A MULTIFACETED GIS APPROACH: GIS IN JEFFERSON COUNTY OPEN SPACE

Since 1972, more than 30,000 acres of land have been purchased by the Jefferson County Open Space Department. The diversity of uses requires a variety of GIS tools and methods for planning, acquisition, development and management. Some of the Open Space lands provide recreational opportunities while other areas are dedicated to conservation easements, wildlife habitat or view protection.

ArcInfo and ArcView are used to integrate remotely sensed data, GPS and field survey data, existing county-wide coverages and numerous coverages and databases created in-house for mapping, analysis, planning and management.

In 1972, Jefferson County Open Space was begun by a self-imposed tax by the citizens of Jefferson County, Colorado. Since then, more than 30,000 acres of open space lands have been purchased at a cost of nearly $140,000,000. The diversity of use as well as the diversity of landscapes -- from plains, to hogbacks, to mountain areas -- requires a variety of GIS tools and methods for efficient and effective planning, acquisition, development and management practices. Hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders can take advantage of over 150 miles of trails. Wildlife viewers can enjoy habitat set aside for a variety of wildlife, including black bear, mountain lion, deer, elk, eagles and other birds of prey. Some of the Open Space lands provide recreational opportunities for many diverse users in the Denver metropolitan area while other areas are dedicated to conservation easements, wildlife areas, plant habitat or view protection.

ArcInfo and ArcView are used to integrate remotely sensed data, GPS and field survey data, existing county-wide coverages and numerous coverages and databases created in-house for mapping, analyzing, planning and managing the diverse needs of the Jefferson County Open Space Department. Examples include maps for long range planning of land acquisition and trail corridors, analysis of critical habitat and natural resources to protect and conserve various species of plants and animals, weed and pest management, interpretive and historical opportunities, and mapping and analysis to mitigate the conflict between park users and sensitive areas.

Jefferson County Open Space is divided into five sections. These sections are Acquisitions, Administration, Design and Development, Park Services and Planning. Nearly 20 of our 85 staff members use ArcView to help them with their jobs. This paper will discuss how each section currently utilizes GIS and how others will be involved in the future as more data is collected for their specific needs.

Jefferson County's Open Space Acquisitions Section is responsible for acquiring the property rights needed to preserve scenic lands, natural areas, trail corridors and recreation lands throughout the county. Currently, there are 65 projects which have been approved by the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) for negotiations. These areas total approximately 6800 acres with an estimated value of $59,000,000. In addition, 74 projects are under consideration by the Open Space Advisory Committee (OSAC) with an estimated value of $67,000,000 for approximately 4400 acres.

GIS makes it possible to keep track of all of these projects in one location. The Acquisitions Staff includes two surveyors whose duties include acquiring boundary information for all Open Space properties. Some lands have been surveyed and entered into ArcInfo using either AutoCAD drawings or a coordinate geometry package to enter legal descriptions, while others are simply aliquot descriptions. Once the boundary has been established it is used to update an Open Space project layer on a monthly basis. This information is also maintained as an ArcView shapefile on the departmental file server so that it can be accessed by any member of the staff who uses ArcView.

In addition, a database is used to record information regarding each project. A wide variety of data is used to maintain this database including the project name and number, the date when it was approved by the BCC, submitter, recipient, Master Plan area and Category, dollar value and status to name a few. A simple link between the database and the map information allows for quick and easy display and query functions. Additionally, the projects can be displayed onto a large screen in OSAC meetings or public hearings which provides more capabilities than paper maps. For example, layers can be turned on and off as needed, and specific attributes of the parcels in question and other layers are readily available.

Park Services is divided into Building Maintenance and Construction, Natural Resources, Park Operations, and Trails. The amount of GIS involvement is primarily based on initial data availability and departmental priorities. As more data is gathered for specific applications, other users see the benefit and potential of GIS for their daily tasks. This section oversees more than 95,000 square feet of buildings, 150 miles of trails, and twenty parks and additional undeveloped properties on over 26,000 acres of land.

Park Operations is charged with maintaining picnic grounds, parking lots, roadways and campgrounds. Park Rangers provide park and visitor protection. The department's volunteer coordinator utilizes hundreds of volunteers for over seven thousand hours of service for a variety of tasks.

