Papers by Stephen Ventura
The challenge now may be to develop a theory that weaves together these many elements. In a recen... more The challenge now may be to develop a theory that weaves together these many elements. In a recent publication, Tulloch, Niemann and Epstein (1996) propose a model meant to serve that purpose. The authors hope that future research, especially with this perspective incorporated, will continue at such a rate that this bibliography can quickly be rendered obsolete. Closing Thoughts This bibliography is humbly offered as a helpful resource for those interested in examining MPLIS development and related topics. This is meant as neither a partisan effort-having included the occasional contentious citation that some might prefer to not consider-nor as a complete or final bibliography on this topic-having made omissions by both deliberation and oversight. Of course, we would hope that future research will be such that this document will be eclipsed by a mountain of developments in this field. Finally, we would like thank some friendly reviewers who may no longer recognize this document, but who provided some important insights concerning the potential content of early versions of this bibliography. Reviewers include Peter Croswell, Harlan Onsrud, Joseph Ferreira, Zorica Nedovic-Budic and participants in the Mapping Science Committee's Workshop on the Future of Spatial Data and Society. We also express our appreciation to Dr. Michael Goodchild and NCGIA for showing an interest in this work and providing the support to make it a reality.
Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, May 1, 1988
... Principle: The referenceefmmewol-k. Accu-rate geodetic control provides the founda-tion for a... more ... Principle: The referenceefmmewol-k. Accu-rate geodetic control provides the founda-tion for a land information system. Geodetic control points are the pins that can be used to align layers of information. An accurate estimate ...
This unit is part of the NCGIA Core Curriculum in Geographic Information Science. These materials... more This unit is part of the NCGIA Core Curriculum in Geographic Information Science. These materials may be used for study, research, and education, but please credit the author, Stephen J. Ventura, and the project, NCGIA Core Curriculum in GIScience. All commercial rights reserved.
Natural Areas Journal, 2001
Regional conservation plans are developed and implemented to protect areas from human land uses t... more Regional conservation plans are developed and implemented to protect areas from human land uses that adversely affect biological diversity. Several different criteria have been used to identify locations with high biodiversity value; among these is wildness. We evaluated the extent of wildness of the Upper Great Lakes region of the United States (the Northwoods ) to identify areas for inclusion in a regional conservation plan. Using a geographic information system to organize data, we evaluated wildness using six different data layers in raster format: land cover classification, forest cover type, land ownership, human population density, road density, and wolf (Canis lupus L.) habitat suitability. For each data layer, we quantified wildness (more vs. less wild) based on threshold criteria. We classified pixels within data layers as more wild if: (1) forest is present, (2) the forest has the same general species composition since European settlement, (3) the area is in public ownership, (4) human population density is \u3c 1 person per km2, (5) road density is \u3c 0.5 km of road per km2, and (6) the probability that wolves would colonize the area exceeds 75%. We found all these measures of wildness to be significantly associated with each other based on chi-square tests of independence (adjusted P ? 0.001). We created a new data layer by combining five existing layers (all except the wolf colonization layer) using an overlay procedure. This new layer shows a gradient of wildness across the region, with only 5.7% of all pixels meeting all five wildness criteria. The probability of wolves colonizing an area increases with its wildness. The methods we use to evaluate wildness here can be used in conjunction with other methods of regional biodiversity assessment to guide acquisition and easement efforts, zoning policies, and land management activities as opportunities arise
Springer eBooks, 2003
5 Community Engagement in Land Use Planning Through Web-based Technologies Steve Ventura, Tracy M... more 5 Community Engagement in Land Use Planning Through Web-based Technologies Steve Ventura, Tracy Miller and Glen Barry Land Information ... Miskowiak, DM, Ventura, SJ and Sutphin, TE (2000) Farmland Preservation and GIS, Land Information Bulletin Technical Paper No ...
Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, May 1, 2003
Sustainability, Apr 25, 2019
Agroforestry represents a solution to land degradation by agriculture, but social barriers to wid... more Agroforestry represents a solution to land degradation by agriculture, but social barriers to wider application of agroforestry persist. More than half of all cropland in the USA is leased rather than owner-operated, and the short terms of most leases preclude agroforestry. Given insufficient research on tenure models appropriate for agroforestry in the USA, the primary objective of this study was to identify examples of farmers practicing agroforestry on land they do not own. We conducted interviews with these farmers, and, in several cases, with landowners, in order to document their tenure arrangements. In some cases, additional parties also played a role, such as farmland investors, a farmer operating an integrated enterprise, and non-profit organizations or public agencies. Our findings include eleven case studies involving diverse entities and forms of cooperation in multi-party agroforestry (MA). MA generally emerged from shared objectives and intensive planning. MA appears to be adaptable to private, investor, institutional, and public landowners, as well as beginning farmers and others seeking land access without ownership. We identify limitations and strategies for further research and development of MA.
Soil Science Society of America Journal, Apr 19, 2013
Soil saturated hydraulic conductivity (K s) is considered as soil basic hydraulic property, and i... more Soil saturated hydraulic conductivity (K s) is considered as soil basic hydraulic property, and its precision estimation is a key element in modeling water flow and solute transport processes both in the saturated and vadose zones. Although some predictive methods (e.g., pedotransfer functions, PTFs) have been proposed to indirectly predict K s , the accuracy of these methods still needs to be improved. In this study, some easily available soil properties (e.g., particle size distribution, organic carbon, calcium carbonate content, electrical conductivity, and soil bulk density) are employed as input variables to predict K s using a fuzzy inference system (FIS) trained by two different optimization techniques: particle swarm optimization (PSO) and genetic algorithm (GA). To verify the derived FIS, 113 soil samples were taken, and their required physical properties were measured (113 sample points × 7 factors = 791 input data). The initial FIS is compared with two methods: FIS trained by PSO (PSO-FIS) and FIS trained by GA (GA-FIS). Based on experimental results, all three methods are compared according to some evaluation criteria including correlation coefficient (r), modeling efficiency (EF), coefficient of determination (CD), root mean square error (RMSE), and maximum error (ME) statistics. The results showed that the PSO-FIS model achieved a higher level of modeling efficiency and coefficient of determination (R 2) in comparison with the initial FIS and the GA-FIS model. EF and R 2 values obtained by the developed PSO-FIS model were 0.69 and 0.72, whereas they were 0.63 and 0.54 for the GA-FIS model. Moreover, the results of ME and RMSE indices showed that the PSO-FIS model can estimate soil saturated hydraulic conductivity more accurate than the GA-FIS model with ME = 10.4 versus 11.5 and RMSE = 5.2 versus 5.5 for PSO-FIS and GA-FIS, respectively.
Ecological Applications, Feb 1, 2001
Although the vast majority of contemporary wildfires in the Upper Midwest of the United States ha... more Although the vast majority of contemporary wildfires in the Upper Midwest of the United States have a human origin, there has been no comprehensive analysis of the roles played by abiotic, biotic, and human factors in determining the spatial patterns of their origins across the region. The Upper Midwest, a 2.8 ϫ 10 5 km 2 area in the northern, largely forested parts of the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan, contains regions of varied land cover, soil type, human settlement densities, and land management strategies that may influence differences in the observed spatial distribution of wildfires. Using a wide array of satellite-and ground-based data for this region, we investigated the relationship between wildfire activity and environmental and social factors for Ͼ18 000 reported fires of all sizes between 1985 and 1995. We worked at two spatial scales to address the following questions: (1) Which abiotic, biotic, and human variables best explained decadescale regional fire activity during the study period? (2) Did the set of factors related to large fires differ from the set influencing all fires? (3) Did varying the spatial scale of analysis dramatically change the influence of predictive variables? (4) Did the set of factors influencing the number of fires in an area differ from the set of factors influencing the probability of the occurrence of even a single fire? These data suggest that there is no simple ''Lake States fire regime'' for the Upper Midwest. Instead, interpretation of modern fire patterns depends on both the fire size considered and the measurement of fire activity. Spatial distributions of wildfires using two size thresholds and viewed at two spatial scales are clearly related to a combination of abiotic, biotic, and human factors: no single factor or factor type dominates. However, the significant factors for each question were readily interpretable and consistent with other analyses of natural and human influences on fire patterns in the region. Factors seen as significant at one scale were frequently also significant at the other, indicating the robustness of the analysis across the two spatial resolutions. The methods for conducting this spatially explicit analysis of modern fire patterns (generalized linear regression at multiple scales using long-term wildfire data and a suite of environmental and social variables) should be widely applicable to other areas. Results of this study can serve as the basis for daily, seasonal, or interannual studies as well as the foundation for simulation models of future wildfire distribution.
