sagebrush habitat it requires.

4:00 pm–5:30 pm

Paper Session

Mammal Conservation II

Room: Acacia

Relative Importance of Landscape Parameters in Determining African Elephants (Loxodonta africana) Directional Movement Decisions ++

Presenter(s): Miriam Tsalyuk, University of California, Berkeley

Understanding how movement decisions of individual ani-mals are related to their surrounding landscape can promote the conservation of species and their habitat. In south-ern Africa, restricting the movement of African elephants (Loxodonta africana) is causing vegetation degradation and increased human-wildlife conflict. Here, we examine what is the relative importance of detailed landscape parameters in determining elephants’ movement direction and speed. We used 15 GPS collars in Etosha National Park, Namibia, and detailed satellite-driven information on vegetation, water, roads and fences. We analyzed directional and speed move-ment response of the elephants to environmental parameters, by combining step selection function and conditional logistic regression. Our results show that elephants prefer to walk into areas with higher annual maximum but lower variability of productivity. Medium cover of Mopani or Acacia trees was the preferred habitat type. Further, we found that elephants stay closer to water resources and closer to fences and roads. The sex of the individual and the season affected how elephants responded to the landscape. Interestingly, these results persisted at different temporal resolutions but were sensitive to spatial scale. We show that combining detailed landscape maps and both movement direction and speed can be used to improve the understanding of how wildlife respond to natural and anthropogenic landscape features.

Decline and Consequences—The Loss of Forest Elephants in Central Africa

Presenter(s): Fiona Maisels, WCS

Forest elephants play a vital role in the structure, diversity, and composition of African tropical forests. They are “ecosys-tem engineers” and “forest gardeners,” dispersing the seeds of fruiting trees over large distances and creating trails and forest clearings. A collation of extensive surveys (> 13,800

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kilometres walked) across forest elephant range showed that both their numbers and range had diminished very rapidly due to increased poaching, driven by high ivory prices in the Far East that now reaches into the most remote corners of the continent. Generalized Additive Modelling techniques were used to ana-lyze the dataset covering the period 2002–2013 together with known or suspected drivers of elephant density and distribution. The best of these spatio-temporal models were used to predict forest elephant density and range change. Results suggest that 65% of the world’s forest elephants had been killed in the intervening period, that they had mostly vanished from a third of their 2002 range, and that the rate of loss—a shocking 9% per year—showed no sign of slowing down. The enormous shift in elephant density and distribution means that huge areas of the Central African forests are now virtually empty of elephants. This comes with dire ecological consequences, as much of the Central African forests will lose the elephant-dispersed trees, with effects on the rest of the fruit-eating community, including primates, ungulates, and large frugivorous birds.

North American Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) Habitat Suitability at Multiple Scales ++

Presenter(s): Tina Nguyen, Humboldt State University

Habitat suitability models combine observations of spe-cies occurrence or abundance with maps of environmental variables to produce estimates of relative use. However, the relationship between species occurrence and its environ-ment is known to vary at multiple scales. The North American porcupine is considered a generalist at a large spatial scale. However, at local levels the North American porcupine exhibits fine scale habitat and diet requirements. Here, we create two habitat suitability models comparing continental and local distribution for the North American Porcupine. At the continental level, our distribution model reveals the physiological and climatic limitations of the North American Porcupine. At the local level, our model is driven by the behavior of the North American Porcupine. We use “partici-pant science” observations and museum records to construct a model of coastal California that includes Humboldt, Trinity, and Del Norte counties. The differing scales of the models reveal additional insight about porcupine biology and habitat selection at the local level in a unique environment. This work reaffirms the importance of considering scale when mapping habitat suitability for a species of concern. Understanding habitat suitability at the local versus continental level will bet-ter help wildlife biologists manage and conserve appropriate


habitats needed for the diminishing population of North American porcupines in California.

