Esri Educational Enrichment for Environmental Conservation Studies Kathryn de Venecia
Esri Educational Enrichment for Environmental Conservation Studies
Kathryn de Venecia
STEAM Community Service Project
Plains Conservation Center andEaglecrest High School Science National Honor Society
Educational Enrichment• Field data collector apps were used to obtain GPS coordinates
• Temporal and geospatial analyses were conducted to correlate time with bird count totals at observation locations and at area based totals
Step 1
GIS Collector
Apps
Step 2Geospatial & Temporal
Analyses
Step 3Geomentor
Support
Step 4Multiple Source
Databases
Step 5Peer Review
• GeoMentors provided student support in project development and GIS software use
• Multiple source databases were used for data analysis correlation to evaluate population trends
• Peer reviews were conducted by GIS, environmental, and ornithology specialists
Learning Objectives
• Spreadsheet development from monthly bird counts (2008 to 2016)
• Categorization of 89 species based on sightings as:
• year-round resident
• summer resident
• winter resident
• migrant or "occasional" sighting
• Population trend analysis for key bird species and groups based on count data
• Development of conservation strategies to support and increase specific key species
Site Characteristics• Eastern edge of Rocky
Mountains
• Shortgrass Prairie Ecosystem
• 1100-acre site
• Aurora, Colorado
• Unique Observation Points
• Increasing to the west, south, and northeast
• Throughout data collection from 2008 to 2016
ResidentialEncroachment
Excel Spreadsheet: Raw Data
Bird List: Season(s) to Occasional
Determining Seasonal and Grand Totals
Example: Population Trends for Western Burrowing Owl
Temporal and Geospatial Analysis
Pixabay
Raptor Population Trends• Raptors are keystone species, an indicator of the health of
an ecosystem
• Raptor population trends demonstrate how essential this conserved grassland is to their survival and breeding
• Training ground for young raptors
• Lack of human disturbance is a critical factor in the survival of many hawks, eagles, falcons, and owls especially during their first winter (when survival rate is <30%).
• Graph: Total number of raptors
observed annually divided by
the number of surveys
conducted
• Heat map: Relative distribution
of raptors at each observation
point and average for each year
represented by the filled
polygon color
Songbird Population Trends
Songbird and raptor populations reveal an inverse correlation in relative numbers at point locations, indicating possible predator-prey relationships.
• Graph: Total number of songbirds
observed annually divided by the
number of surveys conducted
• Heat map: Relative distribution of
songbirds at each observation
point and average for each year
represented by the filled polygon
color
Waterfowl Population Trends
• Analyses of waterfowl data indicate an inverse relationship to precipitation
• This may indicate in years of high precipitation, waterfowl have alternative water sources. Conversely, in years of low precipitation, onsite water sources become essential.
• Graph: Total
number of
waterfowl
observed
annually divided
by the number of
surveys
conducted
• Precipitation:
The average
precipitation for
the same year is
shown
Precipitation data obtained from the closest
maintained source location from the site,
Denver International Airport.
Educational Insights…
• Learning Goals
• Enriching Programs
• Coordinating Schedules
• Tutoring Tutorials
• Integrating Content
• Extending Opportunities
Conclusion• This study demonstrates an extended educational enrichment
opportunity originating in 2013 through the collaboration between Plains Conservation Center Specialists and Eaglecrest High School Science National Honor Society students with support from their advisor and GeoMentors.
AcknowledgementsThis Citizen Science Project has been possible through the resources and coordinated efforts of:
• Esri ConnectED and GeoMentor programs
• Data provided by the Plains Conservation Program Specialists and Volunteers
• Eaglecrest High School Science National Honor Society students
• Eaglecrest High School’s Principal and Administration
Future Considerations
• Continue trend evaluations of key indicator species and threatened or special concern species
• Expand on data analysis correlations through ArcGIS Pro
• Continue to recommend conservation strategies to help support and/or increase species