Urban Natural Areas

Utilizing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for natural area conservation: A case study of Radnor Lake State Natural Area, Nashville, Tennessee

James Russ

Wednesday, October 15, 2008 - 2:00-2:30

Through public-private partnership, there has been an ongoing project at Radnor Lake State Natural Area since 2003 to develop and maintain a geographic information systems (GIS) program at the park. In the five years that the program has been active, great strides have been made in improving the quality and accessibility of spatial data available to park staff for projects critical to the conservation of the park. Over time, the variety of data sets within the GIS has helped to provide an understanding of processes taking place in and around the park that might not have otherwise been recognized. Specifically, GIS has been used to identify encroachments by adjacent property owners, develop a proposed land use overlay intended to protect park’s watershed and viewshed, monitor confirmed rabies cases in the area, and map the park’s archaeological sites. This presentation focuses on the usefulness of GIS in monitoring an urban natural area’s physical and cultural resources.

Keywords: GIS, WATERSHED, MAPPING, PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP