Applied GIS (NR 418) "Pismo Beach Monarch Butterflies: Temporal mapping & visual analysis of spatial distribution in Danaus plexippus species" 

January 2014-March 2014

The advanced GIS class I took gave me the opportunity to work at the Pismo Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove, helping the State Park map the locations and size of butterfly clusters within the grove. GIS (Geographic Information Systems) was used to display a day-to-day movement pattern of the butterflies, to show what trees had the largest clusters, and where the clusters were located on the tree. Our group went out and surveyed for butterflies, and after importing the spreadsheets into GIS we made professional maps and a few other digital products to deliver to the State Park Agency. The full report can be viewed to the right, and a digital 3D map of the cluster placement and of cumulative butterfly densities within the grove can be found below. 

For this project, I was specifically focused on the technical details of the GIS work flow, the preparation of the maps and digital products, and the graphic design of the report. 

Skills Developed:

• Using ArcScene 10.1 for displaying 3D data
• Geocoding addresses with an Address Locator
• Process documentation
• Effectively working as a part of a team
• Importing spreadsheets into ArcGIS
• Working with multiple agencies 
• Graphic design