Effect of Primary Productivity on Guanaco (Lama guanicoe) Distribution and Abundance in Northern Patagonia, Argentina

Presenter(s): Lara Heidel (Scholar), Wildlife Conservation Society

Vegetation primary productivity is an ecological factor that could determinate the spatial distribution of wild ungulates. Our goal is to assess the effect of vegetation primary pro-ductivity on abundance and spatial distribution of guanacos in Auca Mahuida Natural Reserve. The area is dominated by shrubby vegetation at low elevation and grassy steppe on the Auca Mahuida Volcano slopes. In summer and winter of 2009 we carried out 34 line transects, averaging 5 km length, and recorded guanaco observations (Nsummer=1318 y Nwinter=301). We used 0,5 x 0,5 resolution degree images of Normalized Different Vegetation Index (NDVI) as a pri-mary productivity index and extracted an NDVI value for the central point of each transect. Using a Poisson regression we found that guanaco records were significantly higher in higher productivity areas in summer (Wald X²(1)= 353,7; p<0,001) and in winter (Wald X²(1)= 55,9; p<0,001). Guanaco spatial distribution and abundance were associated with vegeta-tion primary productivity at this spatial and temporal analysis scale. Other studies had found a negative association at a regional scale between primary productivity and guanaco presence. Contrasting results at local and regional scales can help us to generate hypotheses to better understand human impacts on the species.

4:00 pm–5:30 pm

Paper Session

River Conservation

Room: Toyon

National Wild and Scenic Rivers Database

Presenter(s): Sandy Margriter, National Park Service

The National Wild and Scenic Rivers System was created in 1968 in order to preserve the free-flowing condition of rivers identified as having outstanding natural, cultural, and recre-ational values. Presently, the National Park Service is working with Federal partners to develop a national geodatabase

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of all U.S. Wild and Scenic Rivers. Within the NPS database, linear referencing technology is being used to dynamically segment rivers by attributes such as river classification, out-standingly remarkable values, and National Hydrology Data unique identifiers. The products are made available via an internal interactive web map that provides NPS managers with easy access to information on each river’s classification and outstandingly remarkable values.

The goal is to eventually provide public access to a national geodatabase of all Wild and Scenic Rivers.

Developing Online Geocollaborative Tools to Support Springs and Springs-Dependent Species Management

Presenter(s): Jeri Ledbetter, Springs Stewardship Institute

Springs—ecosystems where groundwater reaches the Earth’s surface—are among the most biologically, culturally, and economically important water resources. Many endangered, rare, or endemic species are found only at springs. Given the interactions between temperature, precipitation, infiltration, and aquifer dynamics, springs are also sensitive indicators of global climage change. Yet while much attention and funding has been devoted to rivers and streams, springs ecosystems have been largely overlooked in conservation, research, and management. Springs are poorly understood, incompletely mapped, and inadequately protected. This lack of informa-tion and attention has resulted in the loss of many springs and springs-dependent species due to poor management practices. Existing information is minimal, fragmented, and largely unavailable to land managers, Tribes, conservation organizations, and researchers. We have compiled informa-tion about springs and springs-related species and devel-oped standardized mapping and rapid assessment protocols, a user-friendly online database, and secure geocollaborative web mapping applications that are allowing land managers to access and contribute to this information resource.

Riverscape Survey of the Chehalis River, WA

Presenter(s): Andrew Weiss, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

After devastating floods in 2007 and 2009 on the Chehalis River in western Washington that closed Interstate 5 for 4 days and flooded the towns of Centralia and Chehalis, a dam has been proposed for the upper Chehalis as either a flood control structure or as a multi-purpose (hydropower, irrigation) dam. As part of a Phase 1 impact study involving multiple agen-

cies and consultants, WDFW is conducting several studies on the baseline conditions and potential effects of the dam on aquatic and riparian communities. These studies include intensive surveys of index reaches in 2 sub-watersheds, PIT tagging and radio telemetry of anadromous and resident salmonids, redd surveys, and a longitudinal riverscape snorkel survey covering 77 km of the upper and middle reaches of the mainstem Chehalis which recorded biological and habitat data by 200 m segments. These data were linear referenced on the hydrography and integrated with hi-resolution LiDAR derived DEMs, Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) imagery, several years of orthophotography, and other thematic data including land cover, species observations, riparian classifications, and flow/inundation data. This presentation will cover the GIS integra-tion, spatial modeling, data visualization, and some preliminary analyses of the riverscape data.

