AGX 2026 Blended Format Conference: From Geographic Theory to Practice in the Age of AI

Nov 5, 2026, 12:00 AM → Nov 13, 2026, 11:59 PM America/New_York

AGX 2026 Blended Format Conference: From Geographic Theory to Practice in the Age of AI examines how geographic concepts, methods, and technologies are being translated into practical responses to contemporary social, environmental, economic, and infrastructural challenges. The conference emphasizes the continuing importance of spatial thinking, geographic expertise, and human judgment as artificial intelligence becomes more deeply integrated into research, policy, planning, and professional practice.

Through its combined in-person and online format, AGX 2026 will bring together researchers, practitioners, educators, students, and community partners to share theoretical advances, applied studies, technical innovations, and critical perspectives on the evolving relationship between geography and AI.

Registration for AGX 2026 is $125 for professionals and $60 for students. A single registration provides access to both components of the blended conference: the in-person meeting in Pittsburgh on November 5–6 and the online conference on November 12–13. Registration payments are processed through PayPal; however, participants may pay directly with a credit or debit card without creating a PayPal account. The registration deadline is October 12, 2026.

Important Note: You do not need a PayPal account to pay. At checkout, be sure to turn off the option that says “Create my PayPal account for Purchase Protection on eligible purchases.” Once you disable it, the password requirement will disappear, and no PayPal account will be created.

Thu, November 5

12:00 PM → 1:00 PM Geospatial Technologies: Geographic Visualization as Analytical Method: Narrative, History, and Accessibility

Convener: Alyssa Hoog (City of St. Louis Board of Public Service)

12:00 PM Space and Film: Geography as a Major Actor

Cinema frequently treats geographic space as a backdrop to narrative, yet landscapes, routes, borders, and places can actively shape characters, plot development, and the meaning of cinematic stories. Space and Film: Geography as a Major Actor examines how geographic space functions as an active narrative element through interactive geospatial analysis and visualization.
The project uses Esri ArcGIS and ArcGIS StoryMaps to map cinematic locations, character journeys, and the changing geographic and economic footprints of film franchises. Case studies include The Sheltering Sky, Into the Wild, Wild, and the James Bond franchise. Original and adapted spatial datasets are combined with film imagery and narrative analysis to examine how environments influence survival, psychological transformation, and thematic development. The James Bond analysis additionally illustrates changes in the franchise's geopolitical and production scale, contrasting the relatively localized geography of Dr. No (1962) with the global spatial footprint of Spectre (2015).
Interactive StoryMaps components—including Sidecars, Slideshows, and Guided Tours—are used to integrate spatial data with narrative interpretation. These interfaces allow users to follow character journeys, compare geographic scales across films and historical periods, and connect specific locations to cinematic events.
The project demonstrates how GIS and interactive cartography can make the spatial dimensions of film tangible and analytically accessible. It contributes to applied geography by extending geospatial storytelling into cultural and media analysis and demonstrating how spatial technologies can reveal relationships among place, narrative, geopolitics, and human experience.

Speaker: Boris Michev (University of Pittsburgh)

12:20 PM Seeing the U-boat Campaign of World War II through Geographic Visualization: Spatial, Temporal, and Commander Patterns

Geography played a central role in the U-boat campaign of World War II, whose operations extended across the world’s oceans and seas. Yet histories of the campaign have often relied primarily on text-based narratives, limiting readers’ ability to assess the campaign’s spatial and temporal dimensions. We demonstrate how data-driven geographic visualizations can provide a more comprehensive account of the campaign’s spatial scale, temporal pacing, and scope. We analyzed records associated with the approximately 3,500 Allied ships sunk or damaged by U-boats and the nearly 850 U-boats lost throughout 1939–1945. We developed cartographic and graphical visualizations that reveal patterns not readily apparent in conventional accounts. Small multiples, multivariate maps, and other cartographic symbolization methods show how the locations and timing of Allied and U-boat losses varied spatially and temporally across operational theaters. Mapping Operation Drumbeat (Paukenschlag), the concerted U-boat operation against shipping in American waters reveals a southward progression of U-boat attacks from Canadian waters to the Gulf of Mexico between January and July 1942. Complementary graphical methods, including bubble plots, condegrams (spiral histograms), and ridgeline plots (vertically stacked, partially overlapping symbols), highlight commander performance. Bubble plots show that the 34 commanders who accumulated over 100,000 tons, the so-called “aces,” generally operated around Great Britain, the North Atlantic, and during Paukenschlag, whereas the “ace” category largely disappeared among commanders who were active later or operated in more distant theaters (e.g., the Indian Ocean). We acknowledge that factors other than distance such as stronger Allied escorts, convoys, air cover, and radar technology, may also have contributed to the decline in tonnage for commanders. Together, these visualizations transform historical records into spatial evidence of changing operational reach and of the relationships among geography, time, and commander performance, offering a richer analytical perspective than text-based narratives alone.

Keywords: geographic visualization, mapping, cartographic symbolization, and data science

Speaker: Fritz Kessler (Penn State University)

1:10 PM → 2:10 PM Geospatial Technologies: Applied GIS for Equity and Land-Use Decision Support

Convener: Patrick Tuinstra (Student at University of Pittsburgh)

1:10 PM Spatiotemporal analytics of demographic vulnerability to urban water hardship

Urban water insecurity is an increasingly important challenge for cities worldwide, with significant implications for public health, environmental justice, and sustainable urban development. Limited research has examined the spatiotemporal distribution of water service disruptions and their disproportionate impacts on vulnerable populations. We investigate demographic vulnerability to recurring Boil Water Notices (BWNs) in Jackson, Mississippi, USA, using historical BWN records from 2016 to 2024. A geospatial workflow integrating GIS, Python, OpenStreetMap (OSM), census data, and building-footprint-based dasymetricdasymetric mapping was developed to transform street-address-based BWN records into census block-level datasets. We employed Getis–Ord Gi hotspothot spot analysis and hotspothot spot comparison analytics to evaluate the spatial coincidence between recurring BWN hotspothot spots and demographic characteristics. The results reveal persistent spatial inequalities in BWN exposure to older adults, populations with lower educational attainment, Black residents, individuals living below the poverty line, and children under five years of age. Older adults exhibited the strongest and most persistent spatial association with BWN hotspothot spots, followed by lower-education, Black, and low-income populations. In contrast, higher-income and highly educated populations generally experienced lower and less persistent exposure. BWN exposure is not randomly distributed across the city but instead overlaps with existing socioeconomic vulnerabilities, suggesting growing disparities in urban water hardship over time. By utilizing historical BWN records as indicators of water service disruptions, this study advances understanding of urban water vulnerability and service delivery inequality while providing a transferable framework for identifying communities disproportionately affected by urban water insecurity and informing more equitable and resilient water governance strategies.strong text*

Speaker: Qingmin Meng (Mississippi State University)