Good Food, Strong Communities is a 304 page text that is suitable for not only the individual or ... more Good Food, Strong Communities is a 304 page text that is suitable for not only the individual or researcher but also the academic classroom. Edited by Steven Ventura and Martin Bailkey, it highlights research and urban agriculture practices aimed at combating hunger and food insecurity. By examining practices in place for urban agriculture and food
Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems
Silvopasture has gained attention as an agroecological practice that may simultaneously meet farm... more Silvopasture has gained attention as an agroecological practice that may simultaneously meet farmer goals and provide environmental benefits, including climate change mitigation. At the same time there are significant concerns about the potential for livestock to damage trees and forest soils. Like other innovative agroecological systems, silvopasture combines management complexity with limited research knowledge. Unlike annual crops, the effects of silvopasture management can take decades to assess and require forestry as well as agronomic expertise. We conducted mixed-methods research on silvopasture attitudes and knowledge among farmers, agricultural advisors, and foresters in Wisconsin between 2014 and 2019. We asked: (1) How do farmers who practice grazing, agricultural advisors, and foresters perceive silvopasture? and (2) How did coverage of silvopasture change between 2009 and 2019 in a popular grazing publication? Perceptions of silvopasture were influenced by recent weathe...
Management and planning of wban areas rcquires cuffent and abcurate information about land use. S... more Management and planning of wban areas rcquires cuffent and abcurate information about land use. Satellite imoge4l or aefial photography typically provide this infotmation.The choice oi a reiotely se:nsed data source entails tradeoffs be' tween cost, accuracy, specificity, and timeliness; require' ments arc often dictated by particulat applications of the land-use data. This paper investigates the incorporation of ancillary spatiol data to improve the accuracy and specificity of a land-use classification from Land.sat Themati.c MqPPet (rv) imagery for nonpoint soutce pollution modeling in a small urban area the city of Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. A post-classification model was developed to identifu and correct areas of confusion in the Landsat TM classifica' tion. Zoning and housing density data were used to modify the initial classification. Land-use classification accutacy im-proved and the'number of identifiable classes increased. Ad'ditiona]]v, confusion between c...
Journal of Environmental Management, 2019
Managing risk requires an adequate understanding of risk-factors that influence the likelihood of... more Managing risk requires an adequate understanding of risk-factors that influence the likelihood of a particular event occurring in time and space. Risk maps can be valuable tools for natural resource managers, allowing them to better understand spatial characteristics of risk. Risk maps can also support risk-avoidance efforts by identifying which areas are relatively riskier than others. However, risks, such as human-carnivore conflict, can be diverse, multi-faceted, and overlapping in space. Yet, efforts to describe risk typically focus on only one aspect of risk. We examined wolf complaints investigated in Wisconsin, USA for the period of 1999-2011. We described the spatial patterns of four types of wolf-human conflict: livestock depredation, depredation on hunting hounds, depredation on non-hound dogs, and human health and safety concerns (HHSC). Using predictive landscape models and discriminant functions analysis, we visualized the landscape of risk as a continuous surface of overlapping risks. Each type of conflict had its own unique landscape signature; however, the probability of any type of conflict increased closer to the center of wolf pack territories and with increased forest cover. Hunting hound depredations tended to occur in areas considered to be highly suitable wolf habitat, while livestock depredations occurred more regularly in marginal wolf habitat. HHSC and non-hound dog depredations were less predictable spatially but tended to occur in areas with low housing density adjacent to large wildland areas. Similar to other research evaluating the risk of human-carnivore conflict, our data suggests that human-carnivore conflict is most likely to occur where humans or human property and large carnivores co-occur. However, identifying areas of co-occurrence is only marginally valuable from a conservation standpoint and could be described using spatially-explicit human and carnivore data without complex analytical approaches. These results challenge our traditional understanding of risk and the standard approach used in describing risk. We suggest that a more comprehensive understanding of the risk of human-carnivore conflict can be achieved by examining the spatial and non-spatial factors influencing risk within areas of co-occurrence and by describing the landscape of risk as a continuous surface of multiple overlapping risks.