Basin (holistic) Approach to the Analysis of Geo-Ecological Problems of Amur River

Presenter(s): Evgeny Egidarev (Scholar), World Wildlife Fund

On the basis of cartographic information we have, we had made a holistic analysis of main natural objects state in the region and identified main threats to them. Results will be fundament for a new conservation strategy for freshwater eco-systems for nature protection organizations. Strategy reflects main priorities and concrete actions, which will be supported in order to prevent environmental degradation in the region.

4:00 pm–5:30 pm


Understanding Projections for ArcGIS


This presentation will take the mystery out of projections, coordinate systems, and datums. We’ll start with an overview of coordinate system terminology and concepts, and then specifically discuss how these concepts and issues apply to GIS and also how to apply this knowledge correctly in ArcGIS. This presentation is useful for anyone working with GIS or GPS and is especially useful for people who need to understand how to work with coordinate systems and projecting data in ArcGIS.

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SCGIS Domestic and International ScholarsThe SCGIS International Scholarship Program is not a typical scholarship program. It is designed to allow conservation GIS practitioners from all over the world to travel to California for four weeks to attend the Esri User Conference and SCGIS Annual Conference and receive two weeks of GIS training specifically designed and pro-grammed for the scholarship recipients.

The Society for Conservation GIS would like to extend its warmest welcome to all the 2014 conference scholarship awardees and encourages conference participants to greet this year’s scholars and attend their presentations to find out more about their conservation projects:

• Alejandra Betancourt Rial, Institute of Environmental and Ecological Sciences (ICAE)

• Alejandro Rubén Vila, Wildlife Conservation Society

• Alphonce Blass Mallya, The Nature Conservancy

• Evgeny Egidarev, World Wildlife Fund

• Griffin Kaize Shanungu, Zambia Wildlife Authority

• Hariyawan Agung Wahyudi, HarimauKita—Sumatran Tiger Conservation Forum

• Irina Danilova, Transparent World

• Lara Heidel, Wildlife Conservation Society

• Laura Rodríguez Yakisich, Moises Bertoni Foundation

• M Abdullah Abu Diyan, Bangladesh Cetacean Diversity Project

• Mervyn Lotter, Mpumalanga Tourism & Parks Agency

• Oldy Arnoldy Arby, Forum Tata Ruang

• Pablo Lacabana, Centro de Estudios de Ambiente Economía y Sociedad

• Pascal Nalimanana Rabeson, Centre ValBio/Institute for Conservation of Tropical Environments

• Rangikauhoe Markus Heke, Nga Whenua Rahui

• Solofo Eric Rakotoarisoa, Kew Madagascar Conservation Centre

• Svetlana Vinokurova, Azov-Black Sea Ornithological Station

• Tomaž Šturm, Slovenia Forest Service

• Tomonobu Akiyama, Field Egg

• Tuguldur Enkhtsetseg, The Nature Conservancy

• Yamil Edgardo Di Blanco, Asociación Civil Centro de Investigaciones del Bosque Atlántico (CeIBA)

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2014 SCGIS Board of Directors

2013–2014 Advisory Council

The board of directors is the governing body of SCGIS. The board is responsible for steering the society and has all final decision-making authority for the society. Members of the board of directors are elected every three years. Once a complete board is elected, members of the board elect the president, vice president, treasurer, and secretary. Officers are in office for one year. Elections usually occur after the annual conference in July.