1:30 PM Beyond Suitability Mapping: Parcel Typologies for Agrivoltaic Planning Across Agricultural Resources, Property Use, and Grid Access

Agrivoltaic planning increasingly requires moving beyond identifying where solar–agriculture co-location is technically suitable toward understanding how candidate parcels differ in agricultural resources, existing land use, and infrastructure conditions. This study develops a parcel-level typology for agrivoltaic planning in Connecticut by integrating a statewide GIS suitability framework with farmland soil classifications, assessor property-use data, and proximity to electric distribution infrastructure. Candidate parcels were characterized by agricultural-resource value, property-use context, and grid accessibility and classified into four implementation typologies. Across approximately 16,366 hectares of suitable land, 49.2% overlaps prime farmland soils and 29.8% overlaps soils of statewide importance, indicating that technical suitability frequently coincides with high-value agricultural resources. The typologies reveal distinct combinations of agricultural value, property use, and infrastructure access that imply different planning opportunities, tradeoffs, and implementation constraints. Rather than treating suitability mapping as a final siting decision, the framework positions GIS screening as the first stage of a broader decision-support process in which candidate parcels are differentiated before project-level evaluation. The study demonstrates how applied geographic analysis can move renewable-energy planning from generalized suitability toward parcel-specific implementation contexts and more context-sensitive siting decisions.

Speaker: Zahra Salehi (University of connecticut)

1:50 PM Tree Cover Analysis of Vacant Parcels in Swissvale, PA

Situated just east of Pittsburgh, Swissvale Borough faces several environmental challenges, including a large inventory of vacant land. In recent years, Swissvale Economic Development Corporation (SEDCO) has joined with neighboring communities to develop a Climate Action Plan (CAP). The research presented here is part of Swissvale’s CAP. Two questions are addressed: What is the borough-wide tree canopy coverage percentage? What is the tree canopy coverage percentage for each vacant parcel in the borough?

The data used in this analysis included parcel boundaries for Swissvale borough, a vacant parcel layer obtained from researchers at the University of Pittsburgh, tree canopy cover from the USDA Forest Service National Land Cover Database (30-meter resolution) for 2021 and point data on the location of street trees from the Swissvale Shade Tree Advisory Committee. The NLCD canopy layer was clipped to Swissvale’s and individual vacant parcels boundaries. For each vacant parcel, percent canopy coverage was calculated using overlay analysis.

The results show that approximately 19% of Swissvale Borough is covered by tree canopy. This amount of coverage is considerably lower than that of neighboring communities. A comparison of the average percentage of tree canopy coverage between vacant and non-vacant parcels shows that the former account for the majority of the borough’s tree canopy coverage. This suggests that vacant land potentially may function as a useful environmental resource in future stormwater-management and urban greening strategies for the area. The average percentage of tree canopy coverage across vacant parcels varies from less than 15 percent to approximately 100. The distribution of the borough’s tree canopy, like vacant land, is scattered and discontinuous. The only continuous areas of tree canopy are along the Monongahela River and the borough’s boundary with Rankin Borough.

Speaker: Patrick Tuinstra (Student at University of Pittsburgh)

2:20 PM → 3:20 PM Infrastructure & Urban Systems: Mapping Infrastructure Burdens and Unequal Access

Convener: Sonia Degneholtz (University of Pittsburgh)

2:20 PM Mapping the Water Footprint of Rural Data Center Development: A Watershed-Based Assessment of the Proposed Ridgeline Facility in Davis and Thomas, West Virginia

In the age of AI and cloud computing, siting data centers has become a hot button issue for many rural communities. At stake is access to rural areas’ abundant land and water resources. However, localized spatial analyses of their hydrological impacts remain scarce. This study assessed the proposed 1,500 MW Ridgeline Project natural gas power plant, potentially co-locating a hyperscale data center in the Blackwater River watershed of Tucker County, West Virginia.
Using ArcGIS pro, a watershed analysis was performed to delineate the facility’s local watershed and water footprint, along with its spatial relationship to the neighboring upstream towns of Thomas and Davis. A digital elevation model was processed through flow accumulation modeling, then a pour point at the proposed site revealed the specific drainage pathways it would be pulling water from.
Water consumption was estimated using established energy to water conversion metrics, projecting 24.6 billion gallons of annual withdrawal at full capacity, roughly 1.1% of the Blackwater River’s mean annual discharge. The seasonal impacts are variable, especially during low-flow periods which could influence the community’s outdoor recreation culture. The direct area of withdrawal was found to be connected to a drainage pathway that runs in between the towns before entering the Blackwater River. These findings were contextualized against community priorities from their municipal comprehensive plans, which highlighted social conflicts around transparency, light and noise pollution, and stormwater management.
This geospatial workflow offers a replicable approach for evaluating the hydrological, and thus, socio-cultural impacts of data centers in rural, resource dependent watersheds with direct relevance to permitting and policy decisions.

Speaker: Alexa Malm (University of Pittsburgh)

2:40 PM Quality of Bus Service and grocery store access in Pittsburgh, PA

good, reliable bus service is an essential part of everyday life for many urban residents. Access to reliable bus service often varies by location, socio-economic status of a neighborhood and the type of bus service offered. This research addresses one question: How efficient public transportation impact access to affordable grocery stores in Pittsburgh? Accessibility to public transit is measured on several dimensions: frequency of bus service, number of stops within a neighborhood, walking distance from stops to both homes and essential services, travel time, and overall reliability.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is used to analyze and visualize the relationship between the type and reliability of bus service and grocery store location for City of Pittsburgh neighborhoods categorized by mean income. Data on bus stops, bus routes, service frequency, types of grocery stores and location and neighborhood mean income levels used in this research are obtained from the Western Pennsylvania Regional Data Center. Type of bus services is measured using an index (Quality Index) calculated using number of stops and bus lines in a neighborhood, and frequency of service. This index is then used to rank neighborhoods. On-Time Performance (OTP) is then used to rank neighborhoods. The correlation between the number of grocery stores, neighborhood income and OTP and the Quality Index is measured.

The results show that neighborhoods with lower median income households have lower access to bus stops and less frequent routes. Additionally lower income neighborhoods are also often farther away from healthy, affordable grocery stores throughout Pittsburgh.

Speaker: Emma Coleman

3:00 PM The Barrier Effect: Reddling and Urban Highways in Pittsburgh

Urban highways were built at massive scale during the 20th century's motorization era, often cutting directly through dense urban fabric. Today, millions of urban residents live adjacent to these highways, and while the health and environmental effects are well documented, the social and physical costs remain comparatively understudied. The placement of highways has historically reflected deep racial and economic inequities. Recent research indicates that there is a correlation between parts of urban areas that were redlined and areas where highways were constructed. The barrier effect refers to the way a highway disrupts pedestrian and social connectivity between areas that would otherwise function as a single neighborhood. One of the most tangible manifestations of the barrier effect is the way urban highways “physically sever the local street network” and create disjointed and isolated areas within a preexisting community. This is particularly a problem in predominantly non-white and low income neighborhoods. This matters because the disruption of connective infrastructure affects social cohesion and the psychological experience of place.
This presentation will explore how redlining and urban highways have contributed to spatial segregation in two Pittsburgh neighborhoods, Manchester and the Hill District. This paper will analyze historic maps of Pittsburgh, including redlining maps and GEOTIFF aerial imagery to understand how street grids have changed before and after highway development. There will also be quantitative analysis based on an existing framework for measuring the barrier effect to analyze the social implications of spatial segregation.

