Final Project

Mason Sayer
Geography 7 Lab
Final Project

Reference Map

Thematic Map showing Fire Perimeter and Existing Significant Ecological Areas

Thematic Map showing Fire Perimeter and Proposed Significant Ecological Areas

Thematic Map showing Proposed Significant Ecological Areas within 2009 Station Fire Perimeter

 

As a Geography/Environmental Studies Major, I have a great deal of interest in the protection and conservation of wildlife and natural resources. As a Geographic Information Systems minor, my goal is to try and find ways to follow my passion for preserving the environment by using spatial analysis to prevent natural or anthropogenic disasters from affecting important ecological areas. Therefore I have created a project in which I have analyzed the potential impact of fire on Los Angeles’s most important areas of ecological biodiversity. 

Los Angeles County is home to some of the richest plant and animal biodiversity in the United States (“Significant Ecological Area”). In order to protect the ecology of this “Biodiversity Hotspot”, local government officials have implemented the “Significant Ecological Areas Program”, which aims to identify and conserve the county’s most ecologically important landscapes (“Significant Ecological Area”). The concept of Significant Ecological Areas (SEA) is fairly unique to Los Angeles. Few other counties throughout the state have implemented such a plan, and none have attempted it on such a large scale. Significant Ecological Areas are established to preserve rare, threatened, or endangered species of plants and animals, as well as protect the land and water that these species rely on (“Significant Ecological Area”). The Significant Ecological Area committee claims that it is important to preserve these areas, as they greatly contribute to the functionality of the entire ecosystem. Therefore, protecting SEA’s and the habitat corridors between them is critically important.

There are nearly sixty-five existing Significant Ecological Areas throughout Los Angeles County. The “2009 LA Station Fire Perimeter and Existing Significant Ecological Areas” map shows the distribution of these areas. As one can see, few SEA’s were within the 2009 Station Fire perimeter. However, the fire still had very serious consequences for the wildlife throughout these areas. According to the US Forest Service, the LA County Station Fire altered the hydrology of the landscape, polluted water sources, and increased the spread of non-native species throughout the Tujunga Valley/Hansen Dam Significant Ecological Area and other SEA’s more than 5km beyond the southwest perimeter of the fire (“US Forest Service”). Furthermore, many animals that inhabited these ecological areas such as deer, bobcats, woodrats, coyotes, and birds were either seriously injured or killed in the fire. Many of these animals were not even touched by the flames, but died of hot gases and lack of oxygen due to burning (“US Forest Service”). It is evident that the Station Fire caused serious damage to the overall ecology of the region.

            The Station Fire occurred in what the Los Angeles Fire Department Brush Clearance Service calls a “Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone” (“High Fire Hazard”). The LAFD claims that there is a high probability that this area will burn again in the future (“High Fire Hazard”). However, even with this in mind, Los Angeles officials have proposed to implement three new Significant Ecological Areas that fall within this zone. The “2012 Proposed Significant Ecological within 2009 Station Fire Perimeter” map shows the proximity of the Santa Clara River, San Gabriel Canyon, and Altadena Foothills/Arroyos SEA to the perimeter of the 2009 Station Fire. It is clear that another large-scale fire in a similar location as the 2009 Station Fire could potentially have devastating effects on these proposed ecological areas, as all three fall within the fire perimeter. Therefore it is critically important to minimize the risk of large-scale, uncontrolled wildfires throughout these areas through brush clearing, small-scale controlled burns, and other fire prevention techniques.

            It is important to ensure the safety of all Significant Ecological Areas, but when looking at the perimeter of the 2009 Station Fire, it is clear that the Santa Clara River, San Gabriel Canyon, and Altadena Foothills/Arroyos Significant Ecological Areas would be extremely vulnerable to fire damage if another fire like the Station Fire were to break out. These three areas are home to the endangered Mountain Yellow Frog, Santa Ana sucker, and occasionally the California Condor (Archibold). It is imperative to prevent these regions from large-scale burning like that of the Station Fire.  

