Physical and Environmental Geography Commons^™

The Role Of Urban Forests In Mitigating Flooding Effects: A Case Study In Savannah, Georgia, Gillian Bush

Undergraduate Theses, Capstones, and Recitals

Flooding in coastal communities is shaped by the interaction between natural systems and urban development. Chatham County, a low-elevation region in the Savannah, Georgia metropolitan area along the eastern coast of the United States, is prone to coastal storms and frequently affected by flooding. It serves as a useful case study to better understand the factors behind flooding and the areas that are most at risk. This study uses GIS-based analysis to examine the overlap between flood risk, urban forest cover, and impervious surfaces. The results indicate elevated vulnerability along major transportation corridors and barrier islands, where high-risk flood zones …

The Palm Farm Next-Door: Land Concessions, Livelihoods, And Nutrition In Plantation-Adjacent Communities, Julia Entwistle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Large-scale land concessions have reshaped agrarian landscapes globally, yet their implications for community land tenure, livelihoods, and nutrition remain unevenly understood. This dissertation examines how plantation agriculture and foreign investment have transformed land access, labor relations, and food systems in Liberia, a country with one of the highest proportions of land under concession globally. Guided by a political ecology framework, the study employs a mixed-methods design integrating policy analysis, in-depth interviews, and household surveys across two palm oil concession sites. The findings show that ambiguous land policies historically facilitated dispossession, while recent legal reforms have enabled communities to strategically mobilize …

Utilizing Spatial Criteria To High-Grade Wyoming Eor Opportunities Along Proposed Pipeline Corridors: A Value Driven Approach, Jack Borski

Geography and the Environment: Graduate Student Capstones

Oil and gas development has played a critical role in human civilization, and continues to bring drive economies around the world. One such economy is the state of Wyoming that has seen oil and gas production generally decline of the last several decades due to the depletion of high volume conventional reservoirs. A proven secondary technique such as CO2 enhanced oil recovery (EOR) may serve as a method to arrest declining production, and increase economic activity. Wyoming has recognized this opportunity, and has attempted decrease the barriers of entry for oil and gas operators to invest in field-level CO2 EOR …

Community Land Governance In Liberia: Implications For Tenure Security And Land Concessions, Julia R. Entwistle, Hanson Nyantakyi-Frimpong

Geography and the Environment: Faculty Scholarship

Throughout rural Africa, the intersection of customary traditions and statutory governance has often led to overlapping jurisdictions and conflicts over community land rights. In Liberia, this dynamic is particularly evident in the rise of commercial land concessions. This article examines the Liberian government’s approach to community land rights and its impacts on land tenure security, especially in the context of these concessions. This study employs a discourse analysis of Liberian land use policies alongside qualitative data from in-depth interviews with community members living near large-scale plantations. Despite historical erosion of community land rights, Liberian communities have adapted statutory frameworks to …

Visualization Of Indiana And Northern Long-Eared Bats Using Spline Surfaces To Enable Targeted Land Management, Devin Escue

Geography and the Environment: Graduate Student Capstones

This project introduces a Bat Visualization Tool to help manage habitats for threatened bat species while considering broader ecosystem dynamics. It integrates data from acoustic bat surveys at the Corriell Nature Preserve in Iowa. The tool attaches spatial context to non-spatial survey data, weights species calls based on statistical p-values, and creates visual bat species distribution maps using spline surfaces. It also generates future survey locations based on these patterns. By using geospatial analysis and statistics, the tool identifies priority areas for conservation actions, focusing on factors like forest composition, roosting preferences, and land cover types that affect bat habitat …

Using Historic Glacial Data And Gis To Predict Mount Rainier National Park’S Glacial Future, Daniel Kincaid

Geography and the Environment: Graduate Student Capstones

Will Washington state have glaciers 100 years from now (year 2124)? Due to generally warmer weather glaciers are largely in retreat globally, including the glaciers in Washington state. In Washington state summer glacial meltwater plays a vital role in the survival of wildlife and is needed for human purposes that include recreation, power generation, drinking, agricultural, and industrial. This project looked at the most resilient glaciers in Washington state, the glaciers at Mount Rainier National Park. Historic measurements were used in an exponential growth calculation to project the amount in acres each glacier at Mount Rainer will advance or retreat …

