Candidate projects for Geog 463 Spring 2006

Update: 29 March, 2006 10:59 am

Updated materials after the Monday lecture will be marked in red

Prj#	Project Title	Agency		Contact
1	China Maps	UW Geography Dept		Kam Wing Chan kwchan@u.washington.edu
Client presentation scheduled on Monday (3/27) 1:40 pm in the lecture Presenter: Michael Patrick	Mapping of China’s provincial population and socio-economic variables (such as infant mortality rate, % of agricultural employment, and per capita GDP) for the year 2000, drawing on particularly data from the Census 2000. (The data are available on CD or through online sites.) This project will allow instructors of China geography classes and students to better understand the spatial variations of many aspects of this important country and its people. The collection of maps can be used a companion set for college classes to The State of China Atlas (1^st ed, 1999; 2^nd ed. 2005) and Gerhard Heilig, RAPS-China a regional analysis and planning system (2004, CD-rom). If time permits, I would also like to see some of major variables also mapped put at a finer spatial scale – the county level or at least creating the mappable data. This may require some reading knowledge of Chinese place names so as to match different existing files. Examples of spatial mapping at the county level can be found in: State Council and Academy of Sciences of China, 1987. The Population Atlas of China, Hong Kong: OUP. State Council and Academy of Sciences of China, 1994 The National Economic Atlas of China, Hong Kong: OUP.
2	GPS/GIS mapping of Native Trees in Puget Creek Gulch area	Puget Creek Restoration Society		Scott Hansen 253-779-8890 pugetcreek@yahoo.com
	The project will document and map the location of native tree vegetation in the 66-acre natural area called the Puget Creek Watershed in the Northend area of Tacoma. (Not necessarily getting the entire area done but what can be accomplished during this class time period). This will be done with a Trimble hand held GPS unit and entering that information into ArcView 9.1 GIS database and compiling the information attained into a report. This project is important because we need to know the species, their number, locations and size of the native trees so we can get an idea of what is there so we can plant those that aren’t there but should be. We can also discern from the size of the trees their age and thus lifespan of existing forest. The project students will be working with 2 ecologists and habitat personnel experienced in GPS, GIS and plant identification. The project will entail traversing slope, wetland and stream corridors identifying native trees that are over 4” in diameter at Breast Height, using GPS mapping their location, taking measurements on diameter, entering data into GIS and compiling a report on the results. The ecologists and PCRS personnel will aid in all aspects of the project. The project results will substantiate restoration plans in that it will help to illustrate, hopefully, the need to plant a variety of native trees to bring back habitat diversity and complexity into the watershed. It will also document the current conditions of the existing trees and expected life span of the current forest. The audience will be other students; classes at local schools and universities; City of Tacoma; organizations; private citizens,; state and federal agencies and any other interested party or individual; besides PCRS. There is currently a large scale stakeholder project in place called the Open Space Management Tacoma process that the information generated here will help to develop a overall management plan for the forests in the City of Tacoma.
3	Seattle Incomes Maps	Free-Lance Writer for Seattle Weekly Magazine		Joe Follansbee joef@speakeasy.net 206-932-7578
Client presentation scheduled on Wednesday (3/29) 1:00 pm in the lecture Presenter: Joe Follansbee	Seattle Magazine would like to partner with GEO 463 students to create original research that would map the geographic changes in income distribution in Seattle and King County over the past generation. The data and maps would be used in the August issue of the magazine, which is the premier monthly magazine in the region with a circulation of 70,000. The maps would accompany an approximately 3,000-word article written by Joe Follansbee, a contributing editor, and the contact for the project. The client wants to answer three questions: 1) Where do people of various income levels live in Seattle? 2) How has that changed over the past decades? 3) How has the income gap between rich and poor in the city changed over the past decades? Census data and anecdotal evidence has shown that income levels in Seattle are rising relative to the rest of the county. A preliminary review of census data also showed a growing income gap between rich and poor in the city. Decision makers, under a general policy of increasing density, and property developers are also anxious to bring higher income people into the city, particularly in the neighborhoods of Belltown, the Denny Triangle, and South Lake Union, an area which is developing rapidly. How are these policies and trends affecting the “income map,” if you will, of the city? For example, certain neighborhoods, such as Broadmoor, have been thought of as wealthy enclaves. Is this changing? Are there other neighborhoods on the rise or in decline, from an income perspective? Because of the deadline demands of the magazine, data in a format understandable to a lay reader, along with preliminary conclusions, would be due by May 1, 2006. In addition, project participants may be interviewed to provide quotes for the article. Final maps would be due June 1, 2006. The students will work directly with the contributing editor and the magazine art director. All team members would be credited by name in the article, unless otherwise requested. Seattle Magazine and its staff are looking forward to working with GEO 463 students.