            The 2009 LA County Station Fire was the largest fire in Los Angeles County recorded history, burning over 160,000 acres (Crouch). Although devastating, possibly the only good news was that the fire did not affect a majority of the Significant Ecological Areas throughout Los Angeles County. But the newly proposed Santa Clara River, San Gabriel Canyon, and Altadena Foothills/Arroyos Significant Ecological areas would be extremely vulnerable to another Station Fire. Not only do these areas possess a rich diversity of animal species, they also contain stands of mature oak, fir, and other hardwood trees that, if burned, would not return to a forest without human intervention (“US Forest Service). This could have serious consequences on the ecosystem.

            If another Station Fire breaks out in the future, the Santa Clara River, San Gabriel Canyon, and Altadena Foothills/Arroyos Significant Ecological Areas must be of top priority, as they fall within the 2009 Station Fire perimeter and would most likely be the first SEA’s to burn.

Archibold, Randal C. "After a Devastating Fire, an Intense Study of Its Effects." The New York Times, 03 Oct. 2009. Web. 12 Dec. 2012.

"California Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map Update Project." Cal Fire. CA.GOV, n.d. Web. 12 Dec. 2012. <http://www.fire.ca.gov/fire_prevention/fire_prevention_wildland_zones_maps.php>.

Crouch, Jake. "State of the Climate: Wildfires (Annual 2009)." NOAA: Noational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 8 Jan. 2010. Web. 12 Dec. 2012. <http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/fire/2009/13>.

"Significant Ecological Area Program." Los Angeles County Department of Regional Planning, n.d. Web. 12 Dec. 2012. <http://planning.lacounty.gov/sea/>.

"US Forest Service Fact Sheet: Station Fire Restoration." US Forest Service, 15 Apr. 2011. Web. 12 Dec. 2012. <www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5298487.pdf>.

"Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone." Los Angeles Fire Department: Brush Clearance Unit, 2007. Web. 12 Dec. 2012. <http://lafd.org/brush/zone.htm>.

Lab Week 8

Week 8

US Counties with Black Population, 2000:

The “US Counties with Black Population, 2000” map that I created displays the distribution and concentrations of African Americans throughout the United States. The map is a Lambert Conformal Conic Projection of the US. It clearly illustrates that the black population is significantly higher in the southern and southeastern states than the rest of the country. I believe this is because the black American population has historical roots in the south. Slavery, although an unfortunate part of America’s past, greatly contributed to the dense black population in the southern and southeastern United States. The map portrays very low densities of black population in the Midwest, west coast, and southwest US. Many black communities throughout the south are low-income areas, and therefore residents do not have the financial capabilities to move. Thus, most of the black population born in the southern US stays there, and therefore we see this trend. I used a red color ramp and am pleased with how it turned out. I feel that the colors are distinguishable and easy to understand.    

US Counties with Asian Population, 2000:

The “US Counties with Asian Population, 2000” map shows the distribution of the Asian population throughout the US. The map itself is a Lambert Conformal Conic Projection. On the map, darker green represents a higher concentration of the Asian population, while lighter green represents lower densities. While creating this map in the university’s computer lab I was happy with the green color ramp that I chose. However, after viewing the map on a few other computers, I found slight variations in the color. Although the higher density dark green colors are easy to distinguish, the lower density light green colors are a bit harder to tell apart, depending on the computer being used to view the map. It is evident that there is a higher concentration of Asian Americans on the west coast of the US than the midwest, south, and eastern parts of the country. I believe this is due to the proximity of the west coast to Asia. California and other parts of the American west coast are the first points of entry for Asians migrating to the US. Highly concentrated populations of Asian Americans have settled on the west coast (especially California) and have established communities such as “Little Saigon” and “Chinatown”. This is why we see such a high concentration of the Asian population on the west coast of the country. However I do want to note that Hawaii is not included on this map. The instructions stated to exclude Alaska and Hawaii, but I believe that Hawaii should have been included, especially on the “Asian Population” map. The Hawaiian Islands contain a high density of Asian individuals due to the proximity to Asia. I believe Hawaii should have been included in this map in order to present a more thorough analysis. 