Speaker: Sonia Degneholtz (University of Pittsburgh)

3:30 PM → 4:30 PM Equity & Well Being: Spatial Inequality in Access and Opportunity

Convener: Andrew Bruck (University of Pittsburgh)

3:50 PM Does Gender Matter? Contrasting Students’ Survey and Focus-Group Perspectives on OER

Open Educational Resources (OER) can reduce textbook costs and improve access, but gender differences in students’ OER experiences remain understudied. This mixed-methods study examined students’ use and perceptions of OER textbooks in online and hybrid science courses. Anonymous surveys revealed notable gender differences in reported textbook usage and perceived helpfulness. However, during in-person focus groups, all 21 participants stated that they did not believe gender influenced their experiences with the materials. This contrast suggests that gender-associated patterns may exist without being consciously recognized, although differences could also relate to modality, digital confidence, prior experience, or learning preferences. The findings highlight the value of combining anonymous surveys with qualitative data and may inform more inclusive OER design and instructional support.

Speaker: Dr Jia Lu (Valdosta State University)

4:10 PM Examining a Correlation Between Redlining and Food Insecurity in Philadelphia

A key part of creating equitable cities is to ensure sufficient access to healthy and affordable food for all residents. Accomplishing this ranges from eliminating food deserts, increasing public transportation options so residents can efficiently reach grocery stores, and creating more sustainable food infrastructure such as community gardens, farmers markets, and composting sites. With that said, historically, access to sustainable food infrastructure and healthy food in general is marked by large racial disparities, with members of the African American community often being unable to get equitable access to these community services, with a common reason for this dating back to the redlining of the nation’s cities by the HOLC. This research examines what the correlation is between Philadelphia’s red-lined neighborhoods and its neighborhoods experiencing food insecurity.
This research was done using ArcGISPro 3.3.1. Data on race, as well as the locations of community gardens, farmers markets, and compost sites were obtained from OpenDataPhilly. Data on former HOLC grading maps of the city were taken from the Philadelphia City Controller. The results of the analysis show that sustainable food infrastructure, and food accessibility in general, within Philadelphia’s Black neighborhoods, is extremely low. Only three out of the city's twenty-two farmers markets are located in a previously segregated census tract. Within these communities the population is still predominately African American, reflecting the history of redlining that occurred in the 19th century. In addition, some of the furthest level of walkability to grocery stores were in formerly redlined neighborhoods such as in South and Southwest Philadelphia. Given this analysis, it is clear that Philadelphia’s communities that experienced redlining still experience a greater level of food insecurity to this day.

Speaker: Andrew Bruck (University of Pittsburgh)

4:40 PM → 5:40 PM Beyond AI: Expanding & Emerging Opportunities

Convener: Sean Crotty (Texas Christian University)

4:40 PM Who Needs a Business Geographer? Teaching and Research in the Age of Push-Button Spatial Analysis

Business geography has always lived in an awkward place. In many geography departments, the intellectual prestige attaches to critical economic geography, while applied work in site selection, trade area analysis, and market segmentation is treated as something closer to vocational training than scholarship. Meanwhile, drive-time polygons, demographic lookups, and AI-assisted spatial analysis are now available to anyone with a browser and a credit card, and the analyst asking the questions is increasingly not a geographer. Easier tools. Faster answers. Fewer geographers in the room.

This roundtable invites participants to take up three questions. First, how do business geographers build and defend applied curricula in departments that do not always value them? Second, as low-barrier tools and AI absorb the routine tasks that once defined the field, where does a geographic perspective still add something a dashboard cannot? We suspect the answer lies in reasoning about scale, spatial dependence, and uncertainty, and in what we might call the census-to-sidewalk gap: the distance between where customers are counted and where they actually go. Third, how can we use emerging tools to make that case rather than simply competing with them?

As one example, the organizer will share a synthetic mobile device location dataset built for teaching. Commercial foot-traffic data is expensive enough that few departments can justify buying it for a classroom, which means many students graduate without ever handling the data their employers rely on. A synthetic dataset lets students work through the full analytical process, from deriving a customer profile from device visits to comparing it against traditional spatial interpolation methods, without the licensing bill. It does not replace real data. It does let students learn what to distrust about it.

We welcome faculty, students, and practitioners, including those who see the field’s future differently.

Speaker: Sean Crotty (Texas Christian University)

Thu, November 12

9:00 AM → 10:20 AM AGX Special Sessions: Get Published: Strategies for publishing your work

Conveners: Dawna Cerney (Youngstown State University), Qingmin Meng (Mississippi State University)

9:00 AM → 10:20 AM Poster Session

Convener: Christopher Badurek (State University of New York at Cortland)

9:00 AM Integrating Mobile App Mapping and GIS-based Models of Invasive Plants at College Campus Scale

The presence of invasive plants has been well-documented across the Finger Lakes Region. While sampling efforts have demonstrated presence, few studies examine means of dispersal at sub-regional scales. In order to further develop predictive GIS models, a geodatabase synthesizing three data collection sources, land use land cover, hydrology, and anthropogenic data layers were created for the scale of the SUNY Cortland campus and adjacent parcels. Plant species presence and absence maps of garlic mustard were created in ArcGIS Pro. GIS point and polygon data were integrated from field surveys conducted by undergraduate students in the GPS Technology course over the years of 2022, 2024, and 2026 at SUNY Cortland and additional data points downloaded from iMapInvasives. Preliminary GIS analysis of field data collected across the forest area indicates invasives are not evenly distributed and land cover type affects distribution. Sample data were used to develop a GIS-based predictive model and compared with collected presence and absence data. A web GIS dashboard for data visualization and analytics was developed as an exemplar for invasive species management.

Speaker: Dr Christopher Badurek (State University of New York at Cortland)

9:20 AM Using Geo AI and Machine Learning to Estimate Exurban Growth in Finger Lakes, NY

Abstract: Is exurban development a contributing factor to degraded water quality in the Finger Lakes? Ontario County in the Finger Lakes region is one place in upstate New York experiencing an increase of housing developments due to influx of new residents from Rochester, suburban Monroe County, and northeastern states to Canandaigua Lake. This study uses GeoAI analysis to classify kinds of new developments and forecasts future development for the region. ArcGIS Pro was used to map residential property values from the Ontario County Land Parcel database to determine areas of growth. In addition, Land Use Land Cover data analysis of the National Land Cover Database was used to determine rate of land conversion to residential over snapshot years of 2001, 2008, 2016, and 2019. Finally, the AI approach of multivariate clustering was used to identify 4 clusters of housing development types from an N=1435 developments over the years 2020-2025 in Ontario County. Results indicate most rapid development in the smaller housing development clusters with geographic hotspots in the townships and large housing development clusters in proximity to Canandaigua Lake.