The SCGIS Advisory Council supports the Board of Directors in its duties and decision making. The Advisory Council members are elected every three years. Elections usually occur after the annual conference in July.

PresidentEric Sandoval Sandoval and Associates, LLC

Vice PresidentKaren Beardsley University of California, Davis

TreasurerDoreen Whitley National Audubon Society

SecretaryCarolyn Hughes The Nature Conservancy

Advisory CouncilLeslie Backus Chrysalis Biology

Charles Convis Esri Conservation Program

Mike Engels AudaExplore

Prashant Hedao Auroville, India/Esri Conservation Program

Lata Iyer Auroville

Susan Miller The Nature Conservancy

MembersRobert Rose Wildlife Conservation Society

Lucy Chege-Waruingi African Conservation Centre, Kenya

Adriana Paese GIS Consultant

Paul Angelino The Nature Conservancy, USA

Healy Hamilton NatureServe

Sandra Coveny PC Trask and Associates

Roberta Pickert Archbold Biological Station

Lisa Pierce Redlands Conservancy

John Schaeffer Juniper GIS

Gillian Woolmer Wildlife Conservation Society, Canada

Alexander Yumakaev Esri Conservation Program

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SCGIS Committees

Domestic Chapters Committee Purpose: The Domestic Chapters Committee facilitates the creation of local SCGIS chap-ters in the United States that support the mission of SCGIS. Explore the profiles of each of the SCGIS chapters and browse chapter events.

Chair: Janet Nackoney

Communications CommitteePurpose: The Communications Committee is responsible for the coordination of all offi-cial correspondence to/from SCGIS and communication tasks that lie outside the scope of other committees. Examples include handling formal requests to/from other societies; ensuring consistency between and within the SCGIS newsletter, brochures, announce-ments, and website; handling or routing all requests from members directed to the society; and assisting in newsletter development, under the direction of the newsletter editor in chief.

Chair: Rosemary Fasselin

Conference CommitteePurpose: The Conference Committee organizes the annual SCGIS conference, which promotes information exchange and networking among conservation GIS professionals and students. The committee chairperson coordinates important decisions about the conference such as site selection, dates, and agenda with the board and other commit-tees in addition to reporting monthly to the treasurer.

Chairs: David Asbury, Lori Pelech, and Robert Rose

Fund-raising CommitteePurpose: The Fund-raising Committee works on expanding SCGIS membership and general fund-raising through marketing plans, writing fund-raising proposals, and adver-tisements. In addition, the committee conducts an SCGIS user community assessment identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

Chair: Michelle Kinzel

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International Committee Purpose: The International Committee fosters communication and networking among conservationist, GIS professionals, and students through a well-defined scholarship pro-gram; the development and support of regional groups; and the creation of scholarship programs, training and technical support programs, and a number of other activities.

Chair: Charles Convis

Membership Committee Purpose: The Membership Committee manages all SCGIS memberships, new and old. Activities include maintaining the membership database and addressing any membership issues that may arise. In addition, the Membership Committee mails the SCGIS newsletter to new members and current members who didn’t attend the annual conference.

Chair: Miriam Schmidts

Website Committee Purpose: The Website Committee is responsible for the management and function of the SCGIS Listserv and website. The Website Committee ensures that all information representing SCGIS on the website is accurate and has been approved by the SCGIS Board of Directors. Members of this committee are responsible for maintenance and upgrades to technical infrastructure and any other technical tasks deemed necessary.

