Conservancy Mission. Leveraging GIS Technologies in Chesapeake Conservation and Restoration 10/17/2018

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1 Leveraging GIS Technologies in Chesapeake Conservation and Restoration Rachel Soobitsky Geospatial Project Manager Chesapeake Conservancy Conservation Innovation Center Kristin Kirkwood Executive Director Harford Land Trust Hali Plourde Rogers Executive Director Virginia Eastern Shore Land Trust Jon Chapman Stewardship Manager Maryland Environmental Trust Conservancy Mission 1

2 10/17/2018 Getting the right practices, in the right places, at the right scale, and making sure they are working Previously Available Data 2

3 High resolution Data High resolution Data Planning at the Parcel Scale 3

4 Lidar Flow Path Mapping Lidar Flow Path Mapping 4

5 Better data is only useful if it can be harnessed to inform better projects Goal: Identify priority locations for BMP implementation Pixel size: 1 meter by 1 meter resolution land cover High Resolution Land Cover & Concentrated Flow Paths 5

6 Pixel size: 1 meter by 1 meter Identified gaps in riparian forest buffer coverage 1.18 acres 1.16 acres Compare restoration opportunity areas 6

7 4.27 acres 59.7 acres 7

8 Assessing the landscape Criteria used in prioritization: Area of restoration opportunity Area of upland drainage area treated Land cover/land use in upland drainage area (runoff treatment potential) Proximity to Exceptional Value/High Quality Streams Proximity and upstream of Impaired Streams Data Land Cover/Use Flow Path Maps Prioritization Web based tools Access Products 8

9 Making Data Accessible Questions? conservationinnovationcenter.org 9

10 STRATEGIC CONSERVATION PLAN Kristin Kirkwood, Executive Director with funding from the Chesapeake Bay Land and Water Initiative, a project of the Chesapeake Bay Funders Network and the Land Trust Alliance BACKGROUND Founded in 1991 Single county geographic focus 1 FTE and 2 PTEs Annual operating budget approx. $150,000 Total assets approx. $4M Holds conservation easements or other restrictions on over 1,000 acres Owns approx. 350 acres in fee simple 10

11 STRATEGIC CONSERVATION PLAN OUTCOMES Articulate a science based conservation vision that incorporates both land and water elements Target and prioritize land conservation projects with greater precision and accountability Enhance HLT s image and credibility with partners, community members, and funders Facilitate learning and communication across key stakeholders ACTIVITIES Convene an advisory group of partner orgs. to leverage expertise, time, data and analysis, and GIS capacity Identify mutual and HLT specific conservation priorities and associated project selection criteria Use best available data and methods to analyze the County and target and prioritize regions/properties for HLT conservation Train HLT staff and transfer data and tools GIS COMPONENT Framing of analysis questions Exploration and preparation of spatial datasets Attribution of the Harford County parcel dataset with information about each property s standing against HLT s land conservation criteria Web viewer with parcel results Technical training for HLT s Executive Director 11

12 GIS ANALYSIS ATTRIBUTES Top priority: Water, Farms, Wildlife/Biodiversity = 10 weight Chesapeake Bay Critical Area Line Agriculture Development Rights Targeted Ecological Areas Maryland Marsh Protection Potential Index Farm Lands Tier 1 3 Habitat Green Infrastructure Hubs and Corridors Ecologically Sensitive Areas Stream NHD Slope Land cover (Impervious) Middle Priority: Scenic, Size, and Location = 5 weight Proximity to Parks, County Historic Landmarks, National Register Individual Sites, and Scenic Trails, Maryland Scenic Byways, Historic Districts, etc. Cadastral (Size) Proximity to Protected Land RESULTS Direct Print maps Web viewer Excel data Indirect Stronger position with funders Targeted outreach Can easily say no! 12

13 LESSONS LEARNED Employ an iterative process Vet result with individuals with strong local knowledge Minor changes in attribute weighting/scales did not change results Make provisions for updating data and analysis as more information arises to avoid static information Local partners were more important for next steps rather than the analysis itself Questions? 13

14 Riparian Buffer Project with funding from the Chesapeake Bay Land and Water Initiative, a project of the Chesapeake Bay Funders Network and the Land Trust Alliance Hali Plourde-Rogers Executive Director, Virginia Eastern Shore Land Trust Summary Background Methods and Pilot Project Lessons Learned Resources 14

15 Background The Eastern Shore of Virginia 15

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17 Methods Riparian Buffer Pilot Project Steps Science based data to analyze bayside easements Top 10 Determine what to plant Identify how to protect the new buffer Estimate cost 17

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19 Lessons learned 19

20 Partners and resources Partners Chesapeake Conservancy Natural Resource Conservation Service VA Dept. of Conservation and Recreation, Natural Heritage Program VA United Land Trusts Virginia Outdoors Foundation Resources Virginia Coastal Geospatial and Educational Mapping System (Coastal Gems) The Nature Conservancy, Coastal Resilience Tool Thank you Questions? 20

21 10/17/2018 Tracking Easement Monitoring in a New Web based Mapping Application Jon Chapman Stewardship Manager Maryland Environmental Trust Saving the Chesapeake s Great Rivers and Special Places Maryland Environmental Trust (MET) Over 1100 easements to monitor on over 134,000 acres! Even more landowners than easements More than half of portfolio co held with our Local Land Trust Partners Saving the Chesapeake s Great Rivers and Special Places 21

22 MET monitoring process (before) Paper based Microsoft Access database Manual entry of report data and photo points Saving the Chesapeake s Great Rivers and Special Places Updated protocol for monitoring 1. Mobile field report form 2. Web application for display and storage Saving the Chesapeake s Great Rivers and Special Places 22

23 Integration with GIS Saving the Chesapeake s Great Rivers and Special Places Report display/products Summaries Report fields Photo points Downloads Summary report Zip of photos Easement map Saving the Chesapeake s Great Rivers and Special Places 23

24 Locate Integration LOCATE Monitoring reports Easement maps Photo summary/points Photo Zipfile Easement data & contacts management (CRM) Reporting tools & dashboards Due Diligence of CE restrictions Flag and track items of concern Saving the Chesapeake s Great Rivers and Special Places Connected Monitoring App Volunteers Local Land Trust Partners LOCATE Monitoring reports Photo summary Due Diligence Flags items of concern Connected! Easement management database Reporting tools Strategic stewardship of priority properties and landowners Saving the Chesapeake s Great Rivers and Special Places 24

25 10/17/2018 Contact Information Jon Chapman, Maryland Environmental Trust Michael Norton, Chesapeake Conservancy Saving the Chesapeake s Great Rivers and Special Places Final Questions? Rachel Soobitsky- rsoobitsky@chesapeakeconservancy.org Geospatial Project Manager Chesapeake Conservancy Conservation Innovation Center Kristin Kirkwood- kkirkwood@harfordlandtrust.org Executive Director Harford Land Trust Hali Plourde-Rogers- director@veslt.org Executive Director Virginia Eastern Shore Land Trust Jon Chapman- jon.chapman@maryland.gov Stewardship Manager Maryland Environmental Trust Saving the Chesapeake s Great Rivers and Special Places 25