Search Results (36)

City walk is an emerging form of short-term urban activity in which participants explore city streets and alleys to perceive distinctive cultural symbols, social connections, and spatial organizations of a place. This practice provides a new pathway for understanding urban placeness. Drawing on both humanistic and structuralist geographical theories of placeness, this study applies the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) topic model to identify latent themes in online textual data and constructs an evaluation framework for placeness together with a set of indicators for selecting city walk neighborhoods. Taking Singapore as a case study, the research identifies neighborhoods with high potential for city walk experiences and visualizes walking routes using ArcGIS10.8.1 network analysis tools. The case study demonstrates the feasibility and applicability of the proposed methodological framework, offering practical insights for urban design and place-based spatial planning. Full article

Adaptive forest and fire management in parks and protected areas is becoming increasingly complex as climate change alters the frequency and intensity of disturbances (wildfires, pest and disease outbreaks, etc.), while park visitation and the number of people living adjacent to publicly managed lands continues to increase. Evidence-based, climate-adaptive forest and fire management practices are critical for the responsible stewardship of public resources and require the continued availability of long-term ecological monitoring data. The US National Park Service has been collecting long-term fire monitoring plot data since 1998, and has continued to add monitoring plots, but these data are housed in databases with limited access and minimal analytic capabilities. To improve the availability and decision support capabilities of this monitoring dataset, we created the Trends in Forest Fuels Dashboard (TFFD), which provides an implementation framework from data collection to web visualization. This easy-to-use and updatable tool incorporates data from multiple years, plot types, and locations. We demonstrate our approach at Rocky Mountain National Park using the ArcGIS Online (AGOL) software platform, which hosts TFFD and allows for efficient data visualizations and analyses customized for the end user. Adopting interactive, web-hosted tools such as TFFD allows the National Park Service to more readily leverage insights from long-term forest monitoring data to support decision making and resource allocation in the context of environmental change. Our approach translates to other data-to-decision workflows where customized visualizations are often the final steps in a pipeline designed to increase the utility and value of collected data and allow easier integration into reporting and decision making. This work provides a template for similar efforts by offering a roadmap for addressing data availability, cleaning, storage, and interactivity that may be adapted or scaled to meet a variety of organizational and management use cases. Full article

In recent years, remote sensing technologies have become indispensable for the documentation, analysis, and virtual preservation of historical, architectural, and archaeological heritage. Advances in 3D scanning have enabled the precise digital recording of complex structures as large-scale point clouds, facilitating highly detailed virtual reconstructions. This study evaluates the capability of LiDAR-based Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) for documenting historical monument façades within a 3D environment and generating accurate visualisation models from registered, colourised point clouds. The integration of high-resolution RGB imagery, processed through Reality Capture 1.5 software, enables the automatic production of realistic 3D models that combine geometric accuracy with visual fidelity. Simultaneously, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), particularly cloud-based platforms like ArcGIS Pro Online, enhance spatial data management, mapping, and analysis. When combined with TLS, GIS is part of a broader remote sensing framework that improves heritage documentation regarding precision, speed, and interpretability. The digital survey of the Shanasheel house in Al-Basrah, Iraq, demonstrates the effectiveness of this interdisciplinary approach. These architecturally and culturally significant buildings, renowned for their intricately decorated wooden façades, were digitally recorded using CAD-based methods to support preservation and mitigation against urban and environmental threats. This interdisciplinary workflow demonstrates how remote sensing technologies can play a vital role in heritage conservation, enabling risk assessment, monitoring of urban encroachment, and the protection of endangered cultural landmarks for future generations. Full article

The increasing impact of online popularity on consumption calls for integrated sustainability diagnostic frameworks that combine both consumption and production data. This study aims to develop a macro sustainability diagnostic model integrating multi-platform online data and to tackle the challenges of scale, accuracy, and cost in evaluating tourism industries. The model comprises three primary indices: the industry scale index, the social attention index, and the type reference index. It proposes an interpretative and concise development typology including externally dependent, outward spillover, and coordinated types. Using homestay data from three online platforms and the spatial analysis methods of ArcGIS, this study validates the model’ effectiveness in China. It also reveals significant spatiotemporal heterogeneity and four macro influencing factors of the Chinese homestay industry’s sustainability. This study contributes to the methodological and typological frameworks for the sustainability diagnosis, as well as the theoretical understanding of Chinese homestays’ spatiotemporal evolution. It also provides a scientific basis for the rational planning and transformation of China’s homestay industry in the digital tourism economy. The discussion on the model’s limitations regarding data resources and micro-validity provides new insights for future sustainability assessments of other related industries in more regions in the digital era. Full article