Speaker: Dr Christopher Badurek (State University of New York at Cortland)

9:40 AM GIS-Based Trail Accessibility Assessment at Lime Hollow Nature Center, NY

Outdoor recreation, such as hiking, is an important
component of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, especially in
regions such as Central New York where natural areas are
abundant. Hiking trails provide opportunities for people to
connect with the environment, making it important that
individuals of all abilities can access and experience these
spaces. However, many environmental and physical factors
can influence the difficulty and accessibility of hiking trails.
This study evaluates trail accessibility at Lime Hollow
Nature Center in Cortland, New York using Geographic
Information Systems (GIS) and field-based data collection.
Trail width, surface type, slope, and obstacles were
recorded at 32 points along the Art Meadow Loop and
Lehigh Valley Trail, standardized into a weighted
Accessibility Index, and analyzed using Kernel Density
Estimation to identify spatial clusters of accessibility
challenges. The analysis highlights areas with more difficult
trail conditions and indicates where accessibility may be
improved.

Speaker: Dr Christopher Badurek (State University of New York at Cortland)

10:00 AM Weather-Constrained UAV Deployability for Remote Sensing and Agricultural Applications in Southwestern Ohio

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are increasingly used for high-resolution remote sensing, environmental monitoring, and precision agriculture, yet their practical deployment is strongly constrained by weather. This study evaluates the temporal availability of suitable UAV operating conditions in Greene and Clark Counties, Ohio, with the objective of quantifying when mapping, remote-sensing, and agricultural spraying missions can be conducted reliably.

Hourly meteorological observations from Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport for 2021–2025 were analyzed using reproducible, rule-based operational thresholds. Daytime mapping and remote-sensing operations were considered deployable when wind speed was ≤7 m s⁻¹, precipitation was absent, and temperature was between 0 and 40°C. Spraying operations used a stricter wind threshold of <6 m s⁻¹ and were additionally evaluated using 2- and 6-hour forward rain-free windows. Deployability was summarized annually, seasonally, and for the April–October primary agricultural period.

Results reveal clear seasonal and mission-specific differences in operational availability. Wind and precipitation are the dominant constraints, while spraying missions are more restrictive than mapping missions, particularly when extended rain-free periods are required. The analysis demonstrates that nominal UAV capability does not directly translate into consistent field availability and that mission type substantially affects usable operating windows.

By converting historical weather records into mission-specific deployability metrics, this study provides a practical framework for UAV field planning, remote-sensing data acquisition, and agricultural decision-making. The approach can support more reliable scheduling, improve data-collection consistency, and inform geographically specific UAV applications in applied environmental and agricultural research.

Keywords:
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs); Remote Sensing; Weather Constraints; Mission Planning; Precision Agriculture

Speaker: Huanyang Zhao (Central State University)

10:30 AM → 11:50 AM Economic & Regional Development: Mapping Need & Driving Change

Convener: Jia Lu (Valdosta State University)

10:30 AM Bridging the Housing Gap: University–Community Partnerships for Affordable Housing

Affordable housing has become increasingly difficult to obtain in many U.S. communities due to rising costs and limited housing availability. This research examines how a partnership between universities and communities could help address local affordable housing needs. Through a literature review and interviews with universities involved in successful housing partnerships, the study explored planning processes, stakeholder engagement, funding strategies, and project outcomes. Findings indicate that universities can play a meaningful role in supporting affordable housing through collaboration, resource allocation, and community engagement. For small cities, the most practical approach may combine support for existing housing initiatives with ongoing assessment of community housing needs and program effectiveness.

Speaker: Jia Lu (Valdosta State University)

10:50 AM The True Impact Community Gardens Have on Food Deserts and Food Insecurity

Access to healthy and affordable food is an important part of maintaining good health and quality of life. However, many communities experience food insecurity due to limited access to grocery stores and fresh food options. Food deserts are areas where residents have difficulty accessing nutritious food, especially in low-income neighborhoods and rural communities. Community gardens have been suggested as one possible solution because they provide opportunities for people to grow and access fresh produce. However, it is still unclear how effective community gardens are at reducing food insecurity.

This study explores the relationship between community gardens and food deserts in Georgia. Using ArcGIS, we will map the locations of grocery stores, community gardens, and population centers across the state. We will identify areas that may be considered food deserts and examine whether community gardens are helping improve access to healthy food in those locations. We will also analyze patterns between community garden locations, grocery store access, and local population characteristics.

We expect to find that community gardens can help improve access to fresh food, but that they are not distributed evenly throughout Georgia. Community gardens may be more common in larger population centers, while many rural and underserved communities have fewer opportunities to benefit from them. The results of this study will provide a better understanding of food insecurity in Georgia and help identify areas where additional resources and support may be needed. Our findings may also offer recommendations for communities and policymakers looking for ways to improve access to healthy food.

Speaker: Violet Levine (Valdosta State University)

11:10 AM Mapping Food Access and Comparing Dataset Viability

Food access remains an important issue throughout Georgia, particularly in rural and low-income communities where residents may have limited access to fresh and nutritious food (Brace et al., 2016). Accurate data are essential for identifying food deserts and studying food insecurity, yet many publicly available datasets may be incomplete or outdated (Firth et al., 2022). Much of the existing research also relies on a single data source or focuses on a limited geographic area.

This project explores a new approach to food access research by integrating and comparing multiple free and commercial datasets. My work focuses on identifying grocery stores and other fresh food providers across Georgia using census block data, open-source datasets such as OpenStreetMap and USDA resources, and commercial datasets including ArcGIS Business Analyst and SafeGraph. By comparing multiple sources, I aim to identify inconsistencies and improve the accuracy of food access data.

Using my background in computer science and GIS, I am developing an application that allows users to determine whether they live in a food desert and locate nearby food providers. I am also conducting a statewide network analysis to measure accessibility to fresh food sources and evaluate food provider concentrations across Georgia. Based on these results, I plan to develop a Food Desert Resiliency Index that incorporates factors such as income levels, food provider density, and proximity to healthy food options.

I expect to find that fresh food providers are concentrated in urban and suburban areas, while access becomes more limited in many rural and lower-income communities. I also anticipate finding differences between food desert classifications produced from open-source and commercial datasets. Beyond evaluating food access patterns, this project will examine how data source selection influences food desert identification, providing guidance for future food accessibility research. The findings will contribute to a more accurate understanding of food access in Georgia and provide a framework that can be applied to other states.

References:

Brace, A. M., Matthews, T. L., Finkelstein, B., & Beall, D. (2016). The relationship between food deserts, farmers’ markets and food assistance in Georgia census tracts. Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association, 5(3), 250-258.

