The human footprint is a spatially explicit model designed to measure the impact of existing human disturbances on surrounding ecological systems. A number of different GIS layers are used as proxies to measure impacts, and a final human influence index score is developed. We explore a modification of this method that includes socio-economic and ecological systems to determine the impacts of proposed wind energy project developments in the western U.S. Given the advancements made in the quality and accessibility of spatial data, public land managers can benefit from a model designed to measure potential socio-economic and ecological changes resulting from proposed projects on a management-relevant spatial scale. Using the Chokecherry and Sierra Madre Wind Energy Development Project in south-central Wyoming as a pilot project, we will develop a framework for quantifying the total impact of human disturbance. We will develop an aggregate ecological score by combining data on wildlife species, soil erosion, and plant communities. Where available, existing models will be used to estimate changes realized in each ecological category. Our aggregate socio-economic score will consider changes to land values, existing land uses, and impacts on surrounding communities (e.g., job creation). Developing these scores will require identifying tolerance levels of spatial compactness, distance, and scale of wind energy development on each proxy. Our final human influence index will model the combined changes on ecological and socio-economic systems. Finally we will explore the effect of different weighting schemes based on priority designation of ecological and socio-economic objectives.
Oral presentation and poster titles, abstracts, and authors from the Society for Range Management (SRM) Annual Meetings and Tradeshows, from 2013 forward.