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Methods Used in EnviroAtlas to Assess Urban Natural Infrastructure
Citation:
Wilson, A., L. Yngve, A. Mackey, AND L. Jackson. Methods Used in EnviroAtlas to Assess Urban Natural Infrastructure. Society for Urban Ecology, Shanghai, CHINA, July 08 - 10, 2016.
Impact/Purpose:
To present EnviroAtlas community metrics that are publicly available for use in eco-health analyses down to the address level.
Description:
Previous studies have positively correlated human exposures to natural features with health promoting outcomes such as increased physical activity, improved cognitive function, increased social engagement, and reduced ambient air pollution. When using remotely-sensed data to investigate these relationships, researchers must first identify an appropriate spatial resolution to characterize exposures. However, metric development has often been limited by the lack of fine-scale land cover data, especially across multiple communities. As a result, researchers commonly use coarse resolution imagery. EnviroAtlas, a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency web-based ecosystem services mapping tool, has developed 1-meter resolution land cover data across 16 diverse U.S. Census Urban Areas using aerial photography and supplemental data. Research maps derived from these foundational data include percent tree cover along busy roads, percent tree cover and green space along walkable streets, and percent natural vegetation bordering water bodies. EnviroAtlas has also developed multiple smoothed “heat maps” of proximity to specific types of features at every 1m point; these include total green space, tree cover, and water within 50m, 500m, and 1,000m buffers; walking distance to the nearest park entrance; and intersection density as an indicator of neighborhood walkability.EnviroAtlas variables are available to external researchers, public health professionals and planners to link spatially with points of interest such as homes and schools, so that users can explore relationships between ecosystems, the benefits they provide, and the well-being of the people that depend on them. EnviroAtlas metrics highlight the enhanced benefits and applied uses of high-resolution land cover data to assess fine-scale exposures to natural features. This research has been reviewed and approved by EPA; it does not necessarily reflect Agency policy.