Advanced Environmental Geomatics
11:372:462

Spring 2009

Instructor: Rick Lathrop

Contact: lathrop@crssa.rutgers.edu

 

OVERVIEW

Given an open-ended problem, it is the course’s goal that students will be expected to:


This class will be taught in a practicum format with an emphasis on student-driven learning through practical hands-on individual and group projects. The class will rely on experiences and knowledge from a variety of backgrounds, sophisticated spatial technologies, and exploration of new ideas as means to advance students' understanding of applications and roles for geomatics. There will be some reading, some writing, some discussion, some thinking, some mapping and plenty of doing. The class will use GIS as a focus for technical and intellectual explorations of New Jersey's rapidly changing environment:

The overall topic is to examine issues related to human and natural response to projected changes in sea level rise along the New Jersey coast.  More concrete objectives are to:

              -Map past changes to New Jersey’s shorelines;

              -Assess recent trends in human land use change;

              -Map potential areas of future inundation;

              -Assess high hazard zones to both humans and natural habitats;

              -Develop place-based policy recommendations.

To meet these objectives, students, individually and in groups, will identify the issues to be studied, break into teams by issue, and produce inventory and analysis of each issue. The class will use various forms of information technology (e.g., geomatics and web technology) along with field studies and data collection to develop and communicate the resulting study. The class will culminate in a web-based product and a public presentation of the results to a larger audience of students, faculty and staff.

Class Structure

The class grades will be based on the following breakdown:
20% -- Advanced Arc 9 exercises – Viewshed Analysis, 3d landscapes, routing analysis, MAP Algebra, Model Builder
20% -- Individual papers/projects
20% -- Small Group projects
40% -- Application of Advanced skills and theory -- Projects

Over the course of the semester we anticipate a series of assignments, including:

Advanced exercises in ArcGIS 9. These labs will require individual work in advanced topics like modelbuilding, 3d analysis, and self-directed learning new skills.

Communication GIS Skills. As future GI Science leaders, you will soon be in a position where you are sharing your knowledge of new GIS techniques with others. Each student will explore one technique or skill and develop a tutorial project explaing the skill for novices.

Communicating Geographic Information. There will be multiple opportunites to produce map products for which the design and communication will be a significant crietion. One will be a major educational map product . Some will be part of other assignments. The quality should be sufficient that several can be considered for entry into the April NJ DEP's Annual State Mapping Contest.

Individual Papers. Each student will be required to produce a research paper or project that addresses a topic in Advanced Geomatics. These will be topics chosen in consultation with Dr. Lathrop and will be shared with the entire class.

Small Group Projects: Each project will be summed up with a short research paper that can be posted on the web (see previous year's individual papers which are currently online).

Group Project. The group project will evaluate different aspects of the North Avenue Corridor in Elizabeth, NJ. Using techniques taught in class, students will develop a conceptual and technical model describing this area and apply it to this very special landscape. An additional element may come in the communication of these results.

Class Expectations

I expect that the class will undertake a rigorous investigation of the issues surrounding the issues of sea level rise and its impact on humans and habitats of the New Jersey coast. As a tangible outcome of the course, I expect the class to produce a professional quality web-based report and public presentation. It is my hope that the class’s effort will have a real and tangible impact on land use planning and coastal zone management here in New Jersey.

I also expect that the students in the class will contribute not only to the course work, but also to the course itself. Specifically, students should participate actively in class discussions and decisions and provide guidance throughout the semester for the selection of speakers and topics.

I work under the HONOR System - the work should be your own.

You should be flexible so we can make the most of this unusual opportunity. You should come prepared to try new things, with an interest in the class, and a willingness to share your existing skills with the class. The expectations for advanced geomatics students is that they actually remember the geomatics skills that they have already been taught. And when the don't quite remember them, that they exhibit some personal initiative in relearning those old skills so we can focus in class on adding new skills.

 

Tentative  Schedule

Since the students are asked to help design the process and agenda for the semester, it is expected that THIS SCHEDULE WILL CHANGE. 