US Counties with Some Other Race Alone Population, 2000:

The map titled “US Counties with Some Other Race Alone” clearly illustrates what I believe to be the distribution of the Mexican population throughout the United States. The map shows a very high density of the “some other race alone” population throughout the American southwest. Therefore I presume that it is portraying the Mexican American population of the US, because the Mexican population throughout the country is heavily concentrated near the US-Mexico border. Many low-income Mexican immigrants do not have the financial ability to migrate deep into the interior of the United States, so therefore they either choose or are forced to stay near the border. As more immigrants establish communities near the border, new immigrants find it easier to settle in those communities rather than travel far into other states. Therefore the density of the Mexican population continues to be higher in the southwest US than elsewhere in the country. This map is a Lambert Conformal Conic Projection, and uses a light to dark blue color ramp.

Discussion:

I am very pleased with how my census map series turned out. At first I had trouble figuring out how to transfer my data from excel into ArcCatalog and then add it as a data frame onto the map, but once I figured out how to do this the rest of the project was fairly simple. Altogether I believe these three maps give a good representation of race distribution and concentrations throughout the country. The distributions vary widely. Asians seem to be concentrated on the west coast, Hispanics or some other race alone seem to be concentrated in the south and southwest, and blacks are concentrated in the southeast. This map series clearly shows that certain races tend to live within the same region of the country. These census maps show relationships and correlations for which deeper questions can be analyzed. This is the true essence of GIS.

Impressions of GIS:

My overall experience with GIS thus far as been enjoyable. There have been instances where I have felt stuck, lost, and confused with some tasks, but in the end I can usually overcome the challenges. The hardest part of this week’s lab was accessing the data once I had converted it in excel and saved it to my USB drive. I saved them correctly, but maneuvering through ArcCatalog and finding the correct file to upload was tricky. However once I figured out how to do this the rest of the lab was fairly easy.

I find that manipulating the actual layout of the map in ArcMap is fairly easy once you get familiar with the toolbars and the functions of the tabs. Changing the projection, adding a color ramp, adding a legend, adding a north arrow, adding a scale bar, etc. are not difficult to do. It just takes time, and most importantly trial and error, in order to get comfortable with these tools.

One concept that is difficult for me to grasp when it comes to GIS is that different data frames does not mean different maps. When I add new data frames my initial instinct is to want to see multiple maps on the screen. But I must remember that instead there is a base layer, and that all data is layered onto that base map. Instead of seeing multiple maps, I must remind myself to merely check or uncheck the layers in the table of contents in order to see the data portrayed on the base map.

I have enjoyed working with raster data much more than vector data. This weeks lab assignment (Week 8) showed the enormous benefits of raster data. It is able to show distributions, correlations, and patterns that are much harder to see using vector data. Raster depicts patterns and relationships that can be used to answer deeper questions. I prefer working with raster data over vector.

This week’s assignment forced me to realize that proficiency in Microsoft Excel is an important skill when working in the field of GIS. I am not comfortable working with Excel, therefore I will need to work on my own time to teach myself how to use the program. Although my experience with Excel this week was unproblematic, I know that in the future the tasks will become more complicated and I will need a deeper understanding of the program.

The major critiques I have of GIS is that it is not user-friendly, and it takes a long time to create a decent project. ArcMap is not a program like Microsoft Word where individuals can generally teach themselves how to perform basic functions of the program. GIS is not like this. The GIS software is very complicated to the unfamiliar user like myself. Furthermore, each project takes a very long time. Finding data, converting data, joining data, and manipulating that data on the map is a long process. And there are few shortcuts. But if you have the patience and dedication, the final product can be outstanding.

Another critique I have of GIS is that working between data view and layout view is a pain. Sometimes I forget which “view” I’m in and I will unknowingly move text or features of my map to an incorrect position. And there is nothing but a tiny box to tell you which view you are working within. I feel that ArcMap needs to make the view format more visible and noticeable for the user.

GIS is a fantastic tool. In the short time that I have been working with GIS programs I find that it takes a lot of time and patience to become familiar with it, but the more that I work with it the more confident I become. 

