Fall NEARC 2018

AUTHORS: Dale Abbott, Sam Berg - VHB

ABSTRACT: VHB is assisting the MBTA Environmental group in the design and implementation of a GIS-based Environmental Compliance Tracking System that can support tracking of various environmental assets on MBTA-owned property. In support of the Environmental Compliance Tracking System, VHB is assisting MBTA in adopting data collections standards, inspection protocols, and documentation of existing workflows, which will be leveraged by the system. VHB and the MBTA are focusing on designing and building out the application for monitoring wells and Activity and Use Limitations (AULs) for disposal sites. The architecture of the Environmental Compliance Tracking System is a highly configured deployment of Esri’s ArcGIS Online web mapping system, using the full suite of ArcGIS Online software (Collector, Workforce, Operations Dashboard). The system includes mobile data collection tools and desktop applications for viewing and editing data. The system will also integrate with MBTA’s LandTracker property management system, which MBTA uses for property management purposes. Implementing an Environment Compliance Tracking System will allow MBTA to leverage GIS technology to improve the way environmental assets are managed, and develop a robust environmental asset inventory that supports business requirements at multiple levels.

AUTHORS: Andrew Flynn, VELCO

ABSTRACT: Environmental monitoring and reporting is an essential component of maintaining compliance on construction projects. Vermont Electric Power Company (VELCO) has adopted a streamlined data collection and reporting process using esri’s Collector application and GeoCortex web maps. We will focus on how VELCO incorporates ArcGIS Online, Collector, and GeoCortex to make data acquisition simple, and produce regulatory quality deliverables.

AUTHORS: Jesse M. Rubenstein, University of Connecticut's Center for Land Use Education and Research (CLEAR)

ABSTRACT: The Golden-winged Warbler (GWWA) is a near-threatened bird species that has been significantly affected by habitat loss, with international decreases of approximately two-thirds since the 1960s. GWWA are important because they are an umbrella species for 38 bird species of conservation concern, as well as endangered mammals, all of which would benefit from the protection of GWWA habitat. To help address this problem, a study using ArcGIS Pro, including new tools, which were previously unavailable in ArcMap, was conducted to create a habitat suitability model (HSM) for GWWA in New York. HSMs are powerful tools commonly used by ornithologists when identifying locations to concentrate conservation efforts for a species. HSM parameters utilized in this study were created from GWWA management reports and peer reviewed literature. Land cover data came from the most recent National Land Cover Database. Important raster and vector tools used for analysis were Focal Statistics, Summarize Within, and Raster Calculator. The model was validated using recent GWWA sightings from Cornell’s eBird Program, which is a citizen science/crowd sourced based program. Hotspot analysis results identified clusters of towns containing habitat that are not currently part of the GWWA conservation focal area, which is a designated zone laid out by organizations and government agencies monitoring the species. These unmonitored regions should be considered for inclusion in the conservation focal area, as they may contain large amounts of unprotected habitat that could benefit the species.