Transcript Mapping Pedestrian Inaccessibility in Morgantown, West

Employing Participatory
GIS in Appalachia
Timothy L. Hawthorne
and
WVU A-SARD Team Members
Outline of Presentation
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Overview of Participatory GIS
The A-SARD collaboratory
A-SARD research in West Virginia
PGIS at the Scott’s Run study site
 PGIS at the Cheat Lake study site
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Reflections on the PGIS experience
Participatory GIS
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GIS produces formal (“objective”) knowledge
GIS does not typically include local knowledge
PGIS integrates qualitative information
(multimedia, mental maps, public opinions) with
quantitative data
Involves the public in the planning process
Illustrates socially differentiated realities
Enriches our understanding of place
PGIS & A-SARD
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The Appalachian-Southern Africa Research and
Development Collaboratory was established in 1999 by
WVU, the University of Pretoria, and the Catholic
University of Mozambique.
Case study areas are disparate regions, yet quite similar.
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Urban-rural interface
Local dependence on natural resources
Similar patterns of uneven development
Three sites in Monongalia County
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Scott’s Run (work in progress)
Cheat Lake/Cheat Neck (starting)
Blacksville (planned)
Monongalia County, WV
Study Area
Scott’s Run Study Site
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Mining camp in the early 20th century
Area has experienced business & development
cycles
Area is now beginning to experience growth
Sewer project expected to change landscape
 Open land for development
 Benefits accrue to land owners (not residents)
Local Issues in Scott’s Run
Pollution: direct sewer into acid
mine stream
Economic deterioration: empty
storefronts in Osage
PGIS in Scott’s Run
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Team tours and contact with key informants
Initial meetings and follow-ups
Expansion of study area (west and north)
Concentration of land ownership identified
Environmental degradation illustrated
Surveys of area residents conducted
Maps and database developed, linked
Local development activities enhanced
Scott’s Run Residential Survey Results
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Several common issues emerged from discussions with
community members:
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Near coal mines
Houses in area run down
Flooding problematic
Sewage & health issues
Virtually all community members said they did not
receive financial assistance to improve conditions
More than half of the people surveyed were below
$20,000 in income
More than 10 percent were African-American
64 percent owned their residence
Cheat Lake study site
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High growth corridor in the county
New residential housing, commercial activities
 Completion of highway corridor connector expected
in next 2 years
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Wealthiest portion of the county
Meetings with two county planners in the fall of
2003 helped establish initial contacts with
community.
Project plan in progress
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Work will be carried out in the summer/fall 2004
Local Issues in
Cheat Lake
Expected Outcomes in Cheat Lake
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Create GIS land use database for Monongalia County
planners (collaborating with Chris Fletcher)
Identify areas of community consensus and conflict
regarding critical land use issues
Integrate local knowledge into GIS with multimedia,
mental maps, and narratives
Provide local residents with GIS land use change data
to strengthen their arguments about critical land use
issues
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Important to document if their opinions of critical land use
issues change as they are exposed to GIS
Reflections on PGIS Experience
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Project plan needs to be in place prior to entering the
community
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Flexibility must also be present to explore the issues raised by
the community: let the community define their issues
Find key informants and an “in” with the community
Use multiple methods for collecting local knowledge
(public meetings, in-depth interviews, mapping
exercises, transect walks, etc)
Employing Participatory
GIS in Appalachia
For more information about the A-SARD
Project:
Please email Tim Hawthorne at
[email protected]