COURSE
DESCRIPTION
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LA
221 - QUANTITATIVE METHODS IN ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING (3 units)
This
course advances a student’s knowledge in the use of Geographical Information
Systems (GIS) within an Environmental Planning context. The
course is designed to give the student the skills necessary to undertake
spatial problem solving, spatial analysis and model building.
A
GIS allows a user to store and retrieve information through the selection
of its spatial or non-spatial characteristics.With
this ability, quantitative analysis and modeling can be undertaken on a
data base with the results of spatial queries displayed visually in a map
form. This course will examine various methods employed in seeking answers
to spatial problems.
The
lecture will be structured as a seminar in which the instructor, students
and possibly outside visitors will discuss theory, methodology and application
of GIS to environmental analysis, landscape modeling and characterization. The
laboratory will provide a practical introduction to some tools for design,
construction and implementing such systems.
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Lecture/Laboratory:
Time:Tu
11:00-12:30pm / Thur 11:00- 2:00pm
Location:Room
212 Wurster Hall
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Prerequisites:
LA188/
Geog 188 [Geographic Information Systems (4 units)] or equivalent required.
Topics
Covered: Data
discovery and design of Environmental GIS Discussion
of information, systems and space; defining and understanding problems;
environmental and landscape inventory design; spatial sampling; automated
data gathering; quality control; interpolation; allocation; geo-coding
points, lines and polygons; and sources of quantitative environmental data. Data
base construction and integration of Ancillary data for Environmental Modeling Discussion
of database construction; digitizing and spatial model construction; alternate
spatial data sources; product versus query oriented data sets; spatial
formats; standards and translations; projections and transformations; boundary
and data error; non-spatial data sources, meta data,and
geo-processing; spatial decision support systems. Modeling,
Spatial Analysis and the Environment Discussion
of methods of measurement; assumptions of homogeneity; classification and
thresholding; model construction, disaggregation and dissolve; spatial
analysis; identification, recognition and prediction; cumulative impacts,
potential modeling and characterization. Course
Format: The
course includes lectures/seminars and a weekly laboratory which will include
short assignments in the first half of the semester. The
class will be divided into groups, each group working on a final project
which will involve the design, construction and implementation of a GIS
for a client. A Work Shop will take
place on the last day of class where the student groups will play the role
as consultant and deliver a "user- friendly" and analytically powerful
GIS based solution to the clients. The
lectures, readings and short classroom discussions will focus on the history,
conceptual models, practical construction and potential analytical capability
of GIS to the field of Environmental planning.
The laboratory will be hands on use of ESRI’s Arc/Info and ArcGIS software,
with some exposure other processing and modeling software. Evaluation: Students
are expected to attend lectures and labs, read assigned papers or web pages,
particpate in discussions, and contribute to their group project, and advise
other groups if relevant. Each student will be required to address and
solve a GIS related problem within a group context. Each
student will be required to write up their participation in the group effort.
During a final presentation each student will briefly describe their contribution
to the group project. Laboratory
assignments Purpose: The
purpose of laboratory
assignments are to further the student’s skill in the operational (hands-on)
side of GIS, specifically through the use of the ArcGIS software suite. Procedure: There
will be laboratory assignments each week for the first half of the course.
Lab assignments will be posted on the course web site prior to each laboratory
session. Unless otherwise
stated, all lab assignments are due the following week, at the beginning
of the next lab (unless we experience equipment failure). Submissions must
be in HTML format via your class assigned home page.After
the Mid-term Assignment, the laboratory sessions will be dedicated to the
group project assignment. Group
Project/Assignment Purpose: The
purpose of this assignment is to develop an understanding of geographic
information systems, their complexity, their ability to ease and improve
decision making and analysis in Environmental Planning. The
group assignment will have a threefold focus: 1) to familiarize each student
with the nature and application of a geographic information system; 2)
to develop data handling skills to design, create and manage attributes
in a computerized database mapping and spatial analysis environment; and
3) to play a role as consultant to solve a client's analytical and information
needs. Procedure: Students
will work in teams of three or four and attempt to solve a problem for
the client. The first goal is to discuss the project with your client and
within the group and formally define and understand the problem. The second
goal is to identify and inventory all of the available data both in paper
and digital form which could serve as a layer or valuable information source
for a GIS. This will involve field work to ascertain existing information,
to collect maps, and to gather and assemble data. The third goal is to
design a GIS for your client which will enable current and future problem
solving. The fourth goal is to build a working system which has data integrity
and analytical strength. Finally, the fifth goal is to document and present
your solution in a final work shop where the client can actively participate.
Who
have been clients in the past? The
clients in the past have ranged from government agencies, to non-profit
organizations, to individual private special interest groups, and private
companies.The following list covers
some of the topics in the past: ·
Phased reintroduction of tides to the Point Edith Marsh.Integrating
topographic, hydraulic, and vegetation data to plan a large scale, multi-step
restoration.
1)a
clear and formal definition of your client’s problem (5-10 pages in length), 2)a
computerized database using a GIS system (deliverable on a cd-rom), 3)a
poster with at least three computer-generated maps (the poster being at
least 36” by 48”) plotting the synthesis of a data query in your study
area (this poster to include text explaining the study), 4)a
written report discussing the design, construction and implementation phase
of your project (this submission to be in chapter form for a final publication).Previous
years examples can be seen above. Each
team (or individual - depending on the reserach focus) will be expected
to submit a hard copy of all of the above.The
database itself should be backed up in an export format (or as a set of
working coverages or shape files which will execute from ArcView on a PC)
on CD-ROM.These submissions will
not be returned.
More detailed information concerning the project and the
project assignments will be handed-out during the semester.
Course
Restrictions: This
course has a limit on enrollment - 20 students. Attempts
will be made to accommodate all interested students but not more than 20
students. There is one UNIX
server and 16+ Windows workstations available during most laboratory sessions.Due
to resource limitations and continued upgrading of the teaching facility
and network, it is possible that these computers could go off line during
some of these laboratory sessions.The
staff will make every attempt to keep these operational this term. We
will be working with huge data sets and some processing and space restrictions
may cause problems.You will have
to simply have patience during these times. Reference
Material: Students
will be directed to readings during the term, many of which will be on
the Web. Every attempt will
be made to put and keep this course online.Communication
will be via e-mail and home pages. There
is no single text for this course. Computer
manuals are available on-line. Course
Benefits: As
with any course, there should be some recognizable benefit in the end (besides
a mark and a few credits). The
conceptual as well as operational understanding of a Geographic Information
System offers a skill that is extremely marketable in landscape analysis
and environmental planning. This
course will leave you with the necessary skills to design, build and model
within a GIS. Upon completion
of this course, a student will be able to conceptualize a spatial problem,
construct an algorithm to solve the problem, and implement the solution
within a GIS. Serving a client’s
needs will simulate a real world experience. The
Landscape Department Computer Lab - 212 Wurster Hall: Laboratory
Manager: Juergen
Styer(jasteyer@uclink.berkeley.edu) Laboratory
Access:
Each student enrolled in the course must purchase access for the
term.Forms will be available the
first week of class.A signature
from the Laboratory Manager is required to gain access to 212 Wiurster
Hall. (You can download
and edit one here to be turned into Juergen Steyer)Students
will also get access to the computer laboratory next door with this card. Access
is 24 hours/day during the term.Student
computer accounts will be deactivated at the end of the semester or when
laboratory keycard access is not current. Computer
Accounts: UNIX
Computer Accounts will be assigned by the Instructor.