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EnviroAtlas’ National Assessment of Cultural Ecosystem Services: Leveraging Social Media to Understand America’s Most Valued Landscapes
Citation:
VanBerkel, D., K. Tieskens, P. Tabrizian, A. Neale, AND M. Mehaffey. EnviroAtlas’ National Assessment of Cultural Ecosystem Services: Leveraging Social Media to Understand America’s Most Valued Landscapes. ACES Conference, Washington, DC, December 03 - 06, 2018.
Impact/Purpose:
Presentation at the ACES Conference, Dec. 3-7, 2018, Washington, DC. High resolution national maps of CES will be made available through the EnviroAtlas.
Description:
While the United States is home to many special places that deliver numerous cultural ecosystem services (CES), there has yet to be a national assessment of these benefits. Identifying and characterizing locations that are appreciated for their beauty, opportunities for outdoor activities, and sense of place can help in conservation prioritization and the development of management objectives for preserving the unique qualities that make these locations attractive. In this presentation, we describe a new initiative by the EPA for assessing CES across the US using social media. Approximately 6 million photographs and their volunteered locations are analyzed to understand valued locations, dominant activities and the spatial characteristics associated with these places. We classify photographic content from Flikr and Panoramio using TensorFlow, a machine learning algorithm that allows for distinguishing relevant interaction with natural areas. Based on the calculated viewsheds of these filtered locations, we model the characteristics associated with highly photographed and visited areas. The high resolution national maps of CES will be made available through the EnviroAtlas. By providing these locations across the United States, our aim is to help local and national stakeholders weigh conservation priorities and evaluate developments and landscape qualities that enhance or conflict with these important benefits.