Refugee settlements are often positioned around natural borders, which often have a heightened danger of environmental hazards. Here, we aim to better understand why settlements are in environmentally vulnerable land and what social and physical factors contribute to this phenomenon. To do this, we present a holistic narrative that maps climate threats among displaced populations in Cox’s Bazar district, Bangladesh, while contextualizing environmental vulnerability by incorporating historical and social constraints. Using ArcGIS, an online mapping program, we illustrate the overlap between different climatic events and how these vulnerabilities compound and intensify one another. We also discuss the history of natural migration and settlement pertaining to the physical landscape and the sociopolitical reasons refugees remain in environmentally vulnerable areas. Overall, we find an emerging trend that may be broadly applicable to instances of forced displacement; physical settlement locations near international borders demarcated by landforms may be more vulnerable to the effects of climate change and extreme climate events. However, physical, social, and political reasons often cement these locations. Recommendations include enhancing the resilience of refugee camps through infrastructure improvements, sustainable land management, and reforestation efforts, which would benefit both the environment and local and refugee communities. Full article

Effective management of urban development requires robust decision-support tools, including land suitability analysis and its visual communication. This study introduces and evaluates seven 3D geovisualization methods—Horizontal Planes, Point Cloud, 3D Surface, Vertical Planes, 3D Graduated Symbols, Prism Map, and Voxels—for visualizing land suitability for residential development in Jihlava, Czechia. Using five raster-based data layers derived from a multi-criteria evaluation (Urban Planner methodology) across three time horizons (2023, 2028, 2033), the visualizations were implemented in ArcGIS Online and assessed by 19 domain experts via a structured questionnaire. The evaluation focused on clarity, usability, and accuracy in interpreting land suitability values, with the methods being rated on a five-point scale. Results show that the Horizontal Planes method was rated highest in terms of interpretability and user satisfaction, while 3D Surface and Vertical Planes were considered the least effective. The study demonstrates that visualization methods employing visual variables (e.g., color and transparency) are better suited for land suitability communication. The methodological contribution lies in systematically comparing 3D visualization techniques for thematic spatial data, providing guidance for their application in planning practice. The results are primarily intended for urban planners, designers, and local government representatives as supportive tools for efficient planning of future built-up area development. Full article

Real-time collaborative WebGIS represents a significant trend in the evolution of Geographic Information Systems. Current commercial collaborative WebGIS platforms, such as ArcGIS Online and Felt, rely on centralized servers for data storage and spatial analysis. However, this centralized architecture poses notable limitations: the software becomes non-functional in the absence of a network connection or if the service is discontinued. Moreover, data ownership resides with the commercial providers, exposing users to potential data loss in the event of service disruptions. To address these challenges, this paper introduces the concept of local-first software into WebGIS. By leveraging Conflict-free Replicated Data Types (CRDTs) and advanced web technologies, we develop a user-friendly, interactive, and offline-capable local-first WebGIS application that supports real-time collaboration. The application enables multi-user collaborative editing, offline functionality, and efficient browser-based spatial analysis. This paper outlines the design methodology and system prototype for the local-first WebGIS application, utilizing open-source software and libraries throughout the development process. Practical examples are provided to demonstrate the application’s functionality. The proposed solution enhances real-time collaboration and data security in WebGIS, ultimately improving user productivity and collaborative experiences. Full article

This paper introduces a novel methodology for the real-time mapping of mobility restrictions, utilizing spatial crowdsourcing and Telegram as a traffic event data source. This approach is efficient in regions suffering from limitations in traditional data-capturing devices. The methodology employs ArcGIS Online (AGOL) for data collection, storage, and analysis, and develops a 3W (what, where, when) model for analyzing mined Arabic text from Telegram. Data quality validation methods, including spatial clustering, cross-referencing, and ground-truth methods, support the reliability of this approach. Applied to the Palestinian territory, the proposed methodology ensures the accurate, timely, and comprehensive mapping of traffic events, including checkpoints, road gates, settler violence, and traffic congestion. The validation results indicate that using spatial crowdsourcing to report restrictions yields promising validation rates ranging from 67% to 100%. Additionally, the developed methodology utilizing Telegram achieves a precision value of 73%. These results demonstrate that this methodology constitutes a promising solution, enhancing traffic management and informed decision-making, and providing a scalable model for regions with limited traditional data collection infrastructure. Full article

