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Proposal to Assess the Environmental Impact of Hiking Trails within the Boulder Creek Watershed:
A Trail-based Environmental GIS
I.The Abstract
We propose to build and test a Geographic Information System (GIS) that can be used by the public to view the environmental effects of different hiking trail segments and alignments on local ecosystems. With continual updates, this Environmental GIS can be used to direct trail maintenance and prioritize areas of environmental research.
II.The Problem
Within the Boulder area, Open Space stakeholders are continually challenged by decisions regarding the appropriate placement and design of hiking trails. These decisions are made more difficult by the lack of an easily understood index describing the environmental impact of a trail segment.
A Trail-based Environmental GIS (trailGIS), incorporating virtual sample sites and a Trail Effects Index obtained using a Trail Rapid Bioassessment Protocol (trailRBP) enables land-use managers to monitor the environmental effects of trails and quickly describe these effects to the stakeholders.
Project History
Our efforts to measure and classify Boulder Countys plant communities began in 1990. We began by comparing several different sampling methods in each of four bioregions. Our work in the tundra alpine and subalpine was influenced by its use in measuring the nitrogen transitions in the drinking watershed.
At lower elevations, comparison of the random quadrat, Whittaker, and strip quadrat methods showed that, throughout the study area, a modified strip transect method provided accurate and robust results.
Over the next few years we compared this method to a trail-centered technique with off-axis transects that provided more consistent results and better sampling of invasives on a modest budget. This novel method uses on-axis digital photographs in place of hand-drawn vegetation bisects for superior data reliability.
Public Trails Currently Mapped
III.The Project
This project, as proposed, is divided into four sequential parts:
- design and construction of the Geographic Information System(GIS)
- use of this GIS to identify trailside plants
- use of a virtual trail to measure changes over time, and
- design of a numerical index of the environmental effect of a trail
Construction and Validation of a trail-based Environmental GIS
I propose to build a trail-based environmental geographic information systems (GIS) for Boulder County Open Space. We will first locate trails using geo-coded satellite imagery. We will then determine, using this imagery, the soil and vegetation type classes along trails and how this differs from the vegetation along our Cartesian transects. We will then walk each trail and transect setting virtual sample points every 30 meters using sub-meter global positioning systems (GPS). At each sample point we will record geo-coded, time-stamped digital photographs. Each photo will be obtained with the same camera and lense as historic trail photos looking along the trail or transect. Auxiliary off trail-axis photos will be taken of important features and for plant identification.At each sample point we will measure trail surface material characteristics, trail width, trail depth, trail slope, trail side-angle, trail construction and need for repair. On transects perpendicular to the trail at each sample point we will obtain and record measurements of surface soil structure, plant community structure, presence of noxious weeds, current and historic structures, water bodies and erosional features. These data will then be combined with base maps to make a virtual research trail accessible using several types of GIS interfaces.
Use of a trail-level environmental GIS and virtual trail for estimates of trailside plant community structure.
I propose to test the utility of a trail-level environmental GIS and virtual trail for estimates of trailside plant community structures on Boulder County Open Space. After presenting a detailed virtual trail to several individuals with various levels of expertise, we will ask them to identify the plants present in each photograph. We will compare the results of these virtual surveys at two different photographic resolutions with similar surveys from field transects and from the interpretation of satellite imagery. This comparison will include data utility, quality, accuracy and precision; areal focus and representation; and the process speed and expense.Use of a trail-level environmental GIS and virtual trail for estimates of changes in trail and trailside plant community structure.
I propose to use a trail-level environmental GIS and virtual trail to estimate changes in trail and trailside plant community structure over a multi-year period. The trailGIS contains many indices of trail and plant community health. We will measure the change in these indices at each sample site since 1990 and compare this difference to trail-use measurements and estimates. Changes in each index will then be divided by seasonal trail-user days for inclusion into the TRAILS model.Local modifications of Trail Effect Indices for inclusion in Trail Rapid Assessment for Integrated Land-use Studies (TRAILS) model.
I propose to further refine and identify functions defining the impact of trails on the environment and make quick numerical quantifiers of the effect of trail design on these impacts. These Trail Effect Indices will be included in the trailGIS for each trail sample site.
The Project Milestones
- Spring 2007 Project plan, familiarization, Initial "ground truth" and ground control-point field work, interface development
- Summer 2007 Acquire and interpret imagery, botanical surveys
- Fall 2007 Process data, Field checks, validation
- Winter 2006 Process data, field checks, interface development
- Spring 2008 Preliminary AVIRIS classification, coverages, data registration, interpretations based on information from all available sources
- Summer 2008 First year reports, GIS models, web-site update, field checks
- Fall 2008 Corrections based on information from all available sources
- Winter 2008 Interpretations based on information from all available sources, final coverages and GIS package
- Spring 2009 Final reports, web-site updates, presentations, etc.
IV.The Budget
Salaries
Principal Scientist ~200 hrs @ $100/hr = $20,000
Assistant Scientists ~800 hrs @ $20/hr = $16,000
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Total Staff Salaries $36,000
Equipment and Supplies
Survey supplies: $1000
Archived AVIRIS: ~ 5 flight lines @ $500/ line = $2500
Computer supplies: $4500
Printing and Plotting: $3000
Information Distribution: $3000
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Total non-salary: $14,000
Total Request: $50,000
Budget Breakdown
Salaries and Benefits $24500 for Project Management, Education, GIS
Travel $2000 for Regional travel
Equipment $8000 for GIS and field supplies
Supplies/Materials $4000 for Remote Sensing
Printing/Outreach $10000 for Reports and training
Other $1500 for Insurance and Administration
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Totals $50,000