Firth, C., Beairsto, J., Ferster, C., Longson, G., Manaugh, K., Kestens, Y., & Winters, M. (2022). Validity of food outlet databases from commercial and community science datasets in Vancouver and Montreal. Findings.

Speaker: Grant Brooks (Valdosta State University)

11:30 AM Exploring the Boundaries of AI in Location Decision-Making: Insights from Canada and the UK

The location decision-making methods and practices of major corporate retail and service firms have long been a focus of applied geographical study. A series of innovations can be identified that have spurred research activities in this area, from the growth of geographical information systems, spatial big data and data science, and most recently, the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI). The paper reports preliminary insights from 24 interviews with location decision-makers at major retail and service firms in Canada and the UK. The virtual interviews focused on a series of questions related to the burgeoning area of AI adoption, use and development. The collective findings highlight widespread experimentation with generative AI; however, they also raise concerns and issues related to integrating AI into decision-making practice. Despite media messaging of the pervasive nature of AI, evidence from location decision-makers suggests AI use is bounded in decision-making practice. The paper identifies several challenges limiting AI's impact on location decision-making, along with opportunities for future development. The findings suggest that location decision-making remains a balancing act between art and science, with AI largely driving efficiency rather than transformation.

Speakers: Tony Hernandez, Joe Aversa, Steve Wood, Jonathan Reynolds

12:00 PM → 1:00 PM Keynote Session: Keynote Address

Convener: Brett Lucas (Greater Des Moines Partneship)

12:00 PM The Geography of Mobility: The Evolution of the American Roadside

The American roadside provides a unique window into the geography of mobility. From the Lincoln Highway and Route 66 to the Interstate Highway System, transportation has continually reshaped where people travel, where businesses locate, and how communities evolve. Through a compelling collection of photographs and cultural landscape interpretation, Dr. Steve Graves explores the evolution of gas stations, motels, roadside restaurants, Main Streets, and interstate interchanges as reflections of broader geographic change. As the nation celebrates the centennial of Route 66, this keynote demonstrates how the everyday roadside landscape reveals enduring lessons about mobility, commerce, technology, and place.

Speaker: Steve Graves

1:00 PM → 2:20 PM Infrastructure & Urban Systems: Post Keynote Session Discussions

Convener: Brett Lucas (Greater Des Moines Partneship)

1:00 PM Mobility, Place, and the American Landscape: An Applied Geography Roundtable

Following Dr. Steve Graves' keynote, this interactive roundtable continues the conversation by exploring how the geography of mobility shapes communities, transportation systems, and commercial landscapes. Rather than focusing on nostalgia, participants will examine the roadside as a living geographic system that reflects changing technologies, travel behavior, economic development, and cultural landscapes. Discussion topics may include the evolution of gas stations, motels, restaurants, truck stops, and interstate service clusters; the effects of bypasses and new highway corridors on local economies; tourism and heritage corridors; electric vehicle infrastructure; and the future of mobility in an era of autonomous vehicles, e-commerce, and changing travel patterns. Attendees are encouraged to share research, professional experiences, and observations from their own communities in an informal, discussion-oriented setting. Whether your interests are transportation, GIS, planning, economic development, tourism, retail geography, or cultural landscapes, this session offers an opportunity to explore one of geography's most familiar, but often overlooked, subjects.

Speakers: Brett Lucas (Greater Des Moines Partneship), Michael Yoder (University of Central Arkansas), Steve Graves, Susan Handy (University of California, Davis), WILLIAM THOMAS (Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership)

2:30 PM → 3:30 PM Professional Practice & Workforce Development

Convener: Dawna Cerney (Youngstown State University)

2:30 PM Navigating Careers in the Age of AI: Discovering New Pathways for Geographers

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence is transforming the workforce, reshaping occupations, and redefining the skills employers value. For geographers, this evolving landscape presents both challenges and unprecedented opportunities. The interdisciplinary nature of geography, combining spatial thinking, systems analysis, critical reasoning, communication, and technical expertise, positions geographers to adapt and thrive in careers that extend well beyond traditional roles. This interactive workshop is designed to help participants navigate an increasingly dynamic career environment by identifying personal strengths, interests, and values that can guide meaningful career decisions. Through guided activities, participants will explore emerging career pathways influenced by AI and technological change, recognize transferable skills that remain uniquely human, and identify geographic competencies that complement rather than compete with artificial intelligence. Participants will also examine the importance of adaptability, lifelong learning, and strategic career planning in a workforce where occupations continue to evolve. Co-hosted by career coach and career strategist Catherine McGrath-Lee and geographer and educator Dr. Dawna Cerney, this workshop provides practical tools and perspectives to help geographers build resilient, fulfilling careers in an era of continual technological transformation.

Speakers: Dawna Cerney (Youngstown State University), Catherine McGrath-Lee

3:40 PM → 5:00 PM Practice: Geographic Expertise in Practice: Regions, Markets, Maps, and Machines

Convener: Jonathan Comer (Oklahoma State University)

3:40 PM Electoral Change and Consequences in the U.S. Southwest

Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas occupy a distinctive political region at the intersection of the American South, Southwest, and Great Plains. While contemporary election results often portray these states as broadly conservative and Republican leaning, their electoral histories reveal important differences rooted in demographic composition, racial and ethnic diversity, political culture, and economic structure. This presentation examines electoral similarities and contrasts across these five states from the late twentieth century to the present, focusing on presidential and state-level voting behavior.

Drawing on election returns, demographic data, and historical analysis, the study explores how each state navigated the transition from Democratic dominance to varying degrees of Republican control. Attention is given to the role of rural and urban voting patterns, racial and ethnic divides, Native American and Hispanic political influence, religious affiliation, and the emergence of metropolitan growth centers such as Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Oklahoma City, Albuquerque, Little Rock, and Baton Rouge. While four of these states experienced broadly similar trajectories toward Republican dominance, New Mexico retained a more competitive electoral environment shaped by its unique demographic profile and political coalitions.

This presentation argues that these states should be understood not as a homogeneous political region but as a set of states whose similarities often mask substantial variation in voter behavior and partisan alignment. By comparing electoral trends across state and national contests, the study illuminates how regional identity, demographic change, and institutional factors continue to shape political outcomes in the South-Central United States. The findings contribute to broader debates regarding political realignment, regionalism, and the evolving geography of American elections.

Speaker: Jonathan Comer (Oklahoma State University)

4:00 PM Visually Accessible Cartography: A Case Study in St. Louis, Missouri

This presentation explores how maps can be challenging
for people with visual disabilities and discusses the tools
the Board of Public Service uses to create visually
accessible maps and graphics.