Flood Hydrology In Tropical Coastal Catchments: Linking Watershed Dynamics To Mangrove Sedimentation, Shannon L. Jones

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Coastal flooding is expected to be more frequent and severe from amplified flooding from sea level rise (SLR) and upstream anthropogenic activity, particularly in tropical regions. Improved hydrologic modeling and characterization are needed to better understand, predict, and manage flooding where these amplifications are expected. Yet tropical catchments are often ungauged or have limited hydrogeomorphic data. Thus, locally calibrated models that incorporate local knowledge and alternative data can be used to provide greater information. This doctoral dissertation quantifies relationships between land use, precipitation, discharge, and downstream sediment accretion in a representative ungauged catchment using a locally calibrated rainfallrunoff model validated …

A Gis Look At Woody Plant Encroachment (Wpe): Mapping Grassland Degradation Through Habitat Succession, Brandon M. Wolf

Geography and the Environment: Graduate Student Capstones

The grasslands of North America remain at a fraction of their historic range. Estimates of acreage remaining vary between 4% and 13%. Affectionately known as the Great Plains, these grasslands have been converted for agriculture, rangeland, infrastructure, and civilization itself. Woody Plant Encroachment (WPE) on the grasslands is a silent, often overlooked, serious threat. The use of a simple GIS can estimate current acreage of a grassland, its adjacent woodland corridor, riparian buffers, and predict future acreage based on trends and hypothetical management scenarios, or lack thereof. The American prairie, though a remnant of its former self, is still home …

Modeling Vegetation Cover At Mount St Helens Using Highly Correlated Vegetation Indices, Sara Livingston

Geography and the Environment: Graduate Student Capstones

The eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980 devastated the landscape and obliterated all ground vegetation within a 620 km2 blast zone radius. The destructive forces of the lateral blast, debris avalanche, tephra plume, and lahar flow created a complex mosaic of disturbance zones, that subsequently yielded various rates of landscape recovery. Remote sensing is an efficient method for monitoring landscape-scale changes by recording the distinct spectral reflectance of vegetation. Based on statistically significant correlations between Vegetation Indices and vegetation parameters, an empirical model can be developed for vegetation cover predictions. This capstone analysis found that NDVI holds the strongest …

Analyzing The Production And Use Of Fossil Fuels: A Case For Data Mining And Gis, Alejandro Conde

Geography and the Environment: Graduate Student Capstones

As technology progresses and data grows both larger and more complex, techniques are being developed to keep up with the exponential growth of information. The term “data mining” is a blanket term used to describe an approach to find anomalies and correlations in a large dataset. This approach involves leveraging data mining software to manipulate and prepare data, apply statistics to quantify trends and characteristics in the data from a high level, and potentially apply advanced techniques like machine learning to identify patterns that wouldn’t be apparent otherwise. In this case study, data mining aided a GIS in displaying substantial …

Understanding The Impacts Of Urban Agriculture In Gentrifying Neighborhoods In Denver, Kate Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Urban Agriculture is prominent in cities across the United States and has been studied in relation to food security, sustainability, and gentrification. Urban agriculture is context specific and can include individual gardens, community gardens, guerilla gardening, and urban farms. Urban agriculture is a product of the community it is based in, depending on politics, history, and social environments. For these reasons, the relationship between urban agriculture and the community is an area where more research is needed. This thesis explores the role visible gardens play in community building, sustainability, and food security in gentrifying neighborhoods in Denver. Through qualitative methods …

Spatial And Temporal Controls On Streamflow Variability In The San Juan Mountains, Colorado, Christopher Lewis Hancock