 

January 20       Class logistics (registration), introduction of project, basic reading assignments, initial group assignments (Project 1)

Jan 23              Sea Level Rise -  Dr. N. Psuty pesenting

Jan 27              In-Class Workshop:  Mapping LU/LC Change: Heads-up Digitizing from Historical Aerial Photographs

Jan 30              In-Class Workshop: Landscape Analysis and Grid-based Modeling

Feb3                 Coastal Vulnerability Assessment – J. D’Agostino presenting

Feb 6                In-Class Workshop: Landscape Analysis and Grid-based Modeling

Feb 10              Individual reports on Individual Project Topics (Paper 1)

Feb 13              Individual reports on Individual Project Topics (Paper 1)

Feb 17              In-Class Workshop: LiDAR analysis -  M Umansky presenting

Feb 20              In-Class Workshop: LiDAR analysis

Feb 24              Individual reports on Group Project 1

Feb 27              In-Class Workshop: LiDAR analysis

Mar 3                 In-Class Workshop: LiDAR analysis

Mar 6                 LiDAR applications – N Skowronski presenting

Mar 10              In-Class Workshop: Inundation Modeling    

Mar 13              Individual reports on Group Project 2

 

Mar 17-20        Spring Break

 

Mar 24              Discuss Team Project – 2nd half semester goals, time tables, assignment of tasks

Mar 27              In-Class Workshop/Team Work Day

Mar 31              In-Class Workshop/Team Work Day

Apr 3                 In-Class Workshop/Team Work Day

Apr 7                 In-Class Workshop/Team Work Day

Apr 10               In-Class Workshop/Team Work Day

Apr 14               Team Progress reports

Apr 17               All Day Field Trip to Cape May

Apr 21                Mapping and Graphic Communication Workshop – John Bognar

Apr 24                In-Class Workshop/Team Work Day

Apr 28                In-Class Group work day

April 29              Evening - Presentation Rehearsal

May 1                  Final Presentation

May 5                  Debrief

 

 

Readings: The following is an initial list of readings with due date. 

            For Jan 23: Cooper et al. 2005, Psuty and Ofiara, pp. 1-26, 133-156.

          For Jan 27: Psuty and Ofiara, pp. 79-105

More to come …

 

References

Cooper, M.J.P, M.D. Beever, and M. Oppenheimer. 2005. Future sea level rise and the New Jersey coast: Assessing potential impacts and opportunities. Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, NJ.  37 p. http://www.princeton.edu/~step/people/Oppenheimer%20Future%20of%20Sea%20Level%20Rise.pdf

Day, J.W. et al. 2008. Consequences of climate change on the ecogeomorphology of coastal wetlands. Estuaries and coasts 31:477-491.

Field, J.C., D.F. Boesch, D. Scavia, R. Buddemeier, V.R. Burkett, D. Cayan, M. Fogarty, M Harwell, R. Howarth, C. mason, L.J. Pietrafesa, D. Reed, T. Royer, A. Sallenger, M. Spranger and J.G. Titus. 2000.  Potential consequences of climate variability and change on coastal areas and marine resources, In: Climate Change Impacts on the United States: The Potential Consequences of Climate variability and Change, Report for the U.S. Global Change Research Program (Edited by National Assessment Synthesis team). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 461-483.

 

Galbraith, H., R. Jones, R. park, J. Clough, S. Herrod-Julius, B. Harrington and G. Page. 2002. Global climate change and sea level rise: potential losses of intertidal habitat for shorebirds. Waterbirds 25(2):173-183.

 

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. 1990. Strategies for Adaptation to Sea Level Rise. Report of the Coastal Management Subgroup, Response Strategies Working Group, The Hague, Netherlands. 131 pp.

http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/effects/downloads/adaption.pdf

 

Jones, R. and E.M. Strange. 2008. A pilot study of coastal Ocean County, New Jersey which develops and applies methods for evaluating risk to coastal ecosystems under various sea level rise and armoring scenarios. Section 3.3 in: Background Documents Supporting Climate Change Science Program synthesis and Assessment Product 4.1, J.G. Titus. and E.M. Strange (eds.).  EPA 430R07004. U.S. EPA, Washington, DC. p. 303-323. http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/effects/downloads/section3_20.pdf

 

 

Kana, T.W., W.C. Eiser, B.J. Baca, and M.L. Williams. 1988. Chapter 3: New Jersey case study. In: Greenhouse effect, sea level rise, and coastal wetlands (Edited by J.G. Titus). EPA 230-05-86-013, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C. 186 pp.