Lab 6 (Week 7)

The lab exercise for Week 7 was one of my favorites so far. I enjoy working with raster data much more than vector, as I believe it gives a better representation of reality. One of the main benefits of working with raster data is that it is easy to use, manipulate, and understand. The shaded relief model gives a clear picture of the true landscape, and it is easy to visually understand, even to an individual with no prior experience with GIS. I found that another benefit of working with raster is the ability to overlay data frames and adjust the transparency. This way, it is possible to view multiple layers at a time. Creating the 3D model was my favorite part of the lab, and I believe it is a huge benefit of raster data. The 3D model is a fantastic representation of topographic reality. Although I enjoyed working with raster data, I did notice some potential pitfalls. When a data frame contained too much data the difference in colors became difficult to distinguish. Maps with multiple data fields, such as the aspect map and slope map, consisted of a wide variety of colors that at times made it difficult to understand. The map ended up looking like a complicated rainbow and it was hard to tell the colors apart. Also, with multiple data frames came the challenge of correctly adjusting the transparency in order to view the multiple layers of data at the same time. If all data frames were checked, I found that the shaded relief model was more prominent than the others, which were hidden behind it. I was more interested in this lab assignment than most of the previous assignments. I felt for the first time that I was beginning to get comfortable with ArcMAp. I realize that my knowledge is still rudimentary, but I look forward to continue working with raster data.

Week 6

The creation of map projections has brought with it a number of different benefits. Map projections give humans the ability to view a 3D world on a 2D surface. Paper maps are much more convenient and transportable than spherical globes. Map projections also have been responsible for increasing the public’s geographic awareness and knowledge. Nearly everyone in the world has at one point in time been able to view a world map. Before map projections were created, individuals had to guess as to what the Earth looked like from a bird’s eye view. Now, map projections give an extremely accurate picture of the Earth. This creates a greater awareness of geography and a greater understanding of the world in general. 

The three main types of map projections (equal area, equidistant, and conformal) do indeed have their flaws, but they possess great benefits as well. Equal Area projections, such as the Behrmann Equal Area Projection, give an accurate picture of the true size and area of geographic features, such as countries and continents. This enables the public to understand the true size of geographic features, such as countries and continents. Africa is always portrayed as a small continent, but in reality it is huge. An Equal Area projection accurately depicts Africa’s true size. Equidistant and Conformal projections, such as the Azimuthal Equidistant and Van Der Grintin I, are extremely beneficial for navigation, both for ships and planes. Equidistant shows true distance, and Conformal shows accurate direction. During wartime, these maps are extremely beneficial when planning military attacks, or estimating the missile capabilities of enemy nations.

            Although map projections have great potential and benefits, the pitfalls and flaws are extremely significant. Map distortions are often used to exploit and misrepresent developing countries in the southern hemisphere, especially countries in Africa. Conformal Projections such as the Van der Grinten I and the Stereographic Conformal Projection portray Africa has extremely small in comparison to its actual size, whereas countries in the northern hemisphere are depicted as much larger than in reality. This distortion portrays countries in the northern hemisphere as larger, more powerful, and generally “better” than countries in the southern hemisphere. Unfortunately, the kinds of projections that distort the true size of continents, such as the Mercator Projection, are the kinds of projections used in classrooms across the United States. These map projections have created a northern hemisphere ethnocentricity, and have manipulated most of the world into thinking that countries in the north have dominance and power over poor, developing nations of the south. A map projection may seem objective, but many times there are subtle traces of subjectivity.

            Antarctica is a perfect example of the variability of map projections. Antarctica appears a different shape and size in nearly every map projection. The Ven der Grinten I Conformal and Equidistant Conic Projections portray Antarctica as extremely large, whereas the Azimuthal Equidistant and Stereographic Conformal Projections portray the continent as very small. This is very misleading. Fortunately there are no countries or large permanent colonies on Antarctica, for if there were there would be much debate and discussion over the continent’s portrayal in map projections.    

Furthermore, no map projection is perfect. Each one distorts the earth in a different way and carries with it a number of different flaws. At least one element of a map projection presents false information. This false information can be in regards to shape, size, distance, or direction. This is perhaps the most significant flaw of map projection. Map projections can be skewed and tweaked to purposely misrepresent information. This is why it is always important to reference multiple map projections, and most importantly a spherical globe.

