Piece of Eden GIS Blog

 This week for Module 3, I did four different training classes at ESRI.com regarding 3D data visualization and analysis. The first training [3D Visualization] taught me how 3D data is represented, different elevation types (on the ground, relative to the ground, absolute height), and how to convert 2D data to 3D via extrusion. Numerical data can be extruded an attribute as z-value to make it 3D using base, min, max, or absolute value of a certain attribute. In the appearance tab -> extrusion group -> choose the field. In our exercise I also used Extrusion Expression to “see the features more clearly.” (ESRI) Additionally in this training, I used different marker types for 3D data like a basic tree, to procedural markers that are more realistic and specific to an given location, fill symbols like grass, and procedural fills “for cities with a well-known architectural style, procedural fills can help create a realistic set of buildings, along with other common city features, ...

 This week we focused on LiDAR applications in forestry. Utilizing a .las point file of the Shenandoah National Park, downloaded from the Virginia Lidar application, we determined the height, density, and elevation of the forest area in grid N16_5807_20.  First, we created a DEM and DSM file in order to subtract the two files and determine the height of the forest. Here the DEM was the ground points, the DSM the non-ground points, and we used the MINUS tool to determine the height. Using the height file, I also created a chart to visualize the tree height distribution.  Secondly, we determined the biomass density of the forest. First, we converted the Ground and Vegetation LAS files to multipoint, and then to raster via the Point to Raster tool. Then we made the raster binary files, pulled from the original LAS files where the criteria were false, combined both the ground and vegetation files, and lastly divided the count file by the raster file.  Below are the origi...

 In the final part of our first lab, we played the role of a Forest Ranger looking to model the movement patterns of the black bear between two protected areas of the Coronado National Forest in order to model a corridor. We looked at the characteristics: distance to roads, elevation, and land cover.  I used the following steps to create a corridor analysis.  Below is the final map.

 In the first portion of Module 1, a land developer is looking at raw land and would like to determine if the land is worth looking further into. We looked at various characteristics of the land (landcover, soil, distance to roads/rivers, and slope) and provided the results in raster. Additionally, we weighted these characteristics in two different ways: equally at 20% each and at different weights with soil and landcover are weighted at 20%, slope at 40%, and distance to roads/streams 10% each.  Below you can see the final suitability analysis maps for each method.  Below are the steps I took to complete the analysis above. 

  My name is Eden Santiago Gomez and I am a student at UWF on the GIS Admin Masters path. I currently reside in the Tampa Bay area. I am very excited to be taking this class (GIS Applications) and learning how to directly apply all the GIS skills we have learned to current GIS applications. I work full time as an EA for a consulting company, where I hope to join their Spatial Analysis team in the future. Being in Florida I enjoy all the local outdoor recreational activities. I just went kayaking this past week at Rainbow River but forgot my sunblock and got sun poisoning! Oh my gosh! I didn't even know that was possible. :/  My story map is listed below. Check it out if you would like to learn about my favorite waterways in Florida that I have explored so far! :)  Story Map Best,  Eden Santiago Gomez