While this section is just beginning to utilize GIS capabilities, the potential for organizing and planning maintenance tasks is one of the future goals. Currently GIS is used primarily as a mapping tool to show ownerships and recreation and special district jurisdiction to determine maintenance responsibilities among the numerous public agencies within Jefferson County. In the past, it was sometimes unclear who was responsible for mowing or plowing certain areas of the county. With the mapping capabilities of GIS it is easy to show the locations of properties and which special district or agency manages these areas.

This section manages natural resources by developing and implementing integrated resource management plans to include forest, wildlife and rangeland resources. In addition, Natural Resources provides for wildfire mitigation in a coordinated effort with the Colorado State Forest Service, administers the County Weed and Pest Management Program and administers fuelwood sales and a Christmas tree recycling program.

One of the major GIS users in Jefferson County Open Space is the Natural Resource staff. This is due primarily to the fact that this section can readily utilize many existing GIS layers such as topographic and hydrographic features, boundaries, soil types and aerial photography. Moreover, the staff has been collecting data for the Integrated Resource Inventory (IRI) for several years.

The IRI system enables Natural Resources staff to accurately describe the existing ecological community, including the vegetative structure (age, stage of growth, diversity, plant associations, etc.) and the physical attributes of the area, both biotic and abiotic. Biotic data includes such elements as litter (depth and cover), snag (density, dbh, height, and type), log and dead woody material (density, dbh, length, type and stage of decomposition). Also included are grass (height and percent cover), shrub (type and dominance), vegetative cover, foliage density, and fruit or mast producing sources of forage, both tree and shrub. Abiotic and geographical features include elevation, slope, aspect, soil type and erosion status, surface rock cover, talus and rock outcropping size and abundance.

Other information obtained from the IRI system related to wildlife includes an inventory of attributes such as game trails, elevated perches, nest cavities, water sources and general wildlife sign (tracks, scat, feathers, rubs, scrapes, beds, etc.). This information provides baseline ecological information of the property.

GPS is a major component of the IRI field methodology, as are digital color orthophotos. Aerial photograph interpretation is used to delineate the properties into inventory blocks. Random variable and fixed plots are used to acquire data on vegetation, forest health and wildlife habitat attributes. The process of acquiring resource information for the IRI involves several methods and tools.

RMStand data is processed in a computer program developed by the US Forest Service and is used to describe the structure and basic characteristics of the forested portion of the park.

Rangeland Analysis and Management Guidelines is another Forest Service plant inventory system which is used to determine the overall vegetative structure and to identify the plant species occurring within the park.

Habitat Attribute Inventory, developed by the Jefferson County Natural Resources staff, is used to identify and describe general habitat components utilized by a variety of wildlife species occurring within the park.

Avian Census provides data concerning the abundance, frequency, and guild affiliation of avian species recorded during the survey.

Staff uses GPS to locate the initial point for various inventory procedures. While the location is fixed by the GPS receiver, staff conducts the analysis and data collection. Additionally, a survey laser instrument is used to pinpoint nest and roost sites and other specific locations or when it is not possible to utilize the GPS. This information is brought back to the office from the field and is downloaded to a computer. Differential correction is applied to the GPS data and the information and attributes are stored in a database. By pinpointing these inventory points, nest sites, and other features, it is possible to revisit the locations and evaluate changes in habitat, vegetation and other attributes over time.

Natural Resources also administers Jefferson County's Weed and Pest Management Program which was designed to assist the public in developing integrated management plans for the control of various forest insect pests and noxious weeds. This program and the County Weed and Pest Management Specialist (CW&PMS) were the impetus for GPS and ArcView within Jefferson County. The CW&PMS locates, maps and inventories seven species of noxious weeds: Leafy spurge, spotted knapweed, diffuse knapweed, purple loosestrife, Canada thistle, musk thistle and Dalmatian toadflax. Similarly, mountain pine beetle and spruce budworm are monitored and combated. By utilizing GPS and GIS to map these weeds and pests, it is possible to monitor the success of various methods of mitigation and control, both chemical and biological, over time.