Chair: Bridget Conneely

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Attendee Listing

Tommy AlboOregon [email protected]

Deborah [email protected]

Kristin AndruchowMatrix Solutions [email protected]

Paul AngelinoThe Nature [email protected]

David [email protected]

Josiah [email protected]

Connor BaileyNational Audubon [email protected]

Beyene [email protected]

Karen BeardsleyInformation Center for the Environment (ICE), University of California, [email protected]

Brian [email protected]

Joseph BishopDept. of [email protected]

Lori BossertMatrix Solutions [email protected]

Sarah BoyleRhodes [email protected]

Tim BurkhartUniversity of Northern British [email protected]

Bart ButterfieldIdaho Department of Fish and [email protected]

Wan-Hwa ChengUniversity of Central [email protected]

Jamie ChesserThe Nature [email protected]

Cheryl ChetkiewiczWildlife Conservation Society [email protected]

Ashley CiglarUC [email protected]

Melissa ClarkThe Nature Conservancy—Eastern Conservation [email protected]

Patrick ClintonU.S. [email protected]

Kevin CodyAmerican River [email protected]

Ben ColemanCatalina Island [email protected]

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Charles [email protected]

Rocheteau [email protected]

Emily CowlesAustin Community [email protected]

Barnabas DaruUniversity of Johannesburg, South [email protected]

Linda DeLayNatural Resource [email protected]

Michael DrinkwineSouthern Nevada Water [email protected]

Jan [email protected]

Brean DuncanKennedy Space Center Ecological [email protected]

Karen EdelsteinFracTracker [email protected]

Laura [email protected]

Asmerom Tesfay EmbayeUniversity of [email protected]

Charlie EndrisElkhorn Slough [email protected]

Esther EssoudryUniversity of San Francisco, [email protected]

Chad FreedWidener [email protected]

Tracy FullerUS Geological [email protected]

Lindsay [email protected]

Patrick GradyPICCC/[email protected]

Marisa GuarinelloThe Nature [email protected]

Eric GuintherAECOS [email protected]

Sarah HagenThe Nature [email protected]

Healy [email protected]

Jacquelyn HancockVernadero Group, [email protected]

56

Attendee Listing

Rick HarrisSouthern Nevada Water [email protected]

Whakarae HenareNga Whenua [email protected]

Mariana Herná[email protected]

Peter HiemstraNew Zealand Department of [email protected]

Kerry [email protected]

Carolyn HughesThe Nature [email protected]

Paola Johanna Isaacs CubidesInstituto Alexander von [email protected]

Rochelle JamesThe University of [email protected]

Elizabeth KiernanNew York Botanical [email protected]

Melodi KingUniversity of [email protected]

Megan KleinUniversity of Redlands MS [email protected]

Matthew [email protected]

Sheikh KoromaNational Water Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion [email protected]

Katherine KriegerAudubon [email protected]

Deepak KumarCentral University of Karnataka, [email protected]

Michelle KupengaNga Whenua [email protected]

Danielle LaBrunaWildlife Conservation [email protected]

Mumbere LangoTayna Center for Conservation [email protected]

Wayne LawThe New York Botanical [email protected]

Jeri LedbetterSprings Stewardship [email protected]

Zhong LiEnvironment [email protected]

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Greg LiknesUSDA Forest [email protected]

Kermit [email protected]

Nick [email protected]

Fiona MaiselsWildlife Conservation [email protected]

Sandy MargriterNational Park [email protected]

David MarquardtUSDA: Economic Research [email protected]

Percy MilnerNga Whenua [email protected]

Dorn MooreInternational Crane [email protected]

Richard [email protected]

Tina NguyenHumboldt State [email protected]

Chris [email protected]

Lynette NiebruggeMarin Resource Conservation [email protected]

Catriona O’[email protected]

Nasser OlweroWorld Wildlife [email protected]

Augustine [email protected]

Cynthia PadulaRecent [email protected]

Lori PelechUS Fish and Wildlife [email protected]

Roland PomanaNga Whenua [email protected]

Roger [email protected]

Trevor ReidThe Nature Conservancy of [email protected]

Louis ReinboldSouthern Nevada Water [email protected]

Nicholas ReseburgCenter for Ecosystem Management and [email protected]

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Robert RoseWildlife Conservation [email protected]

