As the body of research surrounding the benefits of Urban Green Infrastructure (UGI) grows, quest... more As the body of research surrounding the benefits of Urban Green Infrastructure (UGI) grows, questions regarding how and where UGI is implemented in regards to vulnerable populations require more investigation. Although US cities and municipalities have begun to examine the environmental justice implications of UGI placement, the spatial aggregation and connectivity characteristics of urban ecosystems in vulnerable areas aren’t always considered when making these decisions. Evidence suggests that connectivity of UGI can influence the ecosystem services UGI provides, but currently research into the differences in UGI connectivity between vulnerable and non-vulnerable populations is sparse. Understanding this relationship can help to better inform decisionmakers on how to effectively address discrepancies in UGI implementation while minimizing the expenditure of municipal resources.In this case study of Washington, DC, we explore relationships between metrics of ecosystem connectivity derived from high spatial resolution (1m) land cover maps and components of the US Center for Disease Control’s Social Vulnerability Index. These relationships are analyzed using PCA to uncover correlations between commonly used indicators of social vulnerability and the spatial patterns of land cover in a major US city.
Marine debris pollution is one of the most ubiquitous and pressing environmental issues affecting... more Marine debris pollution is one of the most ubiquitous and pressing environmental issues affecting our oceans today. Increased demand for new polymer products alongside the longevity and resistance to decomposition of the plastics currently in existence offers ocean ecosystems little relief from the barrage of mismanaged plastic waste that enters waters globally. Clean up efforts have been implemented across the planet with the goal of combating this scourge; however, resources to accomplish this goal are limited and the afflicted area is vast. With the assistance of remote sensing, mitigation efforts can be applied tactfully to maximize positive impacts while limiting expenditure of resources. Remotely sensed data can be applied indirectly, providing parameters for models predicting the paths of marine debris throughout the world's oceans, or directly, using remote sensors to locate areas with concentrations of debris in need of remediation. Although remote sensing technology ha...
Marine debris pollution is one of the most ubiquitous and pressing environmental issues affecting... more Marine debris pollution is one of the most ubiquitous and pressing environmental issues affecting our oceans today. Increased demand for new polymer products alongside the longevity and resistance to decomposition of the plastics currently in existence offers ocean ecosystems little relief from the barrage of mismanaged plastic waste that enters waters globally. Clean up efforts have been implemented across the planet with the goal of combating this scourge; however, resources to accomplish this goal are limited and the afflicted area is vast. With the assistance of remote sensing, mitigation efforts can be applied tactfully to maximize positive impacts while limiting expenditure of resources. Remotely sensed data can be applied indirectly, providing parameters for models predicting the paths of marine debris throughout the world's oceans, or directly, using remote sensors to locate areas with concentrations of debris in need of remediation. Although remote sensing technology ha...
As the body of research surrounding the benefits of Urban Green Infrastructure (UGI) grows, quest... more As the body of research surrounding the benefits of Urban Green Infrastructure (UGI) grows, questions regarding how and where UGI is implemented in regards to vulnerable populations require more investigation. Although US cities and municipalities have begun to examine the environmental justice implications of UGI placement, the spatial aggregation and connectivity characteristics of urban ecosystems in vulnerable areas aren’t always considered when making these decisions. Evidence suggests that connectivity of UGI can influence the ecosystem services UGI provides, but currently research into the differences in UGI connectivity between vulnerable and non-vulnerable populations is sparse. Understanding this relationship can help to better inform decisionmakers on how to effectively address discrepancies in UGI implementation while minimizing the expenditure of municipal resources.In this case study of Washington, DC, we explore relationships between metrics of ecosystem connectivity...
As the body of research surrounding the benefits of Urban Green Infrastructure (UGI) grows, quest... more As the body of research surrounding the benefits of Urban Green Infrastructure (UGI) grows, questions regarding how and where UGI is implemented in regards to vulnerable populations require more investigation. Although US cities and municipalities have begun to examine the environmental justice implications of UGI placement, the spatial aggregation and connectivity characteristics of urban ecosystems in vulnerable areas aren’t always considered when making these decisions. Evidence suggests that connectivity of UGI can influence the ecosystem services UGI provides, but currently research into the differences in UGI connectivity between vulnerable and non-vulnerable populations is sparse. Understanding this relationship can help to better inform decisionmakers on how to effectively address discrepancies in UGI implementation while minimizing the expenditure of municipal resources.In this case study of Washington, DC, we explore relationships between metrics of ecosystem connectivity derived from high spatial resolution (1m) land cover maps and components of the US Center for Disease Control’s Social Vulnerability Index. These relationships are analyzed using PCA to uncover correlations between commonly used indicators of social vulnerability and the spatial patterns of land cover in a major US city.
Marine debris pollution is one of the most ubiquitous and pressing environmental issues affecting... more Marine debris pollution is one of the most ubiquitous and pressing environmental issues affecting our oceans today. Increased demand for new polymer products alongside the longevity and resistance to decomposition of the plastics currently in existence offers ocean ecosystems little relief from the barrage of mismanaged plastic waste that enters waters globally. Clean up efforts have been implemented across the planet with the goal of combating this scourge; however, resources to accomplish this goal are limited and the afflicted area is vast. With the assistance of remote sensing, mitigation efforts can be applied tactfully to maximize positive impacts while limiting expenditure of resources. Remotely sensed data can be applied indirectly, providing parameters for models predicting the paths of marine debris throughout the world's oceans, or directly, using remote sensors to locate areas with concentrations of debris in need of remediation. Although remote sensing technology ha...
Marine debris pollution is one of the most ubiquitous and pressing environmental issues affecting... more Marine debris pollution is one of the most ubiquitous and pressing environmental issues affecting our oceans today. Increased demand for new polymer products alongside the longevity and resistance to decomposition of the plastics currently in existence offers ocean ecosystems little relief from the barrage of mismanaged plastic waste that enters waters globally. Clean up efforts have been implemented across the planet with the goal of combating this scourge; however, resources to accomplish this goal are limited and the afflicted area is vast. With the assistance of remote sensing, mitigation efforts can be applied tactfully to maximize positive impacts while limiting expenditure of resources. Remotely sensed data can be applied indirectly, providing parameters for models predicting the paths of marine debris throughout the world's oceans, or directly, using remote sensors to locate areas with concentrations of debris in need of remediation. Although remote sensing technology ha...
As the body of research surrounding the benefits of Urban Green Infrastructure (UGI) grows, quest... more As the body of research surrounding the benefits of Urban Green Infrastructure (UGI) grows, questions regarding how and where UGI is implemented in regards to vulnerable populations require more investigation. Although US cities and municipalities have begun to examine the environmental justice implications of UGI placement, the spatial aggregation and connectivity characteristics of urban ecosystems in vulnerable areas aren’t always considered when making these decisions. Evidence suggests that connectivity of UGI can influence the ecosystem services UGI provides, but currently research into the differences in UGI connectivity between vulnerable and non-vulnerable populations is sparse. Understanding this relationship can help to better inform decisionmakers on how to effectively address discrepancies in UGI implementation while minimizing the expenditure of municipal resources.In this case study of Washington, DC, we explore relationships between metrics of ecosystem connectivity...
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Papers by Zane Havens