 

Lathrop, R.G., and A.A. Love. 2007. Vulnerability of New Jersey’s coastal habitat to ea level rise. CRSSA Technical Report, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 17 p.

http://crssa.rutgers.edu/projects/coastal/sealevel/report/Vulnerability%20of%20New%20Jersey%20coastal%20habitats.pdf

 

Najjar, R.G., H.A. Walker, P.J. Anderson, E.J. Barro, R.J. Bord, J.R. Gibson, V.S. Kennedy, C.G. Knight, J.P. Megonigal, R.E. O'Connor, C.D. Polsky, N.P. Psuty, B.A. Richards, L.G. Sorenson, E.M. Steele, and R.S. Swanson. 2000. The potential impacts of climate change on the mid-Atlantic coastal region. Climate Research 14:219-233.

 

Nicholls, R.J. and J.A. Lowe. 2004. Benefits of mitigation of climate change for coastal areas. Global Environmental Change 14(3):229-244.

 

Phillips, J.D. 1986. Coastal submergence and marsh fringe erosion. Journal of Coastal Research 2(4):427-436.

 

Psuty, N.P. and D.D. Ofiara. 2002. Coastal Hazard Management, Lessons and Future Direction from New Jersey. Rutgers University Press, New Brunswick, NJ

 

Redfield, A.C. 1972. Development of a New England salt marsh. Ecological Monographs 42(2): 201-237.

 

Reed, D.J., D.A. Bishara, D.R. Cahoon, J. Donnelly, M. Kearner, A.S. Kolker, L.L. Leonard, R.A. Orson, and J. C. Stevenson. 2008. Site-specific scenarios for wetlands accretion as sea level rises in the Mid-Atlantic region. Section 2.1 in: Background Documents Supporting Climate Change Science Program synthesis and Assessment Product 4.1, J.G. Titus. and E.M. Strange (eds.).  EPA 430R07004. U.S. EPA, Washington, DC. p. 134-174

 

Titus, J.G. 1988. Chapter 1: Sea level rise and wetland loss: An overview. In: Greenhouse effect, sea level rise, and coastal wetlands (Edited. J.G. Titus). EPA 230-05-86-013, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C. 186 pp.

http://yosemite.epa.gov/OAR/globalwarming.nsf/content/ResourceCenterPublicationsSLRCoastalWetlands.html

 

Titus, J. G. and E.M. Strange (eds.). 2008. Background Documents Supporting Climate Change Science Program synthesis and Assessment Product 4.1 Coastal Elevations and Sensitivity to Sea-Level Rise. EPA 430R07004. U.S. EPA, Washington, DC. 354 pp.

http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/effects/coastal/background.html

 

Titus, J.G. and J. Wang. 2008. Maps of lands close to sea level along the Middle Atlantic coast of the United States: An elevation data set to use while waiting for LIDAR. Section 1.1 in: : Background Documents Supporting Climate Change Science Program synthesis and Assessment Product 4.1, J.G. Titus. and E.M. Strange (eds.).  EPA 430R07004. U.S. EPA, Washington, DC. p. 1-44.

 

 

Titus, J. G. (Coordinating Lead Author), Eric K. Anderson, Donald R. Cahoon, Stephen Gill, Robert E.Thieler, Jeffress S.Williams (Lead Authors]. 2009. Coastal Sensitivity to Sea-Level Rise: A Focus on the Mid-Atlantic Region. A report by the U.S. Climate Change Science Program and the Subcommittee on Global Change Research. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington D.C., USA. http://www.climatescience.gov/Library/sap/sap4-1/final-report/default.htm

 

 

Vierling, K.T., L.A. Vierling, W.A. Gould, S. Martinuzzi and R.M. Clawges. 2008. LiDar: shedding new light on habitat characterization and modeling. Frontiers in Ecology 6(2):90-98.