             

Lab 4

          My experience with GIS was incredibly gratifying, but extremely frustrating. I do not consider myself a very technologically savvy individual, so it was difficult for me to get familiar with ArcMAP. Indeed I do own a computer and know how to perform basic functions, but currently I am a little uncomfortable doing anything beyond that. One significant pitfall of GIS is that it does not cater to the unskilled technology user. In my opinion it is not a user-friendly program in the least. Without the step-by-step tutorial I would have been completely lost. However, with hours upon hours of working with the program, I gradually felt myself becoming more comfortable with it.

Although ArcMAP is somewhat challenging to use at first, the program does have significant potential. After finally becoming somewhat familiar with the software, I felt that with more practice I could ultimately have the power to make my own map and have it represent data in any way that I wish. I believe that this is quite a lot of power to have in the hands of one individual.

            Another potential of GIS is that it filters out untrained map makers. ArcMAP takes an incredible amount of time to become familiar with, and I believe it truly separates those that are committed to making accurate maps from those who wish to exploit GIS and more or less “goof around” on the program.

GIS is able to combine data from different sources and portray it in a visual way. This “visual” aspect is perhaps GIS’s greatest benefit. People are much more affected by pictures, images, and visuals than they are by text or numbers. The final product of a GIS project is a visual map, which is very affective for delivering a powerful message. If one can master ArcMAP, they hold significant power and influence.

One pitfall that I realized while working with ArcMAP is that the program is only useful if you have access to data from an outside source. Without data, the creation of a visual representation is virtually impossible. Therefore, ArcMAP and GIS are essentially bound to other sources that hold such data.  

Although ArcMAP and GIS in general have great potential, I still feel that the most significant pitfall is that it is so difficult to use. Even after working through the tutorial multiple times I still do not feel entirely comfortable with ArcMAP. Furthermore, the program is extremely time consuming. It takes a long time to create a map using ArcMAp. This is another definite pitfall.  

One of the hardest parts of this project was working in “data view” versus “layout view”. I constantly had to check to make sure I was in the proper view so that I could move my map without disrupting the layered data on top of it. It was frustrating when I tried to move the page but instead I moved my map and it distorted my data.

Lastly, the terminology and words that the ArcMAP uses are complicated for someone who has never used to the program before. Many times a pop-up window or dialogue box would appear on the screen and I had no idea what it was talking about. This is another big pitfall in ArcMAP. Not everyone using ArcMAP knows complex computer terminology. The text, instructions, and dialogue in the dialogue boxes needs to be simplified in order for the user to actually understand what to do. 

LAB 3

View Best Kept Newport Beach Secrets: Healthy Dining in a larger map

Map: NEWPORT BEACH'S BEST KEPT SECRETS: HEALTHY DINING
https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=216945804492690528965.0004cc49294559ecf3c7b&msa=0&ll=33.674069,-117.853775&spn=0.176572,0.365639


Write-Up:

Neogeography has the ability to enable individuals around the globe to upload and access vast amounts of geographic information. This sounds like a brilliant concept, but it does indeed have a number of potential pitfalls. Those that create their own maps using the wide variety of tools now available to the average computer user can easily skew, tweak, and design their map to their liking. A map on the Internet is not always accurate, especially on personal blogs. Viewers need to sift through UGC and VGI with caution, and pick out only the content they can verify using other references. Neogeography is a beneficial tool but it is not regulated or consistently checked for quality.

Today anyone can make a digital map as long as they have access to a computer and a basic knowledge of technology. Such a large number of individuals can easily create maps that there are often multiple maps of the same thing. Depending on personal preference, each map can be slightly different, differing from where they locate something to directions on how to get there.  When there are multiple maps of the same thing, it can be very confusing.

Many say you need to be technologically savvy in order to make a map in the world of neogeography, but in my opinion this is untrue. Yes, you need to know how to turn on a computer and use Google, but that is essentially the bare minimum. It is almost too easy to make a map. Due to the fact that utilizing tools of neogeography is so simple and user friendly, people who are unqualified are now making maps, and they can be inaccurate.

