GIS Vector 1

r e l b r a W a d a Can Ha ta ocat ns ok at bi t L o L e v i s n e h e r p m o C A

io

Christine Johnson Regional Planning LA 401

Table of Contents Introduction Animal Overview Study #1 Study #2 Study #3 Conclusions Sources

2

3 4 6 10 14 18 19

Project Parameters The goal of this project was to select an area that was suitable for a preserve and interpretive center for a species of our choice. I chose the Canada Warbler, so I then had to come up with 5 goals with measureable outcomes that could be interpreted by GIS mapping and data. The end result was to ďŹ nd 3-5 potential sites that could be used for this nature area.

3

Canada Warbler ‘Cardellina canadensis’

1

Description The Canada Warbler is about 5” high. It is solid gray above, without any wing bars, and yellow below, along with yellow “spectacles”. There is a black spotted “necklace” on the breast, which also lent it the name “Necklaced Warbler”, but that has since

Habitat

fallen out of use.2 2

At all times of the year, the Canada Warbler prefers wet thickets and brushy areas. It mostly nests in riparian thickets, brushy ravines, and forest bogs across a wide range of elevations and forest types. It most frequently appears in aspen forests in the northwest part of its range and forested wetlands and swamps towards the central portions of its range. During migration, it utilizes brushy areas and a wide variety of mesic woodlands, parks, swamps, scrub, and forest.3

Nesting The Cananda Warbler will lay 4 brown-spotted white eggs in a nest of dried leaves or and grass. They are ususally located near the ground at the base of a tree stump or a clump of ferns.3

4

Feeding Patterns Like other birds in this family, the Canada Warbler is very adept at fly-catching, usually flitting from bussh to bush. Flying insects form a good portion of its diet, but it also captures spiders and insect larvae.2 The diet is also supplemented by snails, worms, and fruit (seasonally). It often flushes insects from the brush, catching them as it flies. They also search near the ground and tree branches. As with many other warbler species, the males will tend to forage higher than the females on the breeding grounds.3

Breeding An estimated 64% of the Canada Warbler population nests in Canada’s boreal region.

Studies suggest that pairs can be monogamous, with nests being built by the females during the breeding season. The nests are usually built on or very close to the ground, usually including root masses, stumps, stream banks, and mossy logs; the clutch size is normally between 2-6. These birds are usually the last to arrive at the breeding site and the first to leave.3

5

Study #1

Û

Wetlands, Forest, and Floodplains

Û

Legend Legend Û

6

Porter_ Suitable Sites Floodplains Intersect Forests Porter_ Deciduous/Evergreen Forests Porter_

Û

County Porter_ Lines 0

1

2

4

6

Miles 8

«

Le

Terrestrial Forests

Floodplains

Wetlands

The first set of data I collected was

To narrow my sites down, I decided

The last step was to narrow down my

from the terrestrial forests of Porter

that looking at floodplains was the

site choice even further by looking

County. Since Indiana is the migratory

next logical step. Since the Canada

for actual documented wetland areas

state for the Canada Warbler, I figured

Warbler does well in places like forest

within Porter County. This map shows

a mix of evergreen and deciduous

bogs and brushy ravines, I decided that

the locations of all the known wetlands,

trees would be good for habitat since it

the floodplains that also intersected

three of which lie inside the wetlands

would provide protection year round.

the terrestrial forests would be a good

that also intersect the terrestrial

place to find suitable habitats.

forests.

7

Goals ~Deciduous/evergreen forest habitat ~Upper area of Porter County ~Wetland areas ~Floodplains ~Within Porter County

Objectives ~Find out where deciduous and evergreen forests intersect ~Choose a place in the upper areas after suitable sites have been located by GIS ~Figure out which wetland areas are within terrestrial forests ~Figure out which oodplains intersect the terrestrial forests ~Locate all data within Porter County

Analysis After looking at the 3 sites that GIS located for me, I decided that site to the northwest of Porter County would be the most ideal place to do my ground truth study because it seemed to be closest to a forested and oodplain area; it was also a registered wetland.

8

Û

Û

Conclusions As shown by this image, the site that GIS found for me is almost directly on top of a major raodway, so this would not be a suitable site to put a nature habitat and education center.