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project characterizes and examines changes to the annual hydroclimatic cycle throughout alpine regions of Colorado with a focus on trends in snowpack and snowmelt hydrology. Datasets analyzed for this research include 79 SNOTEL sites throughout Colorado (24 in the San Juan Mountains) which provide climate metrics for Water Years 1988-2018. Impacts on streamflow are evaluated in the San Juan Region through a network of 11 USGS stream gauges. Correlation matrices and linear regression methods examine the relative controls on the magnitude and timing of discharge, and trend detection using the regional Kendall test quantifies the rate of change within …

Rock Glacier Development In The San Juan Mountains, Brandon K. Bailey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Rock glaciers are common landform features found in deglaciated alpine areas. They are commonly used in the study of climatic changes throughout the Holocene and the reconstruction of neoglacial chronologies. For this research, Schmidt hammer rebound values, weathering rind thicknesses, and the length of lichen thalli diameters found on rock glacier surfaces are used to investigate their effectiveness as field-based relative age determination techniques. Additionally, the ability to identify periods of neoglacial activity using these methods is assessed in two neighboring cirque basins in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado. 41 field sites across three rock glaciers are established with …

Corporate-Community Mining Conflicts In Guatemala: Unsettling Hegemonic Power Relations In Environmental Struggles, Anna Guðbjört Sveinsdóttir

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation analyzes corporate-community conflicts around extractive industries in Guatemala with the purpose of better understanding how environmental struggles emerge and take shape. The study uses environmental governance as a framework to analyze the processes, institutions, actors and discourses that shape the conditions of possibility of political action and mobilization in environmental struggles. The dissertation argues that to understand the conditions of possibility of political action and mobilization in environmental struggles we must study the interplay between political actions 'from above' and 'from below', which are seen as dialectically interrelated, with dynamic and contested interactions between actors within and between …

Paleoflood Hydrology And Basin Morphometric Characteristics Related To Flooding In The Colorado Front Range, Natalie Trivino

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Flooding hazards are common in the Colorado Front Range due to the steep, complex terrain of the mountains where waters quickly spill out onto the most populated region of Colorado. This region has experienced numerous catastrophic floods, such as the 2013 Front Range Floods, the Fort Collins Flood of 1997, and the Big Thompson Canyon Flood of 1976 to name a few. The objective of this study was to analyze basin morphometric characteristics of several drainage basins throughout the Colorado Front Range South Platte River tributaries and determine how these characteristics relate to extreme flooding. This was done through three …

Gis Mapping For Peace Corps, Jeremy Huey

Geography and the Environment: Graduate Student Capstones

International volunteerism programs, such as the Peace Corps, find interested, educated men and women to live abroad in order to help local communities in need of assistance. The goal of this project is to create maps intended to enhance the training of those volunteers. When volunteers leave training programs and head to their prospective service communities, a certain period of time is needed in order to obtain a full grasp of the terrain, boundaries, weather, climate etc. A more effective training program, which incorporates maps of regional climates, environments, landscapes, cultures and resources, will lead to more effective volunteerism. By …

Assessing The Risk Of West Nile Virus On The Age 65 And Older Population Segments In Fort Collins, Colorado, Richard Cornell

Geography and the Environment: Graduate Student Capstones

West Nile virus (WNV) is an arbovirus whose more severe, neurologic symptoms may include seizures, paralysis, or coma. Despite a variety of possible symptoms, most people do not realize they are infected with the virus with a majority of those infected not developing any symptoms. Members of the population aged 65 and older naturally experience reduced immunity to viruses as they get older. Exposure to West Nile virus can occur around one’s home, in a park, natural area, alongside a source of water, or even walking along a trail. Areas exist around town that present risks of being infected or …

September 2013, Colorado Front Range Flooding, And Impacts On Agriculture And Irrigation Infrastructure: A Case Study In The Left Hand Ditch System, Boulder County, Colorado, Nick Ludolph

Geography and the Environment: Graduate Student Capstones

Flooding can cause massive harm to the agricultural sector by flooding fields and damaging the infrastructure that is essential for agricultural activities. Crops are often lost and repairs may be necessary to restore irrigation systems to functional status. This research aims to quantify the damages and losses experienced from the unprecedented September 2013 flooding event in Boulder County Colorado’s Left Hand Ditch Company service area. Damages are cataloged and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technologies were used to estimate economic impact and determine the landscape characteristics of lands where the highest rates of flooding occurred. Alfalfa and non-alfalfa hays experienced the …