 

Wolfe, P. 1977.  The Geology and Landscapes of New Jersey, Crane Russak Publishing.  

 

Links:

 

NJ Coastal Management Program http://www.state.nj.us/dep/cmp/index.html

Sea Level Affecting Marshes Model (SLAMM)  simulates the dominant processes involved in wetland conversions and shoreline modifications during long-term sea level rise.  Map distributions of wetlands are predicted under conditions of accelerated sea level rise, and results are summarized in tabular and graphical form.

http://www.warrenpinnacle.com/prof/SLAMM/index.html

Looking Back:

2009       Instructor: Rick Lathrop

The objective of the Spring 2009 class was to conduct a case study of the implications of sea level rise on Cape May, New Jersey. The students used advanced image analysis software to process recently collected LiDAR imagery of the Cape May region to extract detailed informaiton on coastal terrain elevations. The potential flooding under several different sea level rise (SLR) and storm surge scenarios were mapped. An analysis of human infrastructure and natural habitats affected by various SLR scenarios were undertaken. The projects ranged from impacts to salt marsh habitat, horseshoe crabs, migratory shorebirds, diamondback terrapin turtles, piping plovers, property value and tax revenue, human social vulnerability, critical facilties, and evacuation routes. This project was designed to demonstrate the application of various geospatial analytical approaches to aid placed based decision making. Results and reports can be viewed on the course website.

Special thanks go out to The American Society of Landscape Architects, New Jersey Chapter for providing the initial impetus for this project, as well as supplemental funding. The class also wants to gratefully acknowledge the GIS data and assistance provided by the Cape May County Planning Department and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

2008       Instructor: Rick Lathrop

The 2008 Advanced Geomatics class studied and quantified various aspects of the Rutgers Ecological Preserve, using many different GIS techniques. We developed a possible management plan for the Preserve, and presented our findings to Dean Goodman and the Rutgers Planning office. Our findings, maps, reports and GIS data are available on the course website.

Many different maps and forms of data output were created by the class throughout this project, as we studied many different aspects of the RUEP. This includes Forest Inventory data, Hydrology & Streams, Invasive Species, Bird Inventory, Historic Landcover, Forest Structure, Amphibian Life, Geology and Human Use. In addition to the many maps and reports, the class also created a pamphlet guide to the RUEP, full of interesting locations and information in the preserve.



2007   Instructor: David Tulloch

One of the highlights of the semester this year was the development of a new geospatial dataset of over 700 significant places in New Jersey's Revolutionary War history. The map they developed to display those data won three awards at the 20th Annual NJ DEP Map Contest.

2006       Instructor: David Tulloch

In 2006, the primary product was a GreenMap of Elizabeth, NJ and the Elizabeth River/Arthur Kill Watershed.

The Elizabeth GreenMap reflects on both the community of Elizabeth, NJ and the Eliabeth River/Arthur Kill Watershed which shapes the region. Version 1.0 of the GreenMap has already received lots of attention. A great article in the Star-Ledger, 2 awards in the NJ DEP State Mapping Contest (Newbie of the Year, and 2nd in Most Unique) and a mention in the Congressional Record.

Version 1.0 Front
(Slow download- 49mb pdf)		 Version 1.0 Back
Easy Download JPEG
Version 1.0 Front
 Easy Download JPEG
Version 1.0 Back

 

As with any materials developed by students, these maps should not be used for navigational or legal purposes.

No two years are the same. In 2005, we explored the Intrinsic Values of the Landscapes of the NY/NJ Highlands. In 2003 the class evaluated the Green Infrastructure of the Cook-Douglass campuses. In 2002 the class explored the concept of Landscape Change. In 2001 we conducted an assessment of the New Jersey Highlands. You can still see many of the papers and maps from that class. Much more is available at CRSSA if you are interested. In 2000, we looked at the allocation of 1,000,000 acres of Open Space in New Jersey.