This is the proposal for a 2024 Rutgers Environmental Stewards (RES) project emphasizing the utility of GIS for stewardship projects managed by Friends of Princeton Open Space (FOPOS). The project overview page is right here.
✅ = done
🟧 = future step
🔷 = adaptation (changes to original project proposal)
The primary purpose of the project is to facilitate the collection and presentation of data for the NJDEP funded Riparian Restoration Project, with the stated aim to "rehabilitate riparian areas that protect lake and stream banks from erosion, slow and store stormwater, and filter pollutants from runoff."
Princeton Hyrdo's map of the overall project area
Note: QGIS is a free and open source geographic information system (GIS).
QField is a free and open source mobile app for data
collection that is integrated with QGIS.
Assist with baseline plant and tree surveys in the area of Mountain Lakes known as Riparian East
Measurement: Data on plants and trees for the project area is collected in the field and the protocol is documented in Google Docs
Timeline: 6-13-24 until 8-31-24
Tasks
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✅ Review existing plant data protocol with the Stewardship Director
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✅ Assist with refining and mapping permanent transects within the project area
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✅ Assist with data collection in the field for the forestry inventory in July/August 2024
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🟧 Document the protocol in Google Drive in a way that can be easily adopted by future interns, community volunteers and/or school groups of various ages
Measurement: There is a pilot QField project for future data collection with resulting data shared in Google Drive for evaluation
Timeline: 9-1-24 to 9-15-24 9-30-24
Tasks
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✅ Create a map of the study area in QGIS (for printing as well as for use in QField)
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✅ Explore the creation of forms in QField for entering complex data using mobile devices
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✅ Manually enter the data collected thus far (on paper) into the QField form to test and refine its functionality; this will be iterative, getting feedback from the Stewardship Director and interns
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✅ Explore processes for efficiently getting data from QGIS into Google Drive (the flow: QField > QGIS > Google Sheets)
This objective has two parts: 1. external: publishing summary data from the baseline surveys and 2. internal: ensuring that the process is clear and repeatable
Measurement: At least one map and project summary have been publicized and internal Google docs outline how the process may be replicated next season
Timeline: 9-15-24 9-30-24 to 10-31-24
Tasks
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✅ With the Stewardship Director, identify and perform calculations to summarize and reveal patterns in data
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✅ Prepare one or more maps for publication (e.g. plant species distribution, tree species distribution)
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🟧 Publish a project summary on the FOPOS site (and/or newsletter or social media), including tie-ins to the general effects of climate change and carbon storage data for the area of interest 🔷 adaptation: published here on GitHub
Project Summaries May Include percent cover (plant abundance) status (native, invasive, introduced) weather highlights conservation concern conservation optimism species richness per species (no abundance) total hours -
🟧 With the Stewardship Director, document ideas for continuity of the project with interns, students. or volunteers in a shared Google Doc
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✅ Ensure that all project documents and files have appropriate permissions (they are not locked down), that they are backed up, and that they are organized in a way that ensures the ongoing success of the project. calculate invasive native and conservation status
How Climate Change is Included (for the Forest Inventory)
We aim to include carbon bank tracking based on the tree inventory, along with a general description of the effects of climate change
From Randye Rutberg (personal communication to Anna Corichi August 3, 2023)
bm Exp dbh = + ( ln )
- Total biomass:
bm=Exp(b0+b1*lndbh) - Total biomass of CO (kg):
mass(kg)=bm(kg)*0.5 - Total carbon absorbed:
total mass *3.67
🔷 adaptation: used iTree Eco to generate carbon benefiits