Û Legend

9

Study #2

Emergent Wetlands, Forests, and Developed Areas

Legend Suitable Sites Wetlands Within Forests Forests/Developed Areas Intersect Emergent Wetlands/Developed Areas Intersect

10

0

1

2

4

6

Miles 8

ÂŤ

Developed Areas

Emergent Wetlands

Forests

I decided to dig deeper into my

After ďŹ nding these areas I looked back

The places colored in maroon are the

research and ďŹ nd out just how close my

at my forests and tried to ďŹ nd which

terrestrial forest areas that intersect

habitat selections came to developed

forests happened to intersect with my

the emergent wetlands and the

areas. In this study I looked at emergent

developed areas. The reasoning behind

developed areas. To narrow down my

herbaceous wetlands that had a mile

this was to provide a nice nature area

sites even further, I decided to look at

round buffer on them and happened

for the residents of a certain area to

the Porter County wetlands again and

to intersect with develped areas, the

appreciate while also learning about

this time came up with three distinct

results of which are colored in blue.

the species involved.

sites.

11

Goals ~Terrestrial forests ~Near developed areas ~Emergent wetland areas ~Upper part of the county ~Within Porter County

Objectives ~Find out where deciduous and evergreen forests intersect ~Locate all developed areas (from highly developed to open) ~Look for emergent wetlands areas instead of pin-pointing exact wetland spots ~Look for sites that appear in the upper portions of the county ~Locate all data within Porter County

Analysis These ďŹ ve sites, to my surprise, turned out to be completely different from my previous study; they seemed to be clustered more towards the middle of the county than on the outskirts. I assume this is because I focused on the developed areas of Porter County, which would be more towards the center.

After looking at my results I decided to do a ground truth study on the upper east portion because it was most located near the largest mass of terrestrial forest.

12

Conclusions These three sites are grouped very close together, so any one of them would be perfect for my animal. It fulďŹ lls all of my goals and is located very near a sizeable body of water.

13

Study #3

Lakes, Trails, and Roads

Legend Suitable Sites Trails Major Highways Porter County Lakes 1000’ Away from Trails

14

0

1

2

4

6

Miles 8

«

Previous Data

Lakes and Roads

Trails

This map is showing all the previous

I looked at larger bodies of water that

I looked back at the developed land

data I’ve collected from the last study

were located inside terrestrial forests

map and decided that locating my site

that I found was most useful and

and were also within 1000’ of any

about 1000’ away from these areas

relative to my animal, but I did not feel

dangerous major highways. Hearing the

would be a good idea. I then looked

as if I delved into it deep enough. I

sound of cars whizzing by at 80 mph is

at the Porter County hiking trails and

decided to concentrate on roads and

not exactly condusice to a maintained

decided that locating my sites another

trails this time, since my bird builds it’s

nature area.

1000’ away from those would also be

nests on the ground.

beneficial.

15

Goals ~Terrestrial forested area ~Away from major trails ~Emergent wetland areas ~Bodies of water ~Away from major highways

Objectives ~Find out where deciduous and evergreen forests intersect ~Find sites that are at least 1000’ away from trails systems ~Figure out which wetland areas intersect terrestrial forests ~Locate lakes that lie within the wetland and forest areas ~Locate sites that are at least 1000’ away from major highways

Analysis Again, this analysis found four sites that were completely different from the last two studies. This time they were all clustered together in the northern part of the county and I know that the area is more naturalized than the other two studies showed. I picked a ground study from that area that I thought best represented what I was looking for in terms of habitat.

16

Conclusions Though all four of these sites are fantastic locations for my bird, the one to the south is too close to a major developed area for my taste. I think that the other three areas, though, would all be great sites; in fact, connecting those three and making a trail system between them would be an excellent idea.

17

Conclusions

Study #2

Study #3

I am partial to either of these studies as far as locating my site goes. If I had to choose one over the other, though, I would choose the three sites from study #3 because of the opportunity to create an extensive trail system and wider range of habitat for the Canada Warbler.

18

Bibliography Text and images All About Birds. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, n.d. Web. 24 Aug. 2014 Audobon. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Aug. 2014.

Boreal Songbird Initiative. N.p. n.d. Web. 24 Aug. 2014.

Images Only “Canada Warbler.” Photograph. The Internet Bird Collection. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Sept. 2014 “Canada Warbler.” Photograph. Wikepedia Commons. N.p., 16 May 2011. Web. 5 Sept. 2014.

Spitalnik, Lloyd. “Canada Warbler.” Photograph. Lloyd Spitalnik Photography. N.p., 14 May 2008. Web. 5 Sept. 2014.

19