Location
Parker-Reed, SSWAC
Start Date
1-5-2014 9:00 AM
End Date
1-5-2014 10:00 AM
Project Type
Poster
Description
The objective of this project was to analyze vegetation changes around and within the borders of national parks in Costa Rica over the time period from 1990 to 2014. Edge effects are a common occurrence where two different habitats or ecological communities border one another. The majority of the national parks and reserves in Costa Rica have been placed under protection during the last 35 years. During this time period, tourism in the country has increased as conservation efforts have strengthened. The goal of this analysis is to use Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) to determine if conservation of protected areas has led to an increase in vegetation surrounding protected areas or if vegetation loss surrounding parks and reserves has occurred as a result of increased tourism and visitors to these popular areas. This analysis will provide evidence of either positive or negative impacts on edge vegetation and habitat following the protection of large tracts of land, particularly in tropical America.
Faculty Sponsor
Manny Gimond
Sponsoring Department
Colby College. Environmental Studies Program
CLAS Field of Study
Interdisciplinary Studies
Event Website
http://www.colby.edu/clas
ID
476
Included in
Vegetation Change Surrounding Parks and Reserves in Costa Rica from 1990-2000
Parker-Reed, SSWAC
The objective of this project was to analyze vegetation changes around and within the borders of national parks in Costa Rica over the time period from 1990 to 2014. Edge effects are a common occurrence where two different habitats or ecological communities border one another. The majority of the national parks and reserves in Costa Rica have been placed under protection during the last 35 years. During this time period, tourism in the country has increased as conservation efforts have strengthened. The goal of this analysis is to use Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) to determine if conservation of protected areas has led to an increase in vegetation surrounding protected areas or if vegetation loss surrounding parks and reserves has occurred as a result of increased tourism and visitors to these popular areas. This analysis will provide evidence of either positive or negative impacts on edge vegetation and habitat following the protection of large tracts of land, particularly in tropical America.
https://digitalcommons.colby.edu/clas/2014/program/328