Project Overview

This project is centered on the analysis of recreational use, forest health, and environmental impacts within the Northeastern U.S., using various geospatial layers that combine data from OpenStreetMap (OSM), Strava, iNaturalist, and NRCS Web Soil Survey. The primary aim of the project was to identify recreational hotspots, assess the suitability of soils for sustaining such activities, and evaluate forest canopy health based on NDVI deviations from long-term baselines.

Objectives

The products generated from this project include comprehensive analyses of recreational trail use, soil suitability, and wildlife impact. By integrating user-generated activity data (such as Strava and iNaturalist) with spatial environmental data (like NRCS soils and NDVI), the project provides insights into areas where recreational activity may pose risks to forest ecosystems or where management actions could be prioritized. These layers are designed to be publicly available, ensuring that land managers, conservationists, and other stakeholders can utilize them to inform sustainable trail management, conservation efforts, and recreation planning. The datasets provide valuable tools for understanding the balance between recreational use and environmental stewardship, especially in regions where trails intersect with sensitive soils or wildlife habitats.

Dataset Availability

Tags

Status - Completed

Start date: 2022-01-01

End date: 2024-12-10

Study Area

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