Within the economic and cultural context of Xinjiang, the tourism industry has rapidly developed as a strategic pillar of the national economy, with the self-driving tour market emerging prominently. However, the uneven spatial layout and insufficient service facilities of self-driving camps limit their development potential. This study aims to enhance the attractiveness of tourism in Xinjiang and improve the visitor service experience by constructing an evaluation system for the layout of self-driving camps based on online travel blog data, utilizing methods such as literature review, surveys, ArcGIS spatial analysis, and web text analysis. The Delphi method and entropy weight method were applied to determine the weights of the influencing factors. The findings reveal spatial imbalances in the layout of Xinjiang’s self-driving camps and propose eight preferred scenic areas for camp location. This study also suggests sustainable development strategies. These insights and recommendations aim to optimize the layout of self-driving camps, enhance the tourism experience, and promote the sustainable development of Xinjiang’s tourism industry. Full article

Light pollution significantly interferes with animal and human life and should, therefore, be included in the factors that threaten ecosystems. The main aim of this research is to develop a methodology for monitoring environmental and social elements subjected to light pollution in anthropogenic areas. This research is based on yearly and monthly photographs acquired from the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) onboard the Suomi National Polar-Orbiting Partnership (Suomi NPP) satellite; land cover data from the CORINE Land Cover (CLC) program; and environmental data from the European Environment Agency (EEA) and the World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA). The processing of input data for further analyses, the testing of the methodology and the interpretation of the final results were performed in GIS-type software (ArcGIS Pro). Light pollution in the investigated area was analyzed with the use of maps generated for the years 2014 and 2019. The environmental and social elements were spatially identified in five light pollution classes. The research results demonstrate that the proposed methodology allows for the identification of environmental and social elements that emit light, as well as those that are subjected to light pollution. The methodology used in this work allows us to observe changes resulting from light pollution (decreasing or increasing the intensity). Owing to the use of publicly available data, the methodology can be applied to light pollution monitoring as part of spatial planning in anthropogenic areas. The proposed methodology makes it possible to cover the area exposed to light pollution and to observe (almost online) the environmental and social changes resulting from reductions in light emitted by anthropogenic areas. Full article

With the rapid development of internet technologies in recent years, the shift from the desktop to the web platform can be seen within geospatial analysis. While analytical tools, such as buffer or clip, are routinely used in desktop environments, WebGIS deals with geographic information, including geospatial analysis, within the online environment. The main aim of this paper is to perform a comparison and evaluation of vector-oriented online geoprocessing tools in a WebGIS environment, supported by the development of a custom solution for geospatial analysis. The application called GeOnline is developed and tested as a case study to demonstrate the availability of spatial analysis tools within the web browser. It implements the specialized geospatial library Turf.js, which allows using non-trivial geospatial analysis, such as intersect, clip or calculate centroids. It handles client-side processes. Both a functionality comparison and performance testing are carried out, while the paper primarily focuses on data-driven (data-based) analysis and not only on visual-driven (visual-based) analysis. The comparative study evaluates five geospatial tools (ArcGIS Online, GISCloud, CARTO, FOURSQUARE, GeOnline) and summarizes the solutions from different aspects, including the number of supported operations. Finally, performance tests on GeOnline separately and among alternative solutions are performed. While ArcGIS Online is considered the most comprehensive solution on the market, GeOnline performs well compared to alternative solutions. Full article

Lack of attention to rural healthcare for livestock in the southeastern United States has led to a focus on small ruminant farming, mainly using sericea lespedeza [SL; Lespedeza cuneata (Dum-Cours) G. Don], a drought-resistant forage species with nutraceutical benefits. Climate change has increased land availability for SL cultivation, further expanding the potential of this bioactive (anti-parasitic) legume. This study aims to create a geospatial engineering and technology-assisted model for identifying suitable SL production areas for supporting profitable small ruminant farming. The cultivation of SL depends on specific weather conditions and soil properties, with minimum requirements for temperature and rainfall, non-clay soil with reduced bulk density, and open land cover. The main objective was to develop an automated geospatial model using ArcGIS Pro ModelBuilder to assess SL production suitability. This model also aimed to identify appropriate locations for small ruminant production in Georgia in the southeastern United States, characterized by increasing temperature fluctuations. A web-based geographic information system (webGIS) platform was developed using the ArcGIS Online dashboard interface, allowing agriculturalists to access decision support for SL production suitability tailored to their land. This forage production suitability analysis, conducted in the context of climate change, offers valuable guidance for pasture managers in other nations with similar environmental attributes, promoting global adaptability and resilience. Full article

