Geospatial Projects

This yet-to-be-published thesis project used MaxEnt statistical modeling to predict habitat suitability and future spread of two invasive vine species (kudzu and oriental bittersweet) across the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains under multiple climate scenarios. The analysis incorporated ecological zones, topography, climate variables, proximity to roads and trails, disturbance indicators, and hydrology to identify areas at highest ecological risk. The entire project was conducted in R programming language and incorporated hundreds of rasters across varying temporal scales.

• Presentation

• Paper available upon request 

Appalachian Trail Conservancy 

This project entailed making a simple Field Maps application come to life for grant fulfillment and project planning purposes. The purpose of Field Maps collection was to amass areas of deficiency and suggested improvements across the New England section of the Appalachian Trail. Hundreds of points were coming in daily from this application! It is important to handle large datasets efficiently. First, I created a QA/QC Python script to ensure data comprehensiveness and consistency as deficiencies were collected. Second, I created a Dashboard so staff and federal grant administrators could see the collection in action. Weekly meetings helped refine quality assessments and plan how to analyze data into meaningful projects that would be funded under this grant. 

Appalachian Trail Conservancy

I created this map to depict visitor use characteristics and Trail characteristics useful to visitors across the entire Appalachian Trail. How many visitors frequent an area, and how they use that area, is important to understand so the Trail may be maintained and managed appropriately through time. Additionally, ATC has a scale of 1-5 to depict the "feel" that a hiker should expect in a particular subsection of trail (primitive-urban). This scale emulates the Recreation Opportunity Spectrum, for those who are familiar.

After months of cleaning excel spreadsheets maintained and updated by 32 volunteer clubs and several ATC staff across nearly 2200 miles of trail, I was able to devise a geodatabase structure and overall schema for this project. This entailed a relational table system. Each club region has various subsections (anywhere from a handful to over fifty), and each subsection had an ATX rating (rural to urban), as well as subratings. Each subsection also had details about overnight sites and other visitor-centric characteristics. This system was complicated and had to be designed with the future in mind - how would we be updating this data, which data would we want to keep upon update, and what would land management entities want to see visually?

• Schematics (used as reference doc for scripts)

• Example of Relational Database Setup

Appalachian Trail Conservancy

I helped modernize an existing map that federal and state land managers and public lands staff use on a daily basis to plan for trail maintenance projects and general visitor use planning. Prior to digital asset updates, a PDF system of update was in place. 

Appalachian Trail Conservancy 

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy needed a quick solution to deploy once emergency funds came through for professional assessment and repair of the Appalachian Trail post-Helene. I was tasked with developing an application that crosswalked NPS terminology with USFS terminology so both agencies could derive ultimate meaning from the data collected. The application I created emulated a popular Forest Service platform for trail maintenance that was internal to the organization, while using outward-facing terminology that NPS would understand. The application provided point collection with dependent dropdowns that targeted category-specific trail damages and remediation strategies.

• User Guide

• Data Management Plan (Draft)

• Helene App Meeting Packet 1

• Helene App Meeting Packet 2

Part of my work at the USDA Forest Service entailed increasing communication with trail clubs that kept our trails in top shape. Here is a proposal for an application I created to track work done throughout Southern Appalachia.

• Proposal link

US Forest Service 

On behalf of the USDA Forest Service, I was hired to spatially analyze damages on recreational trails and related infrastructure as a result of Tropical Storm Fred. I used Survey123 points to analyze damages, strategize field visits, and draft repair contracts.

In addition to analyzing survey points, I conducted field visits and subsequently created maps to illustrate needed repairs. This could be as simple as showing where check steps should be erected; it could also entail calculating slope on small portions of trail to illustrate where discrepancies lie between standards for the trail versus the reality post-storm. Providing staff and construction contractors elevation profiles for trails was another common task.

• LASER Document (Trails Chapter)

• PDF Map (interactive map is for internal purposes)

Helene downed nearly a million trees, and subsequent wildfire risk was high. I designed official fire ban maps for stretches of recreational trails that posed an extreme wildfire risk. I adhered to styling consistent with federal, state, and regional non-profit mapping systems, often making compromises to find accomplish interagency preferences.