Journal of Water Management Modeling, 2004
An Erosion Control and Stormwater Management Ordinance was recently adopted in Dane County, Wisco... more An Erosion Control and Stormwater Management Ordinance was recently adopted in Dane County, Wisconsin, U.S.A. The thermal control section of this ordinance is one of the first in the nation designed to control heated runoff from impervious surfaces in order to protect cold water streams. This section of the ordinance applies to most new development projects draining to a cold water stream. Temperature reduction practices are required to reduce the potential thermal impact of such development projects. In order for the thermal control section of this ordinance to be successfully implemented, developers, engineers and county officials must be able to assess the impact of proposed development projects on stream temperatures. A Thermal Urban RunoffModel (TURM) was developed for this purpose. TURM predicts runoff temperatures and flow rates from both pervious and impervious surfaces using weather and landscape factors. It also predicts the effectiveness of management practices for reducing thermal impact. Wilson et al. (2004) and Roa-Espinosa et al. (2003) validated TURM for predicting runoff temperatures in Dane County during four storms in the summer of 1999 and seven storms in the summer of 2000. Assumed values of weather variables are required to use TURM to predict the thermal impact of a proposed development project. Weather statistics were collected from several stations and a sensitivity analysis of TURM to each of these variables was done in order to select storm conditions with significant thermal impact potential in Dane County. Selecting the design storm values was a key step in shifting TURM from being a validated model to actually being
This report describes initial findings from the 2011 Bioenergy Crop Production Study, a mail surv... more This report describes initial findings from the 2011 Bioenergy Crop Production Study, a mail survey of active farmers in southwestern Wisconsin. Overall, the near-term prospects for widespread bioenergy crop production appear limited, primarily due to on-going commitments that these farms have to their integrated crop and livestock enterprises. However, spatial agglomerations or 'hotspots' of bioenergy crop production, and the lower logistical biomass collection costs that come with it, may arise in locations where attitudes towards bioenergy policy and environmental stewardship are favorable.
Journal of Soil and …, 1988
S. 1, Ventura and R. F. Gurda are research specialists with the Land Information and Com-puter Gr... more S. 1, Ventura and R. F. Gurda are research specialists with the Land Information and Com-puter Graphics Facility, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Mad-ison, 53706; NR Chrisman is an assistant pro-fessor in the Department of Geography, ...
Progress in community health partnerships : research, education, and action, 2016
• The Growing Healthy Soil for Healthy Communities project seeks to explore the relationship betw... more • The Growing Healthy Soil for Healthy Communities project seeks to explore the relationship between urban backyard gardening and lead exposure risk in children and families.
License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided t... more License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Population growth (or decline) is influenced by many factors that fall into the broad realms of demographic characteristics, socioeconomic conditions, transportation infrastructure, natural amenities, and land use and development across space and time. This paper adopts an integrated spatial regression approach to investigate the spatial and temporal variations of these factors’ effects on population change. Specifically, we conduct the analysis at the minor civil division level in Wisconsin, USA, from 1970 to 2000. The results suggest that the factors have varying effects on population change over time and across rural, suburban, and urban areas. Their effects depend upon the general trend of population redistribution processes, local dynamics, and areal characteristics. Overall, a systematic examination of population change should consider a variety ...
Uploads
Papers by Stephen Ventura