Spatial Relationships, Movements, And Habitat Associations Of Introduced “Non-Native” Elk Populations On Etolin And Zarembo Islands, Alaska, Jean S. Davidson

Geography and the Environment: Graduate Student Capstones

Etolin and Roosevelt Elk were introduced to Afognak Island, Alaska in 1929 (State of Alaska, 2013). Due to the success of that introduction, Roosevelt Elk and Rocky Mountain Elk were subsequently introduced to Zarembo and Etolin Islands in Southeast Alaska in 1987. Due to the environment of Southeast Alaska, the ability to determine movements, trends, and habitat preferences are limited. In support of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G), this project analyzes the habitat preferences of the elk based upon data from global positioning systems. Locational data is analyzed for proximity to managed lands and considers proximity to …

Powering The Future: Siting Guidelines For Renewable Wind Energy Development In Eastern Colorado, Zach Ancona

Geography and the Environment: Graduate Student Capstones

Wind energy is one of the fastest growing renewable energies around the world. The United States contains approximately 49,000 active wind turbines and Colorado accounts for less than 3 percent of that number, even though Colorado ranks 11^th in the nation for wind development potential. The siting process for wind development is lengthy, taking from 5 to 10 years, and many facilities that are proposed end up not being built due to complications from inadequate pre-siting techniques. The research in this report aims to identify high priority areas in eastern Colorado through the examination of key variables used in …

Ailanthus Altissima In Urban Neighborhoods Of Denver, Colorado, Jenny Todd

Geography and the Environment: Graduate Student Capstones

Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle, also known as Tree of Heaven, is a non-native tree found throughout North America. The competitive advantages of Ailanthus make it a formidable invader that reduces biodiversity, especially in urban environments. In these areas, Ailanthus can cause structural damage to buildings, pavement, and other infrastructure such as plumbing. Although Ailanthus can commonly be observed throughout neighborhoods of Denver, Colorado, its prevalence and frequency are not well documented. The purpose of this study was to determine the distribution and abundance of Ailanthus among selected urban, residential areas and parks within the City of Denver. This was accomplished …

Blm Riparian Area Management Technical Reference: Using Uas Remotes Sensing Imagery To Assess Proper Functioning Condition Of Riparian-Wetland Areas, Heather Fonda

Geography and the Environment: Graduate Student Capstones

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) was loaned older military Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and is pioneering their employment for land management applications. Riparian areas make up a small percentage of BLM lands but are some of the most environmentally and economically valuable. Assessments of these riparian areas are required by law. Assessments from UAS imagery could become an important monitoring tool that is cheaper, safer and allows access to previously unreachable areas. This capstone project tests the UAS imagery for conducting riparian proper functioning condition (PFC) and quantitative assessments; and includes a technical reference with an interpretation key and …

A New View On Ski Maps, Greg Schonberger

Geography and the Environment: Graduate Student Capstones

Traditional ski area trail maps have remained mostly unchanged for many decades. Since the earliest maps were produced, they have shown picturesque panoramic views of the ski mountain nestled in with its the surrounding peaks. Trees individually painted on the slopes, pristine and snow-covered, the runs marked as a winter wonderland. These maps are each an individual work of art, painstakingly created by skilled artists but they are not quality maps. This project will present a new view on the ski area map, creating a more traditional topographic map depicting ski runs, elevation contours, and shaded topography. The project will …

Using Remotely Sensed Data To Detect Tamarisk Along Colorado’S San Miguel River, William E. Johnson

Geography and the Environment: Graduate Student Capstones

Tamarisk, an invasive tree native to Eurasia, has become widespread in river corridors across the southwestern United States. Accused of excessive water consumption and degradation of native habitats, it has been the target of extensive eradication and restoration efforts. Identifying its ever-changing distribution and extent benefits natural resource managers tasked with planning and prioritizing invasive plant management activities.

