A Geospatial Inventory and Preliminary Valuation of Human Uses of Rhode Island Coastal Ponds presented at the May 19th, 2014 Shellfish Management Plan Stakeholder meeting.

1. Rob Thompson, MAF, University of Rhode Island
Tracey Dalton, MAF, University of Rhode Island
Jim Opaluch, ENRE, University of Rhode Island
Eric Schneider, RI DEM
John Lake, RI DEM
A Geospatial Inventory and Preliminary
Valuation of Human Uses of Rhode Island
Coastal Ponds
Department of
Marine Affairs
University of
Rhode Island

2. Overview
 Two-year project.
 Collect data in the summers of 2014 and 2015.
 High resolution spatial data concerning human use of the
coastal ponds.
 Surveys of pond users to better understand how they use,
experience, and value the ponds.
 Surveys of shellfish populations.
 Multiple goals.
 To collect robust spatial data of human uses and
environmental conditions.
 Better understand current conditions
 Model proposals

3. Mapping and Modeling Human Uses
 What can be mapped and modeled?
 Spatial
 Basic physical footprint
 Intensity of the use
 Travel and operating patterns
 Temporal
 Seasonality (we will only do summer)
 Hours of day
 Tides and weather conditions
 Behavioral attributes of the use
 Potential conflicts
 Potential synergies
 Economic values

4. Methods for Mapping and Valuation
 Human uses (URI)
 Intercept surveys and mapping
 Boat based offset transect surveys (B-BOTS)
 Shellfish resource assessments and mapping (RI
DEM) based upon results of B-BOTS and random
sampling.
 Collecting all currently available geospatial data for
the coastal ponds.
 Over 50 datasets thus far, including environmental, social and
regulatory spatial data.

5. Methods: Intercept Surveys
 Short intercept surveys of people using the ponds.
 Boat ramps, marinas, kayak rental, mooring fields, anchored
boats, and along shore.
 Dates and times for intercept surveys will be
randomly selected to avoid bias.
 Selection of interviewees.
 Participatory mapping.
 Ask people to record their last trip and current trip.
 Route and place where they spent the most time.
 Other activities that enhance or degrade their experiences.

6. Methods: Intercept Surveys
 Attitudinal questions
 Parking
 Access
 Trash
 Various management options
 Economic and demographic questions
 Travel distances
 Trips per year
 Age
 Income ranges

7. Boat-Based Offset Transect Surveys

8. How it works.
 Transects lines will be laid
out on each pond.
 A boat following the
transects will be able to
survey the entire pond.
 Randomly selected
 Days
 Time periods
 Order of transects
 Laser locator binoculars
and GPS
 Measure the straight line
distance & angle to every
observation
 Calculate position of each
observation

9. Recording Attributes in ArcPad

10. Recording Attributes in ArcPad
 The list of attributes will be
updated based upon key
informants and on-the-pond
testing.
 Create a series of drop down
choice menus that
immediately appears when a
record was created.
 The recorder would enter data
by tapping.
 Record weather (temp., cloud
cover, wind direction) and sea
state every hour.

11. All Boating Activity

12. Putting it all together
 Examples
 Economic study can put values on various activities and then
those values can be distributed across the ponds based on B-
BOTS.
 The intercept survey can provide information about how users
perceive interactions and B-BOTS can be used to map those
interactions.
 Intercept mapping can be used to provide information about
routes and destinations, while B-BOTS accurately maps overall
usage of space.
 The RI DEM shellfish assessment and B-BOTS together will
tell us about the human impact on shellfish.

13. Thank you

14. Modeling Indicators
and Planning for Shellfish Management
 Developing impact relevant attributes.
 Noise, Light
 Hours
 Frequency
 E.g. daily or once a year.
 Seasonal activities
 Movement in and out of use areas
 Impacts into indicators and standards
 Perceptions of attributes by others
 Accuracy of perceptions
 Modeling possible impacts
 Modeling mitigation

15. Working Shellfishermen
Summer 2007

16. Working & Motoring
Shellfishermen