Molly SandomireTRC [email protected]

Eric SandovalSandoval & Associates [email protected]

Miriam [email protected]

Brian ShepardClean Water [email protected]

Janet SilbernagelUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison, Nelson Institute for Environmental [email protected]

Gillian SilvertandThe Nature [email protected]

Jake SmithSanta Clara Valley Open Space [email protected]

Stephanie SmithGrand Canyon [email protected]

Meg SoutheeWildlife Conservation Society [email protected]

Lawrence StevensMuseum of Northern [email protected]

Vanessa [email protected]

Iris Stewart-FreySanta Clara [email protected]

Beth StoneEast Bay Regional Park [email protected]

Samantha StrindbergWildlife Conservation [email protected]

Zhen SuiMississippi State University (Department of Forestry)[email protected]

Benjamin SullenderUniversity of [email protected]

Shellye SuttlesUSDA Economic Research [email protected]

Brian [email protected]

Christine [email protected]

Attendee Listing

59

Aimee TeabyCSU Monterey [email protected]

Sage TezakGulf of the Farallones National Marine [email protected]

Heather ThamsCSU Monterey [email protected]

Robert ThomasFort Benning, GA/Bordercats Working [email protected]

Dean TonennaBureau of Land [email protected]

Miriam TsalyukUniversity of California, [email protected]

Jocelyn [email protected]

Kent van WagtendonkYosemite [email protected]

Liz van WagtendonkSierra Nevada [email protected]

Tewodros [email protected]

Nathan WalkerAudubon [email protected]

Dean WaltonUniversity of Oregon [email protected]

Bryson WebberUSDA-Wildlife [email protected]

Xiaofang WeiCentral State [email protected]

Stuart WeissCreekside Center for Earth [email protected]

Doreen WhitleyNational Audubon [email protected]

David WillIsland [email protected]

Tamara WilsonU.S. Geological [email protected]

U WinWinners Circle [email protected]

Sean [email protected]

Jason WinnerScenic [email protected]

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Jason WinnerScenic [email protected]

Stacie WolnyNatural Capital [email protected]

Dan [email protected]

Karen YoungbloodThe Campbell [email protected]

Alexander [email protected]

Sumaira ZafarInstitute of Space [email protected]

Weihua ZengBeijing Normal [email protected]

Attendee Listing

Notes

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Acknowledgments

The 2014 SCGIS Conference would not have been possible without the efforts of many great individuals. It is impossible to acknowledge everyone who has played a role in making this conference a success. However, there are a few people and groups that deserve special recognition:

• Many thanks to Esri for its generosity in providing resources and support.

• Pingkham Rattanababpha and her team at Esri provided extensive organizational and logistical support for this year’s event. Her hard work and Esri’s generosity gave us this agenda, our signage, and fully installed laptops for the preconference workshops and registration.

• The SCGIS web team. They provided constant and reliable support throughout the conference planning process and beyond.

• Our preconference workshop instructors: John Schaeffer, Patti Bailey, and Andrew Hill who gave of their own time and resources to be with us this week and share their incredible knowledge.

• Sasha Yumakaev for his masterful planning of the SCGIS Scholarship Program. We are grateful for all the hard work and personal investment that makes the Scholarship Program such a success.

• Charles Convis, whose extraordinary support has made SCGIS what it is today. Among other things, he is responsible for categorizing all abstracts into sessions (a monumental task), and was instrumental in securing this year’s conference logo and T-shirt design.

SCGIS Community

Esri, the Esri globe logo, ArcPad, ArcScene, ArcGlobe, ArcCatalog, ArcGIS, ArcMap, ArcPy, ArcSDE, ArcView, and ModelBuilder are trademarks, service marks, or registered marks of Esri in the United States, the European Community, or certain other jurisdictions. Other companies and products or services mentioned herein may be trademarks, service marks, or registered marks of their respective mark owners.

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