The use of GIS tools and remotely sensed data offers the potential to speed and improve our ability to locate tamarisk distributions. This project searches for tamarisk by classifying land cover vegetation (including tamarisk) based on spectral reflectance values from three-band natural …

The Value Of Proximity To External Amenities And Mountain Views In The Metropolitan Denver Residential Housing Market, Tabatha Rose Waldron

Geography and the Environment: Graduate Student Capstones

This research examines how natural amenities, such as views of Colorado’s Front Range mountains and proximity to lakes, parks and recreational areas, as well as proximity to community amenities such as hospitals, active wastewater treatment plants, fire and a police stations impact residential housing prices in Adams, Arapahoe and Denver Counties using a hedonic pricing model. Views of the mountains produced the most impact on home sale value in 2000 followed by proximity to a lake of 250 feet. These results demonstrate the importance of environmental amenities to single-family home buyers and can be used to inform parties involved in …

Enhancing Remote Sensing For Agriculture Using Small Unmanned Aerial Systems: San Diego, Ca, As A Test Case, Colin Kubera

Geography and the Environment: Graduate Student Capstones

The development of small Global Positioning System (GPS) antennas and microprocessors has propelled the advancement of affordable Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (SUASs), which will dramatically expand the remote sensing field, making timely, high-resolution imagery readily available. The low cost and simple operation of SUASs makes them an attractive option for agriculture. Flying a SUAS 400 ft above ground level (AGL) in a flight path that allows for significant image overlap can yield sub- 5cm resolution imagery, which in turn can be mosaicked and used for multispectral imagery analysis. With results rivaling the most advanced commercial imaging sensors, SUASs can be …

Water Efficiency Devices And Conservation Practices, Juan A. Gonzalez

Geography and the Environment: Graduate Student Capstones

Southern California has a special and unique Mediterranean climate that is rare and only shared with a few countries around the world. In the last few years, the Southern California region has experienced unpredictable periods of both wet and dry weather, and it is likely that it will continue to experience these types of disruptions as a consequence of climate changes in the future (West Basin Municipal Water District [WBMWD]). Water supply agencies in the region have pressed for strong regulations in order to promote water conservation. The study will focus on a small water agency, Rancho California Water District. …

Using Geographic Information Systems To Select Suitable Columbian Sharp-Tailed Grouse Habitat In Northern Idaho, Jennifer Grew

Geography and the Environment: Graduate Student Capstones

The Columbian sharp-tailed grouse was once the most abundant game bird in the Inland Northwest area. The main reason for their loss was the conversion of their habitat into agricultural lands and timber forests. Several variables were incorporated into a weighted sum tool in ArcGIS using public raster layers for each of three seasons. The results layers were analyzed using the same tool to find the most suitable habitat. Six locations in the county had 50% or better suitability. One location showed 80% or better. The grouse historic range appears to coincide with Palouse prairielands in Benewah County. Further research …

Colorado Front Range Parks Location Mapping Website, Leah Alvarado

Geography and the Environment: Graduate Student Capstones

With current technology, using location based services has become easier than ever. There are services that can help a person find a home, save money, or even find a bathroom. In Colorado, parks are managed by the park and recreation department of a city, town, county, or by a district. Depending on the city, information on the parks that they service comes in different formats and information varies. Some department have online maps others have a map in a portable document format, and some offer no mapping but, a list of parks. Finding a park with consistent data formats and …

Baseline Study Of The Relationship Between Green Space And Age, Chris Schulze

Geography and the Environment: Graduate Student Capstones

Current research on green space and human health is spread among many academic disciplines and is growing. To aid researchers and local governments in understanding the relationship between the two, this study presents a baseline analysis of the spatial relationship between green space and age. It considers how a city’s population is distributed around green space and looks at spatial and statistical patterns related to age and location. This study identifies a gap in current research and looks at green space and age in a geographic manner. The findings of this literature review and analysis provide researchers with another way …