CommunityViz: Basic Suitability Analysis

This class uses the CommunityViz Suitability Wizard to find the best locations for land conservation.  The introduction includes urban examples of suitability analysis, and suitability concepts based on the McHargian methodology.  The example implements a range of Suitability Wizard techniques including proximity to features, feature overlap, grid/raster extraction, attribute values and where clauses.  Slider bars for weighting of factors and separate scoring scenarios offer powerful decision-support capabilities.  The analysis prioritizes parcels for acquisition.   

The overview of suitability analysis includes some definitions, concepts, methods and history, including Ian McHarg’s Mylar overlays.   A list of more urban applications is offered with potential suitability factors.  Then specific examples of suitability are offered, including growth forecasting, demographics for environmental justice and retail site selection.

Project involves identifying the best conservation lands in western Teller County, Colorado. Protecting the Goldbelt Byway scenery, ranching, and wildlife habitat.  Datasets include big horn sheep habitat, potential conservation areas (biologic), hay meadows, grazing areas and a raster viewshed analysis. (Note that the advanced suitability course demonstrates how to create a viewshed in ArcGIS Spatial Analyst.) 

Create new analysis in Community from an existing project. Make the data layers dynamic. Run the Suitability Wizard based on road proximity, viewshed overlap, meadows, grazing land, big horn sheep habitat, PCA (potential conservation areas: biological), and wetlands.

Review the Suitability analysis results.  Set the symbology to quantities for the Suitability attribute.   View the chart of weighting factors to adjust results with the Assumption slider bars. Revise the road proximity factor to use only High Park Road using a where clause. Symbolize Road layer to see Guffey Road. Review the new results.

Create new Scenario; Ranching. Rename Base Scenario to Scenic. Scenarios review concepts. Reset assumptions for Ranching. Wildlife Scenario.  Compare charts of weighting factors.  Make Internet report; detailed report.  Review the Internet report and view images in report for export to a PowerPoint or document.