Speaker: Alyssa Hoog (City of St. Louis Board of Public Service)

4:20 PM Does Required Evidence Revision Improve AI Advice? A Controlled Experiment in Goal Support

Artificial intelligence systems providing repeated goal support must decide what an earlier attempt reveals before recommending what to do next. This work-in-progress study asks whether requiring an AI to reconsider why someone is stuck after earlier advice has an observed result improves its next recommendation beyond ordinary reconsideration.
The study uses a controlled computational experiment with 24 fictional student and adult task-initiation situations. Each case includes competing explanations for the difficulty, earlier advice, its observed result, and three possible next actions. Two matched procedures receive the same evidence. In the ordinary procedure (L0), the AI may reconsider the evidence naturally. In the required-revision procedure (L1), the same AI must explicitly assess whether the observed outcome strengthens, weakens, preserves, or leaves unresolved each competing explanation. A separate second-stage request then chooses among the same three possible next actions.
Independent experts will review the cases and establish which actions are defensible before AI testing. The primary comparison is how often each procedure selects an expert-defensible next action. Because data collection is ongoing, final results are not yet available. The study will determine whether mandatory evidence-linked revision improves follow-up decisions, adds unnecessary updating or procedural cost, or provides little advantage over ordinary reconsideration.

Speaker: Brian Stinson (University of South Florida)

4:40 PM Walmart’s 30 Years in China: Adaptation and Localization in a Competitive Market

Walmart entered China and opened its first supercenter and Sam’s Club in Shenzhen in 1996. After 30 years of operation, Walmart survived and succeeded in this competitive market while major European retail giants failed and retreated from China. This paper investigates how Walmart has adapted to the changing Chinese retail market through strategic localization. Specifically, we examine how Walmart has pivoted away from the declining hypermarket format and transformed its Sam’s Club warehouse into a growth engine through strategical alliance with the e-commerce giant JD.com. Such alliance has allowed Walmart to pioneer in the Cloud Depot model and achieve omnichannel integration. Social media platforms such as WeChat Mini-Program and Xiaohongshu(RED) have transformed Walmart’s member acquisition and retention. We also analyze how Walmart responded to fierce competition from Chinese domestic retailers (e.g., Alibaba’s Freshippo) and other international retailers (e.g., Costco and Aldi).

Speaker: Dr Ling Zhang (University of Central Arkansas)

Fri, November 13

9:30 AM → 10:50 AM Student Paper Competition: Student Paper and Poster Competition

Convener: Chetan Tiwari (Georgia State University)

9:30 AM Beyond the Completed Trip: What Changes When Movement Persists in Beirut?

Urban mobility is often assessed through outcomes: whether people continue to travel, reach destinations, or maintain connections across the city. Yet a trip’s persistence does not necessarily mean that the conditions producing it remain stable. This distinction matters in Greater Beirut, where infrastructural disruptions, rising mobility costs, uneven service provision, and instability repeatedly alter urban movement. This paper asks: what changes within mobility when movement persists?
Drawing on semi-structured interviews and three-dimensional analogical reconstructions of mobility experiences, the study reconstructs mobility as a situated configuration rather than solely as movement between origins and destinations. It distinguishes between mobility outcomes, whether spatial practices are maintained, contracted, or expanded, and their conditions of production, including routes, temporalities, transport modes, material resources, information, accompaniment, and bodily and attentional engagement.
The analysis shows that these dimensions do not necessarily change together. A spatial connection may persist while the configuration required to reproduce it is recomposed. Direct routes become detours, walking shifts to motorized travel, departure times change, information helps navigate uncertainty, accompaniment becomes necessary, or bodily vigilance intensifies. These adjustments reveal how mobility dimensions may substitute for, compensate for, or intensify alongside one another while the spatial outcome remains unchanged. Conversely, contraction and expansion emerge when these configurations alter the spatial outcome.
By opening the black box of the “completed trip,” the paper argues that persistence of movement should not be confused with stability, or necessarily robustness, of mobility. Similar spatial outcomes may depend on different conditions of reproducibility. This shifts attention from whether a connection remains possible to how that possibility is sustained and under what conditions it can be reproduced. For urban inequality, uneven mobility may remain obscured when analysis stops at access or completed movement alone. A city may remain connected on the map while becoming increasingly difficult to keep connected in practice.

Keywords: Urban mobility; Mobility inequality; Spatial continuity; Urban practicability; Beirut

Speaker: Nadine Sleiman (Lebanese University / Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University)

9:50 AM Wildfire vulnerability mapping for wildland-urban interface of Colorado, USA

Wildfire risk in the wildland-urban interface (WUI) is shaped by the intersection of environmental hazard, land-use change, urban growth, and social vulnerability, yet many existing assessments treat these dimensions separately. This study developed a GIS-based wildfire vulnerability framework for Colorado's WUI, combining geospatial and remote sensing datasets, including 10 m land use/land cover, historic fire perimeters, building footprints, and 2020 census demographic data, within an Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP)-informed weighted overlay to produce a continuous wildfire vulnerability index (WVI). Three decades of WUI change analysis (1990–2020) showed substantial expansion in both intermix (>71.1%) and interface (>57.9%) area, with the dominant mode of change shifting from growth in the 1990s and 2000s toward a lower rate in the most recent decade. Classification of the WVI showed that high and very high vulnerability accounted for about 2.45% of Colorado, concentrated near cities along the Front Range corridor. City-level analysis of 20 municipalities and unincorporated communities showed that total exposure and relative severity did not necessarily coincide: the city with the largest total overlap with elevated-vulnerability zones was not the place with the highest proportional severity, and several of the most affected communities were unincorporated Census Designated Places lacking independent planning authority. Block-level demographic analysis further indicated that exposure to elevated vulnerability was not distributed evenly across racial and ethnic groups. These findings suggest that mitigation planning should account for the spatial concentration and the administrative and demographic distribution of risk, rather than total exposed area alone. The framework offers a transferable approach for wildfire vulnerability assessment in other rapidly growing, fire-prone regions.

Speaker: Tanmoy Malaker (Graduate Student)

10:10 AM Voices from a distance: Access to legal services and justice in Australia’s very remote and remote western New South Wales

People who live in far western New South Wales, Australia, are not always able to access legal and justice services. There are geographical, social and structural reasons for this gap between legal need and legal help. This research project explores whether legal services exist at all, and whether existing services meet the needs of people in far western NSW.

The semi-structured interview data were analysed and presented as composite narratives to convey some of the things that can happen when people in western NSW need legal help. These stories raise important questions about spatial justice and access to legal services. The use of storytelling to present data can evoke empathy and imagination which can help people understand geographical context. This can play a role in influencing policy, practice and public discussion, and can provide an opportunity for people to feel heard.

The data suggest that residents of western NSW expend considerable effort to help service providers understand the needs and experiences of people in this region. Lawyers and judicial officers also work hard to find creative ways to provide legal services in the region. These efforts of both residents and legal practitioners are an attempt to achieve justice in the context of large travel distances, local values and norms, costs and opportunity costs of providing or accessing services, difficulties recruiting and retaining people to work in western NSW, electricity and telecommunications interruptions, climatic conditions, and unique very remote and remote living circumstances. Importantly, residents conveyed that they have a strong sense of community and of place, and that they do not want to live anywhere else.

