Final project for GIS Programming and Development class at UCLA

1. The Species Reintroduction
Toolbox
ESTHER CHOE
SIMONE DVOSKIN
KATHRYN KEELEY
UCLA GEOG 173

2. Over 200 species are threatened/
endangered

3. California
Endangered
Species Act
Recovery
“conserve, protect,
restore, and
enhance any
endangered
species or any
threatened species
and its habitat”

4. Reintroducing species
“Deliberate release of species into the wild, from
captivity or relocated from other areas”
Powerful tool to protect endangered/ threatened
species
California Condor is huge success story
◦ 1982: only 23 existed in wild
◦ Today: almost 200 exist in wild

5. How to Reintroduce
1. Identify species to reintroduce
2. Manage self-sustaining captive
population
3. Identify species needs &
requirements
4. Identify locations that meet
defined needs & requirements
5. Release captively-bred species
into locations

6. How to Reintroduce
1. Identify species to reintroduce
2. Manage self-sustaining captive
population
3. Identify species needs &
requirements
4. Identify locations that meet
defined needs & requirements
5. Release captively-bred species
into locations

7. The Species
Reintroduction
Toolbox

8. The Species Reintroduction
Toolbox:
Three tools:
End: 3 scripts; 1 toolbox; 1 summary table; 1
mapbook

9. The Geoprocessing Tool:
Identify possible locations based on:
◦ Proximity to major cities
◦ Ecoregion (distinct biodiversity habitat)
◦ Elevation (optional*)
◦ Slope (optional*)
Uses 4 Inputs
Uses buffer, erase, SQL query, & intersect applications
Generates 4 Outputs
*Why optional?

10. Geoprocessing Tool:
1) Inputs: Major Cities

11. Geoprocessing Tool:
2) Inputs: State Border

12. Geoprocessing Tool:
3) Inputs: Ecoregions

13. Geoprocessing Tool
4) Inputs: Digital Elevation
Models (DEM)

14. Geoprocessing Tool: Final
Output
Intersection of all
inputs
Creates multipart
layer
All possible
reintroduction
locations

15. The Analyze Results Tool:
Summarize possible location fragments:
◦ Total Area, Perimeter
◦ Mean Area, Perimeter
◦ Max Area, Perimeter
Input is final intersected layer from Tool 1
Creates singlepart from multipart

16. Multipart vs. Singlepart
Analyze Results
Tool
Geoprocessing
Tool

17. The Mapbook Tool:
Create PDF of all possible reintroduction fragments
with information on fragment area and perimeter

18. How It Works

19. 1. Identify major cities

20. 2. Create desired buffer
around city

21. 3. Erase buffer from
whole state layer
4. Select desired
ecoregion
(optional: select desired
slope/ elevation)

22. 5. Find intersection
between erased buffer
layer & ecoregion

23. End of Geoprocessing
Tool:
1 multipart layer of
potential reintroduction
locations

24. End of Analyze Results
Tool:
1 singlepart layer of
potential reintroduction
locations, broken into
fragments; 1 summary
table

25. End of Mapbook Tool:
1 PDF of possible
locations, their area, and
their perimeter

26. An Example

27. The Sierra Nevada Bighorn
Sheep
• Endangered
• 500 left in wild
• Native habitat:
Sierra Nevada
Mountain range
(5,000 – 14,000
ft, steep slopes)

28. To the Toolbox!
NEEDS:
FAIRLY LARGE BUFFER (25 KM)
NO ELEVATION/SLOPE – TAKES TOO LONG
ECOREGION: SIERRA NEVADA