4	Urban Agriculture and gardening in Seattle	Environmental Management Program: Sound Food Group		Steven Garrett 253-272-0775 sgarrett@u.washington.edu
	This mapping project will be part of a year long policy research project of the Environmental Management Program funded by the Henry R. Luce Foundation. There are three projects all in partnership with the City of Seattle’s Office of Sustainability. These maps will be for the Sound Food Group to present in a report to the City at the end of the quarter. The project has two related outcomes: 1) determine where community gardens need to be placed, and 2) determine appropriate public lands to start an urban agriculture program. This mapping project will look at where current community gardens exist, their capacity, and waiting lists in relationship to Seattle demographics of poverty. This information will provide a visual idea of where priority neighborhoods are for increasing access to community gardens. In addition, this information will then be compared to Seattle parks and other publicly owned open space that would be appropriate for creating community gardens in underserved neighborhoods. Another aspect of this research is to do a public lands survey to determine where appropriate land to start a city-wide urban agriculture program. Some analytical features of this work will include slope analysis, brownfield exclusion, conflicting uses (e.g., city plans for bike lanes), and zoning. Some desired maps: Graduated symbol maps of community garden waiting list size and capacity overlaid on a census tract choropleth map of median household income Map of community gardens with ¼ mile buffers to show walkability to gardens Map of possible sites for urban agriculture, based on criteria above. For more, http://diggablecity.org/
5	Communities Count – Environmental Justice Indicator	Seattle King County Public Health		Kathryn Horsley 206-296-2789 kathryn.horsley@metrokc.gov
	Communities Count is a public-private partnership to report social and health indicators over time for 4 regions of King County. See www.communitiescount.org One indicator (out of 38 total) is Pollution in Neighborhoods (page 71 in Safety and Health) which is an indicator of environmental justice. What is needed is a vulnerability analysis to determine if a statistical correlation exists between income or race and nearness to Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) facilities (using 2000 census data on income and race and EPS’s TRI facility addresses). This was done in the past by Geography Dept students and we would like to work with a new group of students in order to update this analysis for the next report, Communities Count 2008. We understand that this work does not give us a measure of actual exposure, but rather a sense of unequal burden of potential exposure based on simple proximity to facilities that release toxic chemicals.