Approximately 70% of global tsunamis are generated within the pan Pacific Ocean region. This paper reports on detailed analysis of civilian video footage from the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, Japan. Comprehensive scientific analysis of tsunami video footage can yield valuable insights into geophysical processes and impacts. Civili22an video footage captured during the 2011 Tohoku, East Honshu, Japan tsunami was critically examined to identify key tsunami processes and estimate local inundation heights and flow velocity in Kesennuma City. Significant tsunami processes within the video were captured and orientated in ArcGIS Pro to create an OIC (Oriented Imagery Catalogue). The OIC was published to ArcGIS Online, and the oriented imagery was configured into an interactive website. Flow velocity was estimated by quantifying the distance and time taken for an object to travel between two known points in the video. Estimating inundation height was achieved by taking objects with known or calculable dimensions and measuring them against maximum local inundation height observations. The oriented imagery process produced an interactive Experience Builder app in ArcGIS Online, highlighting key tsunami processes captured within the video. The estimations of flow velocity and local inundation height quantified during video analysis indicate flow speeds ranging from 2.5–4.29 m/s and an estimated maximum local run-up height of 7.85 m in Kesennuma City. The analysis of civilian video footage provides a remarkable opportunity to investigate tsunami impact in localised areas of Japan and around the world. These data and analyses inform tsunami hazard maps, particularly in reasonably well-mapped terrains with remote access to landscape data. The results can aid in the understanding of tsunami behaviours and help inform effective mitigation strategies in tsunami-vulnerable areas. The affordable, widely accessible analysis and methodology presented here has numerous applications, and does not require highly sophisticated equipment. Tsunamis are a significant to major geohazard globally including many Pacific Island states, e.g., Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Tonga. Video footage geoscientific analysis, as here reported, can benefit tsunami and cyclone storm surge hazards in the Pacific Islands region and elsewhere. Full article

The conservation and sustainable tourism development of natural World Heritage has been one of the most challenging topics worldwide. One topic based on the identification of sites’ outstanding universal value is gradually forming a trend. Aesthetic value as a criteria for WH is an important driving force for the tourism development of most natural World Heritage sites and plays a vital role in the sustainable tourism development of heritage sites. However, due to the subjective consciousness involved in the assessment of aesthetic value, it is difficult to quantify. This means that the content of the protection of the aesthetic value of heritage sites is too general, and the exhibition of aesthetic value is inadequate, posing a threat to the sustainable development of heritage sites. This study selected the Libo Karst Heritage Site as the research area, identified and extracted the carriers and characteristics of the aesthetic value of the Karst heritage site through the combination of online text big data, landscape beauty evaluation, and ArcGIS spatial analysis, and analyzed the content and objectives of aesthetic value protection, clarified the scope of the conversation and tourism exhibits, and, finally, puts forward a conservation and sustainable tourism development strategy based on aesthetic value identification. This study was carried out using interdisciplinary technologies and methods, which provide a valuable reference for the construction of a quantitative evaluation system for the aesthetic value of natural World Heritage sites and the protection of outstanding universal value. This study contributes to filling the research gap regarding the comprehensive evaluation of the aesthetic value and protection and tourism development based on the outstanding aesthetic value identification of natural World Heritage sites. The strategy of cooperation between protection and sustainable tourism development based on prominent universal value recognition can be applied to other forms of conservation and development in other World Heritage sites with similar problems. Full article

Greenspaces are argued to be one of the important features in the urban environment that impact the health of the population. Previous research suggested either positive, negative, or no associations between greenspaces and health-related outcomes. This paper takes a step backward to, first, explore different quantitative spatial measures of evaluating greenspace exposure, before attempting to investigate the relationship between those measures and health-related outcomes. The study uses self-reported health data from an online cross-sectional survey conducted for residents in the West of England. This yielded data of greenspace use, physical activity, wellbeing (ICECAP-A score), and connectedness to nature for 617 participants, divided into two sets: health outcomes for the period before versus during the 2020 lockdown. The study uses the participants’ postcodes (provided in the survey) to calculate eleven spatial measures of greenspace exposure using the software ArcGIS Pro 2.9.5. A total of 88 multivariate regression models were run while controlling for eleven confounders of the participants’ characteristics. Results inferred 57 significant associations such that six spatial measures of greenspace exposure (NDVI R200m, NDVI R300m, NDVI R500m, Network Distance to nearest greenspace access, Euclidean Distance to nearest greenspace access, and Euclidean Distance to nearest 0.5 ha doorstep greenspace access) have significant association to at least one of the four health-related outcomes, suggesting a positive impact on population health when living in greener areas or being closer to greenspaces. Moreover, there are further significant associations between the frequency of use of greenspaces and increasing physical activity or feeling more connected to nature. Still, the residents’ patterns of using greenspaces significantly changed during versus before lockdown and has impacted the relationships between health outcomes and the greenspace exposure measures. Full article