• Mount Rogers National Recreation Area Fire Ban Map

Range-graded proportional symbol map created in Tableau showing the number of single working mothers with children under 18 by county. Circle size is classified using a range-based method (Geometric Interval) to emphasize differences across counties. 

Range-graded maps are ideal for visualizing absolute counts when you want to highlight patterns or disparities across geographic areas, making it easy to see which counties have relatively higher or lower populations.

• Link

Chorochromatic map created in Tableau, showing the largest single-parent category in each county (non-working mothers, working mothers, or working fathers). Color is used to differentiate categories, making it easy to see spatial patterns of single-parent demographics across the state. 

Chorochromatic maps are ideal for categorical data, allowing viewers to compare regions based on qualitative differences rather than absolute counts. No counties had non-working fathers as the predominant category.

• Link

Proportional symbol map created in Tableau, where circle size represents the number of single working mothers with children under 18 in each county. Proportional symbol maps are ideal for visualizing absolute counts or quantities, allowing viewers to quickly compare magnitudes across geographic areas while retaining spatial context.

• Link

Bivariate proportional symbol map created in Tableau. Circle size represents the number of single working mothers with children under 18 by county. Color indicates the margin of error in the census data. 

This type of map is ideal for showing absolute counts alongside a second variable, such as uncertainty, allowing viewers to compare population magnitude while assessing data reliability. Supplementary charts display counts and margin of error per county, providing additional clarity on data distribution and precision.

• Link

Coming Soon

US Forest Service

In the wake of Hurricane Helene, US Forest Service Incident Management Teams, staff, and volunteers trekked into dangerous terrain, documenting forests of downed trees, tread cavities, washouts, and structure damage as a result of historic winds and torrential downpour. It was my job to standardize this data and create series of maps that visualized data by damage category, severity and location. These maps were critical in receiving disaster funding. 

Coming Soon

Government GIS systems are intended to be for internal use only. Under extreme situations, data and information can be shared in specific ways. The Appalachian Trail, nearly 100 years old, is sustained by a Cooperative Management System including national and state agencies, conservation agencies, trail clubs, and volunteers. This project entailed updating an interagency map of A.T. damage points and segments of opened or closed trail to reflect varying safety levels of the trail across different areas. It also showed closures. This map was accessible by select partners and updated collaboratively each week.

The Appalachian Trail, like any trail, faces relocations to counteract visitor wear and tear as well as to heal the damage of natural disasters. I created quite a few relocation maps.

• Links to sample maps

US Forest Service 

I created a series of maps that required contracted work to be repaired. These maps had to clearly show bidders where the projects took place and provide a general overview of the terrain and repair logistics.

• Folder of Maps

Series of maps advertising the London Heathrow Airport's worldwide services and capabilities. This project was used as an exemplar for future cohorts of cartography students.

• Folder of Map Series

This map use a variety of cartographic techniques to demonstrate a trail race with multiple routes and changing elevations in San Francisco.

• Link

The federal government aims to protect Plaquemines Parish from sea level rise. Before implementing environmental changes, construction crews need to know the lay of the land. Transportation lines carry weight/brightness variations relative to traffic volume. Water features are featured in blue and patterned, symbolizing a mix of types. Boundaries include counties as well a naval air station.

• Link

I created four choropleth maps in ArcGIS Pro to explore county-level uninsured rates for females. These maps demonstrate careful classification, thoughtful color choices, and audience-focused design, useful for nonprofits or healthcare organizations planning outreach or interventions.

• Link to Folder

• • Map One: Sequential map with manual breaks highlighting extremes and obvious groupings.

  • Map Two: Diverging map relative to the regional average (5.98%), showing counties above and below average for targeted resource allocation.

  • Map Three: Sequential map using Jenks natural breaks to emphasize natural data groupings and counties with the highest uninsured rates.

  • Map Four: Unclassed sequential map providing nuanced variations and complementing Map Three for finer analysis.

Pennsylvania State University

This project strategically leveraged raster and vector data to identify prime areas for biological preservation within a Pennsylvania county. By synthesizing spatial insights with ecological considerations, this endeavor underscores the critical role of GIS in preserving and protecting biodiversity hotspots for future generations.