6	Neighborhood Street-Level Survey Mapping Project	Sustainable Seattle		Deborah Kuznitz deborah@sustainableseattle.org (206) 357-5433
	Organization/Project: A core program of Sustainable Seattle (S2) is the Sustainable Urban Neighborhoods Initiative Project (SUNI). SUNI works with local communities and city government to build understanding about neighborhood concerns and strengths, collect data on neighborhood health (both assets and deficits) and promote actions to improve Seattle neighborhoods.  Currently, SUNI is focused on 10 Seattle neighborhoods: Admiral, East Ballard, Capitol Hill, Columbia City, Greenwood-Phinney Ridge, International District, Lake City, North Beacon Hill, Uptown and Wallingford. For more details about this project please view our website: http://www.sustainableseattle.org/Programs/SUNI/ Project Description: This project entails analyzing and mapping key asset and deficit findings for SUNI’s street-level surveys in 7-9 Seattle neighborhoods, as time permits. Students will also create a process for normalizing findings across neighborhoods for future neighborhood comparisons. Outcomes: This project will allow S2’s neighborhood partners to understand key findings of street-level data as they appear along the survey routes. This work will also allow S2 to compare key findings across neighborhoods for future analysis. The maps will be displayed on S2’s website. Key Tasks: Geocode data for mapping and analysis in 7-9 Seattle neighborhoods. Create a process for normalizing street-level surveys for comparison across neighborhoods (dividing by linear feet) Make survey maps for four street-level surveys. Using GIS, Excel and/or statistical software, analyze key issues within each neighborhood and across neighborhoods. Results should include data tables, maps, and brief written summaries. Optional: If students have time and the interest, they will be trained on using the handheld tools and methods for collecting the data to assist community members on data collection activities. Currently, the next street-level survey occurs on April 9^th in the Wallingford neighborhood. Others take place in Admiral (April), North Beacon and Greenwood-Phinney neighborhoods in May.
7	TFM Site Mapping	Tacoma Farmers’ Markets		Melisa Evangelos melisa@tacomafarmersmarket.com 253-272-7077
Client presentation scheduled on Thursday (3/30) 1:30 pm in the lab Presenter: Kira Doley	The Tacoma Farmers Market is very interested in having more useful and efficient mapping systems created for both the Broadway Market and the Dome District Market sites. The Broadway Market is located on Broadway between 9^th and 11^th Streets and the Dome District Market is located off East 25^th in the plaza across from Freighthouse Square. The regeneration of maps marking important physical characteristics of each site is long overdue and the Market’s staff has inefficiently dealt with inaccurate hard-copy maps for several years now. Each individual or business who sells products at the market is allotted a 10’x10’ stall space. We would like each available stall space along the street to be measured and mapped as accurately as possible, considering the various barriers (i.e. trees, poles and planter boxes) now present on-site. With a new system, we also hope to have the capability of overlaying vendor names on each stall map electronically. Ideally, the Market staff will be able to make changes to our market maps quickly and easily on our computer and print updated versions in mass quantity each week to distribute to individuals visiting the market. Such a service would provide a more convenient and enjoyable experience for market shoppers. We would also appreciate the ability to print out an enlarged version of our site map each week to display at the entrance of the market and/or at our market information booth. If the project outlined above is too involved, the Tacoma Farmers Market would certainly welcome any work that could be done to improve our current mapping system, which has become increasingly outdated and limited. City of Tacoma has 6” pixel resolution orthophotos. If we wound up with a map as a TIF format, we could manipulate it in Photoshop.
