CARPC Honored with Special Achievement in GIS Award
GIS Technology Provider Esri Recognized CARPC at Annual User Conference
On July 12, GIS technology provider Esri presented CARPC with the Special Achievement in GIS (SAG) Award at the annual Esri User Conference (Esri UC). Selected from hundreds of thousands of users, CARPC received the award for innovative use of mapping and analytics technology in the Dane County Canopy Cover Priorities webapp.
CARPC released the Canopy Cover Priorities webapp in partnership with the Tree Canopy Collaborative to assist in prioritizing tree planting efforts and to collectively maintain, protect, and expand public and private tree canopy across Dane County.
The SAG Award is intended to demonstrate an appreciation for organizations around the world that are using geographic information system (GIS) technology to understand vast amounts of data and solve complex problems.
Esri staff annually nominate hundreds of candidates from around the world for consideration, and Esri’s founder and president Jack Dangermond selects the finalists. A total of 200 organizations from the commercial industry, defense, transportation, nonprofit work, telecommunications, and government sectors were honored.
The Tree Canopy Collaborative was born out of the 2017 Dane County Climate Action Plan (CAP), which includes tree canopy equity as a climate change mitigation initiative. At the time the group began its work, it was generally understood that canopy cover had been decreasing since 2010 when Emerald Ash Borer arrived in the area. However, without baseline data, it wasn’t possible to quantify those losses. A data-driven approach was needed to establish where to focus planting efforts throughout the county.
To meet this need, CARPC created a canopy cover map to provide baseline data. Mapping revealed that the majority of Dane County had experienced significant canopy cover decreases between 2010 and 2017, with some neighborhoods witnessing decreases of over 20%.
The next step was to create a location-specific tool to evaluate where trees were most needed. CARPC analyzed several factors for prioritization, including existing canopy cover, 2017-2010 canopy cover decrease, land surface temperature, equity (based on the CDC’s Social Vulnerability Index), and impervious areas. The resulting Canopy Cover Priorities webapp helps support the Tree Canopy Collaborative’s goal to ensure equitable access to trees and their associated benefits.
For more information on CARPC’s geospatial work, visit our Open Data Portal.