Selected Research
Beginning with Habitat: An Evaluation of the Map Package for Land Use Planning Purposes in Maine
Authors:
Raquel Ross
Abstract
Beginning with Habitat is an environment-oriented nonprofit organization.
This research project evaluates the Beginning with Habitat map package for
its effectiveness in land use planning. The Beginning with Habitat map package
provides towns with a wealth of information on rare plants, animals, water
resources, valuable wetlands and conserved lands in their locality. The maps
have been used by the Beginning with Habitat workgroup and towns for the past
six years but have not been evaluated outside the workgroup. This project looks
at the ways people interpret the maps and the ways in which the maps are used.
Study participants include state agencies that work in land use planning, town
comprehensive planning committees, town conservation commissions and students
from a geographic information systems course. This project uses a focus group
study approach and user surveys to analyze the map package. This research project
may be useful for not only the Beginning with Habitat workgroup but also for people
involved with land use planning tools and measures.