8	Citywide Skatepark Planning	City of Seattle		Susanne K. Friedman susanne.friedman@seattle.gov 206.684.0902
	Objective: To develop a comprehensive skatepark system plan for Seattle that encompasses a city wide needs analysis, inventory of exiting and proposed skate facilities, creation of skatepark typologies, siting criteria and possible locations for the development of these facilities. Outcome: A variety of maps and other information compilations generated using GIS tools. These maps and compilations will be used extensively by the planning professionals developing the skatepark system plan, and will include: a) Needs analysis – existing and proposed skate facilities, b) Citywide demographic analysis mapped out by census age brackets by neighborhood, c) Citywide analysis of possible locations for skateboard siting within Seattle – properties to include: Parks, SDOT, WDOT, Port, and School District. Final Format: Analysis Boards for public meeting presentation format (24”x36”) Due Dates: Preliminary material presented to the Skatepark Task Force on May 5 or May 10, 2006 5:30-7:30 pm Final Format: May 12, 2006 – first round of public meetings September 15, 2006 – second round of public meetings
9	Shellfish Growing Area Mapping for Oil Spill Response	Pacific Shellfish Institute		Andy Suhrbier 360-754-2741 suhrbier@pacshell.org
	The Pacific Shellfish Institute, a federal 501c3 nonprofit designed to perform shellfish education, outreach and research, is engaged in a project to better protect shellfish growing areas in the Puget Sound from the effects of oil spills. Currently commercial shellfish growing areas are not included in the Department of Ecology’s (DOE) Geographic Response Plan (GRP) GIS database. The state GRP is a list of actions oil spill responders take (i.e. booming) when an oil spill occurs. These actions are in place to protect threatened areas of high habitat, farm, and recreational value. This project proposes to integrate existing Washington Department of Health GIS data on shellfish growing areas with county and DOE shoreline ownership data to create a statewide GIS database of shellfish farms. GIS boundary information collected by shellfish companies will be used to validate boundaries. Shellfish grower contact information will also be incorporated into each shellfish farm plot. Although we hope to examine all areas of Puget Sound and Washington state coastal estuaries, time limitations may may cause us to emphasize Northern Puget Sound, due to the high density of oil transfers to fuel refineries there. The final product will 1) ensure shellfish growing areas are easily incorporated into the state GRP, 2) enable contact information to be easily accessible during the event of a spill, 3) provide the backbone of a larger statewide shellfish GIS database, and 4) provide shellfish growers with their own GIS datalayer for farm management. Primary users include Washington State shellfish growers, Washington State Department of Ecology, Washington State Department of Health, Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Pacific Shellfish Institute.
10	Foot routes to escape Lahars	Bridge for Kids		Chuck Morrison 253-927-6838 chuckmorrison@Harbornet.com
Client presentation scheduled on Monday (3/27) 1:30 pm in the lecture Presenter: Chuck Morrison	The mudflow threat posed by Mt. Rainier to the communities that surround it have come into focus relatively recently. The Indonesian term lahar has been was adopted to define the rapidly flowing, “concrete like” mixture of water, earth and debris. Not all of the mountain’s structure is solid rock. Heat and acid gases have transformed some of the mass situated near its peak into clay. Recent research has determined that a critical amount of clay exists on the flanks of Mt. Rainier at the headwaters of the Puyallup River. Lahars emanating from the flanks of Mt. Rainier have occurred at least 60 times during the last 10,000 years. Those flows created the valley floors from Orting north to Kent and east to Fife. Beginning in the late 1990’s lahar responses have been undertaken. A pre-event warning system has been devised. Alert system drills are regularly scheduled and school districts in particular practice evacuation drills. Advance warning to event arrival times are very close. For instance the City of Orting’s window of opportunity for safe evacuation is more or less 40 minutes. It has become apparent that dependence on vehicle based evacuation not advisable. Therefore an assessment of pedestrian evacuation “carrying capacity” would be a valuable tool for emergency planners. The Pierce County Department of Emergency Management and the Washington State Military Department provide advisory over site to municipalities residing within the lahar hazard zone. Each municipality holds autonomous control over most development zoning, road and infrastructure decisions. Creating an overview of current infrastructure carrying capacity for pedestrians would be invaluable for Pierce County, Orting, Puyallup, Sumner, Fife, Pacific, Algona and Auburn.