While staff once drew blocks and points on a mosaic of unregistered and unrectified images, they now use ArcView with digital orthophotos and numerous GIS layers to map and, more importantly, analyze their data. All of this information can be used to develop a "picture" of the existing ecological community. From this "picture," manageable attributes of the property are identified and the development and implementation of a management plan for each property can proceed. Issues such as seasonal trail closures and limited access to specific areas can be readily addressed by analyzing nest sites locations and hatching seasons, wildlife migration routes, elk calving seasons and the like to effectively manage habitat for various species of wildlife and plant life while still providing recreational opportunities.

The Trails section of Jefferson County Open Space is responsible for constructing and maintaining a variety of trail types for various uses. Trails also provides for parking lot and trail snow removal and a highly popular Youth Work Program for teenagers. There are nearly 125 miles of natural surface trail and 25 miles of paved trail in or around Open Space parks and property. Much of these trails are multi-use, allowing for walkers, hikers, runners, roller bladers, horseback riders and mountain bikers. Some are designated as a specific type to avoid some trail conflicts.

By using aerial photography, GPS and GIS, it is possible to accurately map the trails. In addition to mapping, GIS provides for 3D modeling and analysis to evaluate slope and aspect to provide details of specific sections of trail. This information can help with maintenance by identifying problem sections of trail where frequent erosion or trail degradation occurs. Using GIS, it is possible to analyze trail information to provide support for seasonal or weather related trail closures. The collection of trail location and attribute data is still in process. Some is gathered by staff members on foot while wider trails can utilize vehicles.

Jefferson County Open Space Planning is responsible for all facets of planning for the department. Advance planning includes the development and monitoring of the Open Space Master Plan. Acquisition/Proposal Review involves the review of the Master Plan for research and review prior to and with staff, OSAC and BCC consideration. Development of conceptual plans with projected costs prior to design and development is another facet as is the review and revision of conceptual plans with public input. Planning and zoning review for open space issues and projects throughout the county involves open space, park and trail input to the county planning department for all zoning and platting cases. Planning coordinates the departmental involvement in a five county Front Range Mountain Backdrop Study which has incorporated GIS information. This section includes a natural resource planner whose duty is to evaluate potential acquisitions based on their Master Plan values and categories.

Other issues include the identification of threatened and endangered species, such as the Pebbles Jumping Mouse, and a cultural resources inventory (archaeological sites). GIS, GPS and aerial photography have been used to map potential or critical habitat, monitor mouse movements, relocate transect points, and pinpoint archaeological finds.

The mapping capabilities of GIS are frequently used to create maps and displays for public hearings, OSAC meetings and briefings for the BCC. GPS, 3D modeling and topographic analysis are used to facilitate trail planning.

While this section is primarily devoted to budgetary and administrative services, the section does oversee the operation of the Lookout Mountain Nature Center (LMNC). The LMNC is devoted to education and outreach concerning the natural environment. The development of an ArcView project which will incorporate maps, diagrams, and images to assist with the educational mission of the Nature Center is in the planning phase.

Initial planning for the construction of databases and a digital construction drawing library to map locations of buildings and facilities, expedite preventive maintenance, and to provide a visual inventory of each areas layout is underway.

GPS and GIS will be used to monitor future prescriptive burn sites and the subsequent affect on vegetation.

An inventory database of fences is under construction. When complete it will map of all fences within the parks based on survey information and legal descriptions. The database contains information regarding the type of fence, materials, age and other such data. The completed project will assist with preventive maintenance planning. Twenty of the parks and properties contain numerous amenities. Twenty picnic shelters, over 200 picnic tables, nearly 100 grills, eighteen restrooms and many signs, benches, bridges, kiosks, trash cans and the like will be located using GPS and a database will be developed. The result will be a comprehensive inventory of amenities and the ability to better manage maintenance.

Analysis of trail user counts and specific trail use will provide more tools to evaluate the need for more or improved trails, or ways to prevent social trail development. Improved trail maps and 3D renderings will provide park users with more accurate information about trail length, vertical gain and difficulty.

GIS is a widely used tool in the Jefferson County Open Space Department. While many current uses primarily mapping in nature, the future promises more analysis which will utilize the many capabilities or ArcView and ArcInfo. As more data that is specific to each section's operations is collected, more users and applications will be developed. By using GIS, GPS, aerial photography and in the near future, one meter resolution satellite data, the staff of Jefferson County Open Space more readily plan and manage the variety of functions for which the department is responsible.