Pennsylvania State University

This project required analysis of raster and vector data to identify optimal locations for a new vineyard in Sonoma, California. Through a series of analyses and conversions, this project unveils the art and science behind viticulture site selection, paving the way for exquisite wine production in one of California's renowned wine regions.

• Narrative

Pennsylvania State University

This city planning project involved using GIS to identify potential future business locations within the vibrant city of Kalispell, Montana. By identifying areas best suited to ecotourism and regional development, this project lays the foundation for sustainable urban growth.

• Narrative

Pennsylvania State University

This project leveraged GIS to identify optimal emergency relief sites following the 2011 tornado outbreak across Alabama. Through meticulous table manipulations and spatial analyses, this project informs the strategic allocation of resources to areas most impacted by natural disasters, ensuring swift and effective response efforts.

• Narrative

Pennsylvania State University

I showcased my prowess in address geocoding and rematching, facilitating seamless operations for local water utility companies. Through the creation of an AGOL web map, I empowered stakeholders with spatial intelligence to optimize resource allocation and enhance operational efficiency. 

• AGOL Web Map

Pennsylvania State University

A multifaceted exploration of vegetation changes within the Ottawa Wildlife Refuge over five decades. Leveraging a plethora of spatial resources - orthorectified aerial photographs and National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) data - I meticulously charted the evolution of wetland ecosystems over time. Through joins, unions, and dissolves, I crafted a series of ten maps that unraveled the presence of invasive species and vegetation groups across distinct epochs. From visual analyses to statistical insights, each map served as a testament to the dynamic interplay between human intervention and ecological resilience.

• AGOL Web Map (ten final layers alongside reference images)

• Final Layout​

• Project File (.aprx)

Pennsylvania State University

This project entailed georeferencing a variety of images. Utilizing explicit XY coordinates of control points and incorporating target layers, I navigated the complexities of spatial alignment. Through the application of Affine (1st order polynomial) and second-order polynomial transformations, I honed my skills in spatial rectification, ensuring seamless integration of raster images into geospatial frameworks. From resurrecting USGS Digital Raster Graphics (DRG) that had "lost" spatial information to rectifying unorthorectified photographs, each georeferencing activity required flexibility and problem solving.

• Narrative

• USGS DRG that "lost" its information

• USGS Paper Topographic Quadrangle

• Original Photograph (not orthorectified)

Pennsylvania State University

From georeferencing Sanborn map images to sculpting intricate geodatabase structures, each phase of the project was characterized by meticulous attention to detail and unwavering commitment to data integrity.

Pennsylvania State University

In the pursuit of understanding and delineating political voting districts, I merged historical census records with advanced geodatabase design principles. Carefully curated to optimize space and usability, the resulting geodatabase served as a robust repository for census data, empowering end-users to investigate voter patterns and demographics. In my own analyses, I discerned voting percentages within neighborhoods and formed nuanced insights regarding ethnicity and political affiliations. Projects like this can guide strategic decisions such as targeted poster campaigns in specific languages and locations.

• Rationale for Build

• Analysis of Voter Patterns

Appalachian Trail Conservancy 

Maintaining a reliable centerline for a 2,190 mile footpath (that endures constant tread changes) is no easy feat. I created an up-to-date centerline that utilized elevation data and both m and z enabled polylines to create N-S and S-N mileage at 0.5 and 0.1 mile intervals. This information was time-sensitive for an external-facing project.

After publishing this version, I worked at obtaining even higher resolution DEMs and calculating mileage for sections of the trail based on specific State Plane coordinate systems for each state the trail traverses. This version takes considerable more time and energy; the trade-off is increased accuracy in mileage.

• Process Document

Pennsylvania State University

Implementing topological rules serves as a linchpin in detecting and rectifying errors within spatial datasets. From identifying undershoots and overshoots to untangling looped polygons and rectifying attribute entry errors, this project underscores the critical role of meticulous data validation in maintaining spatial integrity.

• Narrative

• AGOL Web Map

• Project File (.aprx)