11	SEP Maps	Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center		Deanna Stelling sep@fhcrc.org (206) 667-4487
Client presentation scheduled on Wednesday (3/29) 1:10pm in the lecture Presenter: Deanna Stelling	Why we need this project: The Science Education Partnership (SEP) is a professional development program for science teachers in Washington state that since 1991 has linked teachers with scientists, loaned molecular biology equipment to science classrooms, and provided technical support to teachers. We are an ongoing partnership, interacting with teachers over the long term. We are applying for grants to help fund our program for the coming years. We need to be able to explain our ongoing, networked teacher community to potential funders and others interested in how our program works. Desired outcomes: We would like to have maps of Washington showing how our teachers are distributed. Ideally we would like to have a set-up that would allow us to produce our own maps based on changing data from our database. These maps would track different characteristics of our teachers, for example: Location of teachers by school districts and by Educational Service Districts (ESDs) Comparisons to general population density Location by individual teacher cohorts Showing “active” vs “inactive” teachers Comparisons to the geography of the state (to explain to those unfamiliar with Washington’s geographical diversity) Audiences: Potential funders Scholarly & web publications Us! (to help visualize our community and to plan for the future) http://www.fhcrc.org/science/education/sep
12	Help Clean-up Puget Sound	UW School of Law		Rachel Gold and Tyson Kade ragold@u.washington.edu Rachel: (206)715-6632 tkade@u.washington.edu Tyson: (206) 227-8739
Client presentation scheduled on Wednesday (3/29) 1:20pm in the lecture Presenter: Rachel & Tyson	We are law students in UW’s Berman Environmental Law Clinic working on a project with Puget Soundkeepers to get non-permitted industrial facilities with stormwater discharges to come into compliance with the Clean Water Act. In an effort to identify high priority areas and industries, we are looking for assistance mapping several thousand points in King County. The sites are industrial locations that have not applied to the States’ Stormwater permit program. The project will entail mapping the facilities and comparing the locations with the existing Stormwater sewer system and impaired waters and habitat in the Puget Sound area. This project will allow us to prioritize site visits and help target areas that are most in need of protection.
13	North of 45th Committee		UW		Aaron Hoard ahoard@u.washington.edu 206-221-7684
Client presentation scheduled on Thursday (3/30) 1:40 pm in the lab Presenter: Aaron Hoard	The North of 45^th Committee is a group of students, faculty, and residents appointed by UW President Emmert to examine issues in the neighborhoods north of 45^th Street. This group is looking at student conduct, crime, garbage problems, and illegal housing. The ability to analyze data related to these issues will help develop new policies and programs to improve the quality of life in neighborhoods north of 45^th. Potential projects include 1) Identifying where students live, what types of housing they live in, how crime impacts them 2) Identifying locations of sex-offenders, their density, adjacency to students, and type of housing 3) Land use and housing code violations, type of housing affected, patterns to ownership 4) Crime statistics, concentrations, 911 calls and other analysis Other data analysis projects are likely to emerge as this group explores these issues more fully.
14	Public Art Map	Public Art 4Culture (King County Arts Commission)		Tina Hoggatt 206-954-0062 206-205-5436 Tina.Hoggatt@4culture.org
Client presentation scheduled on Wednesday (3/29) 1:40 pm in the lecture Presenter: Tina Hoggatt	4Culture is a Cultural Development Agency delivering arts, preservation and heritage programming to King County. Public Art 4 Culture commissions, installs and maintains a collection of permanent public artworks in buildings and exterior sites throughout the County. We manage a collection of portable works as well, installed in County buildings. We are looking to develop an interactive map of our public art collection that may be layered to allow for sorting by neighborhood and artwork type, with the capability (by project’s end or in the future) to add layers that would reflect (maybe even be remotely managed by…!) the public art commissions of different communities within the County. For example, a resident of Kent might want to see artworks in 4Culture’s collection that are installed in their community, and then link to, or overlay, the city of Kent’s own collection. The map would ideally have click-able markers that can pop up: an image of the artwork, the address, and a short description, with educational links to be added in future. Ideally the end product would be a map of the collection that has an image and text available for each work, along with several pieces highlighted for education (with links to curriculum examples). The map will serve several purposes: as a model for developing maps for the Heritage, Preservation and Arts areas of 4Culture; as a teaching tool that could be copied onto a disk and given as an educational aid or shared in some other way (presentations etc.); and potentially, as an online resource for citizens, staff, and the online community beyond. As we are an arts organization we would like our map to look terrific.