Other places in Australia and the world have regions that are similarly remote or even more remote than western NSW. The results of this research could inform policy and practice in Australia and beyond.

Speaker: Patricia Vagg (Australian Agriculture and Law Research Hub (AgLaw), School of Law, University of New England, NSW, Australia)

10:30 AM The Anatomy of Resilience: Decoding the Ecological and Hydrological Fabric of the Texas Colorado River Basin

The word "resilience" is understood as how river basins withstand environmental disturbances, adapt to changing conditions, and maintain their essential functions. However, identifying the characteristics that support resilience remains a challenge. In the Texas Colorado River Basin, differences in landscape composition, hydrological conditions, and water availability raise important questions about how resilience-related capacities vary across space. This study examines how selected principles can be translated into measurable geospatial indicators to better understand the spatial dimensions of river basin resilience (Stockholm Resilience Centre, 2014).
The analysis for this study focuses on three principles mainly maintaining diversity and redundancy, managing connectivity, and managing slow variables and feedbacks. Landscape diversity is assessed using Shannon's Diversity Index derived from land-use and land-cover data. Streamflow and baseflow characteristics are examined to capture hydrological persistence and variability, while reservoir storage patterns are used to understand longer-term water availability and fluctuations. These indicators are spatially harmonized, standardized, and integrated into a Composite Resilience Index (CRI) to examine differences in resilience-related characteristics across the basin.
Furthermore, this study considers Resilience as how ecological and hydrological conditions together shape the capacity of river systems to respond to environmental stress. By examining their spatial variation, the research aims to identify contrasting resilience-related conditions across the basin, such as drought. Finally, the study also projects a foundation for future research linking environmental resilience with water governance for the river basin.
Keywords: Resilience Thinking, Composite Resilience Index, ecological diversity, hydrological connectivity, geospatial analysis, Texas Colorado River Basin.

Speaker: Ms Priyanjali Bose (Department of Geography & Environmental Studies, Texas State University)

11:00 AM → 12:00 PM Equity & Well Being: Equity

Convener: Wei Song (University of Louisville)

11:00 AM Mitigation Geonarratives: A Three-part Framework for Humanizing the Client in Criminal Defense Mitigation

The goal of criminal defense mitigation in both capital (death penalty) and non-capital cases is to convey the defendant’s life story as supporting explanation for just sentencing. The role of place is essential to understand in this context. This presentation will discuss how social geography and arts-based geographical methods are being applied to criminal defense via a three-part mitigation geonarrative framework. The first portion will address why place matters for mitigation and key mitigating factors relating to place. The second portion will use a case example to demonstrate the three-part framework which includes a social geography overview, a body map autobiography and video, and a synthesized analysis grounded in Adverse Childhood Experiences and U.S. Department of Justice risk and protective factors for juveniles. This framework has been successfully used in the courtroom, in plea negotiations, and in negotiations with defendants. The overarching goal is provide the courts with a humanizing framework that can demonstrate to decision-makers how place shapes the choices, coping strategies, identities, and future possibilities of criminal defendants.

Keywords
Arts-based methods, body mapping, geonarratives, mitigation, social geography

Speaker: Julie Urbanik (Geonarrative Services LLC)

11:20 AM Stranded: Debt-Related Driver’s License Suspensions and the Spatial Production of Mobility Injustice

Debt-related driver’s license suspensions (DRS) represent a largely invisible but consequential policy mechanism through which urban injustice is materially produced and maintained. In Ohio, the majority of driver’s license suspensions are not related to unsafe driving, but to unpaid fines and fees. In a state where driving is essential for access to life’s necessities, DRS function as a form of mobility deprivation that disproportionately burdens low-income and racially marginalized communities. Rather than achieving policy goals of compliance or revenue generation, DRS systematically restrict access to work, deepen household debt, and entrench spatial inequality across metropolitan regions.

Drawing on an Ohio statewide debt-related suspension database covering the years 2016–2020, the analysis focuses on Cuyahoga County (home to the City of Cleveland and its immediate inner and outer ring suburbs). The analysis shows that DRS are heavily concentrated in high-poverty, racially marginalized communities, producing a starkly uneven geography of the automobility required for daily life.

The paper then argues that DRS produce a self-reinforcing cycle of injustice: loss of driving privileges undermines economic stability, which frequently generates additional social service and legal needs. To examine these dynamics, the chapter incorporates two additional databases from the same time period. One details calls to 211, the region’s social service hotline, and the other draws on intake data from the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland, allowing analysis of the links between DRS, social service needs, and civil legal needs.

By tracing the spatial concentration of DRS and their cascading effects on social and legal vulnerability, the paper focuses on how policies materially distribute burdens, risks, and access to opportunity across urban space.

Speaker: Brian Mikelbank (Cleveland State University)

11:40 AM Adapting mobility: Insights from COVID-19 impact on East Asian regions

The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly transformed daily life and mobility behaviors, thereby creating an urgent need to understand these shifts. This study examines the spatial and temporal patterns of human mobility during the pandemic, with a focus on how these patterns vary across five East Asian countries and regions: Mongolia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan (China). By analysing Community Mobility Report and employing advanced analytical methods such as Gradient Boosting Machines and changepoints detection, the research identifies distinct adaptive behaviors in response to the pandemic. The findings reveal variations in the speed and nature of mobility adaptation across categories, such as retail, residential, and transit. While Mongolia exhibited relatively stable mobility patterns, Taiwan (China), Hong Kong, Republic of Korea, and Japan demonstrated notable adaptive responses. Furthermore, the study highlights the socioeconomic implications of mobility changes, providing insights into economic resilience and behavioral adaptation during health crises. These findings offer valuable evidence to inform public health strategies and economic recovery plans.

Speaker: Wei Song (University of Louisville)

1:00 PM → 2:20 PM Beyond AI: Expanding & Emerging Opportunities: From GIS to AI

Convener: Brett Lucas (Greater Des Moines Partneship)

1:00 PM From GIS to AI: Preparing the Next Generation of Geospatial Professionals

Artificial intelligence is rapidly being integrated into GIS platforms and geospatial workflows, representing the latest major transition in a field that has evolved from traditional cartography and photogrammetry to GIS, remote sensing, spatial analysis, and now AI-enabled tools. This panel will explore how technologies such as ChatGPT, Claude, and AI capabilities within GIS platforms are changing how professionals create maps, analyze data, automate workflows, write code, and communicate results. Panelists will discuss which traditional geographic, cartographic, and spatial-analysis skills remain essential, how education and training should evolve, and what new competencies students and professionals will need to succeed in an increasingly AI-enabled geospatial profession.

