GIS Applications in Outdoor Recreation Planning Sergio Capozzi SORP President
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GIS Applications In Outdoor Recreation Planning Sergio Capozzi SORP President Brenda Adams-Weyant SORP Association Manager www.RecPro.org Providing National Leadership and Services for Advancing the Outdoor Recreation Profession Our Speakers Charlynne T. Smith, GISP North Carolina State University Research Associate Ph.D. Candidate Chelsey Walden-Schreiner, M.S. North Carolina State University Research Associate Darin Dinsmore, MLA, RPP, MCIP, OALA, APA, ASLA Crowdbrite CEO, Urban Planner & Landscape Architect Webinar Outline • Part 1: • Overview of GIS in Recreation Planning • New Developments in Participatory GIS and Volunteered Geographic Information • Application Examples • Participant Poll – ask the audience • Part 2: • Assessing Needs and Tools • Specialized Application Examples • Q&A • Part 3: • Crowdbrite Examples • Q&A • Part 4: • Discussion and Wrap-Up • Final Questions Recreation Resource Planning Recreation resource planning is the application of analytical tools to a systematic and deliberate process of decision making about the future management of recreation resources and recreation opportunities. Recreation planning is a rational systematic decision-making process, and as such it is a fundamental tool that deters our human tendencies to make decisions based on predisposition, bias, inadequate analysis, group-think, insular perspective, resistance to change, and excessive self- confidence. It results in decisions that are more effective, efficient, fair, reasoned, and defensible. Principles • Recreation Resource Publics: Recreation resource planning must try to engage and hear from all the diverse publics who value the recreation resource. The easily recognizable publics are often labeled visitors, local business, land owners and communities, but there may also be equally important publics who vicariously value the resource, ... • Collaboration: The meaningful engagement and exchange with the public is essential throughout the planning process. Collaboration results in a clearer definition of public values, more creative alternatives, more reasoned and reasonable decisions, and a constituency that becomes better informed and committed to the plan and its implementation. Principles • Science-Informed Planning: It is both a legal requirement and professional imperative to duly consider the best available science and expertise in the planning process and the plan’s implementation. • Comprehensive and Integrated: Recreation planning should consider other significant natural and cultural resources, uses, demands, and values in an integrated and comprehensive fashion. Functional planning, whereby one resource is planned for in a vacuum from other resources, is not appropriate and contrary to comprehensive and integrated planning. Recreation Planning • Requires data to inform • Knowledgeable participants in the process • The mix of data for the decision-making process is broad and may be viewed or analyzed through any number of methods • Methods of data collection varies: tabular, comments, maps, in person, online, anonymous… • Today’s Discussion – Understanding available options and selecting what is appropriate to meet your needs. Best Practices in Outdoor Recreation Planning Smith, C., Walden-Schreiner, C., & Leung, Y.-F. (forthcoming). Participatory GIS in recreation resource planning. In: Baas, J., & Burns, R. (eds.), Best Practices in Recreation Resource Planning: A Resource Guide for Planners. Urbana, IL: Sagamore Publishing Participatory Geographic Information System (PGIS) • Geographic Information Systems (GIS) • Participatory planning & management • public involvement • stakeholder input • Public PGIS • Focus on marginalized groups • Group Spatial Decision Support System PGIS in Africa for resource management http://www.idrc.ca Web 2.0: changing how we engage • Beyond one-way communication • not only retrieve but contribute • Delivery via web browser • simple user interface • software • storage Trends: Cultural, Organizational • Web 2.0 & Neogeography • Prevalence of user-generated content, location-based services, cloud computing • Users as Contributors • mapping is ubiquitous: mobile phones, web sites, vehicles • Changing Technologies • Mapping of the qualitative environment • Give voice to the unspoken • Role of Cartographer: map creator to facilitator Citizens as Sensors • Mapping – cartography, geography – typically been the role of the government, professionally trained • Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) • Using the Web to create, assemble, and disseminate geographic information provided voluntarily by individuals • Citizen Science • Data collection and visualization methods surrounding public input Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) • Research article: Elwood and Goodchild presented an inventory of VGI to illustrate trends. Results represent – Paradigmatic shift in how geographic data is: • created • shared (consumed) • And by whom • Technical and social processes through which VGI is produced – Methods for using data in research – Emerging social and political concerns VGI Examples Using Existing Resources Google Map – The Basics I Bike Fresno • Non-profit tech company that specializes in developing free and open source software for information collection, visualization and interactive mapping. • “Build tools for democratizing information, increasing transparency and lowering the barriers for individuals to share their stories.” • “Disruptive organization that is willing to take risks in the pursuit of changing the traditional way that information flows.” 22 GIS and related mapping tools in support of public participation in recreation planning process Planning Purpose Method Examples of Tools Process Output Inform / Educate Web-based Online maps: (data, results, Paper-based . Interactive maps with maps) Mobile applications user input (location based) Static maps: showing results, • Products of plans (e.g. PDF image) Input (data Supplement data Web-based, paper- Passive: GPS tracking collection) / representative based, mobile of park visitors input Trained: recorded behavior from observing visitor activity Crowdsource: reporting conditions, sharing ideas, describing values From SORP: Recreation Resource Planning Webinar Participant Poll 1. Have you used these or similar tools to gather data? 2. If yes, how useful was the data gathered? 3. What barriers prohibit your agency from to using these tools or gathering useful data? 4. How does your agency use technology to connect with and engage visitors? 5. How do you attempt outreach to difficult to reach populations? 6. Has your agency ever used a community based planning process? Technology Assessment • Decision to adopt a method, process, particular technology • Disregarding the capacity to implement technology, such as participatory tools, can lead to • inappropriate design of tools (usability) • tools that are costly to develop and maintain • tools that may not be used appropriately in meeting goals • Understand Capacity through Assessment • Hard technologies – (infrastructure, hardware, software platforms) • Soft technologies – (humans – staff & user skills, abilities and experiences) Assessment: Define Your Purpose • What do you want to accomplish? • Define Agency needs • Define Customer (audience) needs Assessment: Define the Audience • Recognizing the Target Audience • Understanding Capacity to Accept and Use the Technology • Purpose of the tool • Meeting needs of audience User Capacity Customer View Agency View • I can point and click • We push out hardcopy maps • I can enter information • We provide interactive relevant to me and get interface, but only offer customized response locational type information • I am a registered user • We have an interface for two (collaborator) to provide way information flow and a important information to backend system of data the agency collection Level of Engagement Customer View Agency View • I retrieve information • I disseminate information • (one way: agency to via web map (Inform) customer) • I provide information • I retrieve information about customers, how they use • (one way: customer to agency) our facilities • We discuss information • I seek information and respond to what they • (two-way: My input is heard and acted upon) provide through discussion / feedback loops Capacity for Implementation: Outline Resources / Needs • If you build it will they come? • User Capacity (target audience / customer) • Agency Capacity (for implementation and maintenance) • Consider SWOT analysis in this assessment • Strengths • Weaknesses • Opportunities • Threats Spectrum of Engagement and Capacity Charlynne T. Smith, 2013 No Capacity Desktop Web‐Mapping / Interactive Applications (examples) GIS Proprietary: Customized Map: OVNHT Crowd Mapping: data Map Collaborator: High ArcMap collection uploads & discussion feedback Capacity Google Map: routing Post Photos, Add Comments Medium Free: Google Map: featured Park Scan: user input ArcExplorer locations with feedback Implementation Low One‐Way One‐Way Two‐Way Capacity Indicators: includes hard Communication: Retrieve Communication: Communication: Share technology characteristics (software Information Provide Information and Discuss platform), and “soft” technology of human Information characteristics (staff/user skill & experience) Level of User Interaction Engagement The diagonal arrow across the spectrum represents complexity for implementation. As capacity increases with the level of engagement, higher levels of developer skill, cost to maintain