            Another pitfall of neogeography is that VGI and UGC are bound to data that comes from a source such as Google Earth. If the data on Google Earth is wrong (rare, but occasionally), then any locations used from this imagery in any VGI or UGC content is also incorrect. For example, in the “Citizens As Sensors” article for this weeks reading, the author states that at the time of writing, “Google Earth’s imagery over the campus of the University of California, Santa Barbara was mis-registered by approximately 20m east-west.” VGI content that used this data inherited these errors.

Although there are a number of pitfalls, Neogeography has tremendous benefits and potential. Other than the obvious fact that neogeography now makes the sharing of geographic information much easier and much faster than ever before, it also gives a more powerful voice to the general public. Locals often have a better perspective or more information about their environment than the government or surveyors that merely use satellite imagery.  Neogeography enables these individuals to share their wealth of geographic information about their environment. Locals are able to share personal experiences, information and knowledge that only residents of the area possess. This lets an outsider get a glimpse into the “ins and outs” of a town, city, state, etc.  Local, amateur map-makers may have a different perspective than professionals. This perspective is often more helpful and more useful than a professional map, such as a Rand McNally, which portrays only the most basic information.

            An increase in the number of individuals creating maps results in an increased number of watchful eyes. Since more people are creating maps and surveying their environment, there is an increased chance of catching suspicious activity. Neogeography enables individuals to be their own security. The more people that monitor the geography of an area results in an increase in safety, due to the fact that any changes in the local environment can be easily spotted, whether it’s suspicious building activity, pollution, etc.

            Another benefit of neogeography is the potential for early warning systems, as referenced in the reading for this week. When a disaster strikes, local residents are the first ones on the scene. Therefore, they can provide up-to-date information on conditions, weather, damage, danger, etc. Neogeography enables the potential to obtain almost immediate reports from observes on the ground through use of cell phones, cameras, etc.

The consequences of neogeography partly fall within the category of pitfalls. One major consequence that comes to mind is in regards to terrorism. Google Maps and other sources make it incredibly easy to get a fairly high-resolution image of anywhere on earth. This can be beneficial for terrorists who want to plan an attack at a certain location. Although Google claims that images on Google Maps are between three to six months old, I do not believe that this enough to prevent terrorist attacks. Geobrowsers have made access to images of anywhere on the planet much easier and cheaper, and unfortunately I believe that this kind of power can potentially fall into the wrong hands.

           

Lab 2

10/15/12

(1) Beverly Hills, CA

(2)

1. Canoga Park

2. Van Nuys

3. Burbank

4. Topanga

5. Hollywood

6.

7. Venice

8. Inglewood

(3) 1966

(4) North American Datum of 1927 + North American Datum of 1983

(5) 1:24,000

(6)

a) 1,200 meters

5cm : 24000cm x 5 = 120,000cm

120,000cm x .01 = 1200m

b) 1.894 miles

5in : 24000in x 5 = 120,000in

120,000in / 12 = 10,000ft

10,000ft / 5,280 = 1.894 miles

c) 2.64

1in : 24000in

63360 / 24000 = 2.64

2.64in on map = 1mile on ground

d) 12.5

100,000cm = 1km

100,000 / 24000 = 4.16

1cm on map = 4.167km on ground

4.167 x 3 = 12.5

(7) Counter Interval = 20 feet

(8)

a) Public Affairs: 34˚4’22.5” N , 118˚26’15” W

decimal à 34.072917 N , 118.4375 W

b. Santa Monica Pier: 34˚00’37.5” N , 118˚30’00” W

decimal à 34.010417 N , 118.5 W

c. Upper Franklin Canyon Reservoir: 34˚07’11.25” N , 118˚24’22.5” W /

decimal à 34.119792 N , 118.40625 W

(9)

a) approx. 570 feet

meters à 173.736m

b) 140 feet

meters à 42.672

c) approx. 700 feet

meters à 213.36m

10) UTM Zone 11

11) 3763000 N, 361500 E

12)  1000m x 1000m = 1,000m

13) *EXCEL

14) 14˚ + 48’ = 14˚48’00”

15) South

16) *IMAGE