Speakers: Brett Lucas (Greater Des Moines Partneship), Demetrio Zourarakis, Gary Menger (Applied Geographic Solutions, Inc.), Joe Francica (LocationIntelligence.ai), Stewart Berry, Thomas Cannon (Applied Geographic Solutions)

2:30 PM → 3:30 PM Emergency Management & Public Safety: Wildfires

Convener: Rich Quodomine

2:30 PM From World Cups to Wildfires: GIS, Logistics, and Regional Coordination in Complex Operations

Major events and emergency incidents require far more than technical expertise; they depend on effective coordination among agencies, jurisdictions, elected officials, and community stakeholders. This panel will explore how GIS, logistics, transportation planning, emergency management, and public-sector leadership come together to support complex operations, from the FIFA World Cup and Olympic Games to large-scale wildfire response. Drawing on experiences from Southern California and other regions, panelists will discuss regional transportation challenges, resource allocation, situational awareness, interagency collaboration, and the influence of local political priorities on planning and operational decision-making. Attendees will gain insights into how geographic information supports both planned events and emergency response efforts, helping organizations mobilize resources, balance competing stakeholder interests, and make informed decisions when timing and coordination are critical.

Speaker: Rich Quodomine

3:40 PM → 5:00 PM Sustainability & Climate

Convener: Amanda Barney (Texas State University)

3:40 PM Changing Wildfire Regimes in the United States: How the East and West Differ

There is no doubt that wildfire regimes have changed throughout the United States, and the West and Great Plains have experienced increases in wildfire ignitions and total number of burned acres over the past 40 years. However, it is much less clear how wildfire patterns have evolved in the East. Due to differences in climate, soil and vegetation types, and the wildland-urban interface (WUI), research on Western and Great Plains fires is not directly applicable to wildfires in the East. In this study, Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity (MTBS) data are used to examine how wildfire ignitions and total acres burned have changed since 1984. The results suggest that overall wildfire ignitions and total acres burned have not increased in the East over the past 40 years; however, wildfire patterns have shifted, with some areas experiencing decreases in wildfire activity while others have seen increases. This study illustrates the need for further research in the East to determine the drivers of these shifting patterns and how they may affect communities along expanding WUIs.

Speaker: Amanda Barney (Texas State University)

4:00 PM The Local Path to 30x30: The Case of Forestland in Vermont

In 2021, the Biden Administration issued a report calling for the preservation and restoration of 30 percent of land and water resources of the United States by 2030, a goal often referred to as “30x30.” The purpose of 30x30 is broad and includes protecting wildlife habitat, enhancing recreation opportunities, and limiting the fragmentation of natural and working landscapes. We are now just 5 years from that deadline, and there has been very little research on specific strategies for achieving 30x30. Existing research on meeting 30x30 goals is largely theoretical and emphasizes where conservation should occur and the relationship between protected areas and biodiversity on a national or global scale. For the United States, one implication seems clear: states will not achieve 30x30 goals without including rural resource lands like farmland and forestland, which are the only large unpreserved open spaces remaining. Achieving 30x30 will mean retaining and eventually preserving these lands, a challenge in states like Vermont that are facing significant rural development pressure.

This study begins to fill the gap in our understanding of the local path to 30x30 by analyzing the interaction among four geographic phenomena - land preservation, local zoning, preferential property taxation, and land parcelization activity - in 13 forested towns in Vermont. We address three research questions: 1) How much preservation has occurred in these towns to contribute toward the state’s 30x30 goal? 2) To what extent are rural towns retaining large forest parcels for future preservation? and 3) What are the roles of local zoning and use value property taxation for forestland? We answer these questions using changes in municipal tax parcel data between 2019 and 2025, and data on zoning, land preservation, and landowner enrollment in use value taxation. Results underscore that local land preservation in rural Vermont is occurring unevenly, but steadily, and use-value taxation and conservation easements are particularly important tools. Zoning in the case study towns, however, was weak to non-existent, and had less impact

Speaker: Amy Lynch (West Chester University)

4:20 PM Remote Sensing-Based Assessment of Interannual Change of the Ecological Sustainability of Agricultural Landscapes in Northern Benin

Assessing ecological sustainability in agricultural landscapes requires approaches that integrate land-cover change, its ecological effects, and their spatial determinants. This study analysed changes between 2023 and 2024 across six agricultural landscapes in northern Benin using the Landscape Ecological Sustainability Index (LESI), calculated for 1 km2 landscape cells from Human Disturbance Coefficients (HDCs) assigned to satellite-derived land-cover classes. Interannual changes were assessed using ΔLESI, the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, Global Moran’s I, and the Local Indicators of Spatial Association (LISA). The contribution of land-cover transitions to HDC change was quantified and a Monte Carlo sensitivity analysis based on classification accuracy was additionally used to assess the robustness of the observed interannual changes to classification uncertainty, and complementary univariate and bivariate regression models examined the relationships between LESI variations and 11 biophysical and geographical variables, including their pairwise interactions. The interannual comparison between 2023 and 2024 showed a decrease in ecological sustainability in four sites, a slight increase in one, and relative stability in another. Significant spatial autocorrelation was detected in all sites (Moran’s I = 0.44–0.65; p < 0.001). Some spatially limited transitions exerted important effects on HDC change. Sensitivity analysis confirmed that the direction of ΔHDC was robust to classification uncertainty in five of the six landscapes. The low explanatory power of the univariate models (R2 ≤ 0.081) indicates that no single variable independently explains the observed changes. The bivariate interaction analyses further showed that some associations were context-dependent, although their explanatory power remained limited, with the best-performing model accounting for only 10.9% of the variation in ΔLESI. This integrated framework provides a reproducible approach for assessing, mapping, and prioritising interannual change of ecological sustainability from remote sensing data to support evidence-based agricultural landscape planning and sustainable land management.

Speaker: Mr Mikhaïl Padonou (Laboratoire d’Écologie, de Botanique et de Biologie végétale, Unité de Recherche Biodiversity Conservation at the Interface People, Land use and Climate changes, Faculté d’Agronomie)

4:40 PM The Impact of Acid Mine Drainage Over time in the Appalachian Region

This project examines the long-term impacts of acid mine drainage on water quality and aquatic ecosystems in the Appalachian region following the closure of most coal mines. The research objective is to determine whether AMD-related water quality conditions have improved, worsened, or remained relatively consistent since active mining operations ended. The study will focus on Garrett and Allegany counties in Maryland. Water samples will be collected from various water bodies and cave openings and analyzed. Then inspecting the water quality testing methods to assess current conditions. The results will be compared with historical data from previous studies and organizations, including Maryland’s Department of Water Resources, to evaluate changes in AMD contamination over time. By examining current water quality alongside historical findings, this research aims to improve understanding of the lasting environmental effects of coal mining and the effectiveness of natural recovery following mine closures. This study is part of a senior research project scheduled for completion in the spring semester. The findings will be presented to an audience as part of the project’s academic requirements, providing an opportunity to communicate the ongoing environmental challenges associated with AMD and the importance of continued water quality monitoring throughout the Appalachian region.

Speaker: Jaydon Wilson (Frostburg State University)