Employing Participatory GIS in Appalachia

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Employing Participatory GIS in Appalachia

• Timothy L. Hawthorne
• and
• WVU A-SARD Team Members

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Outline of Presentation

• Overview of Participatory GIS
• The A-SARD collaboratory
• A-SARD research in West Virginia
• PGIS at the Scotts Run study site
• PGIS at the Cheat Lake study site
• Reflections on the PGIS experience

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Participatory GIS

• GIS produces formal (objective) knowledge
• GIS does not typically include local knowledge
• PGIS integrates qualitative information
  (multimedia, mental maps, public opinions) with
  quantitative data
• Involves the public in the planning process
• Illustrates socially differentiated realities
• Enriches our understanding of place

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PGIS A-SARD

• The Appalachian-Southern Africa Research and
  Development Collaboratory was established in 1999
  by WVU, the University of Pretoria, and the
  Catholic University of Mozambique.
• Case study areas are disparate regions, yet quite
  similar.
• Urban-rural interface
• Local dependence on natural resources
• Similar patterns of uneven development
• Three sites in Monongalia County
• Scotts Run (work in progress)
• Cheat Lake/Cheat Neck (starting)
• Blacksville (planned)

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Monongalia County, WVStudy Area
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Scotts Run Study Site

• Mining camp in the early 20th century
• Area has experienced business development
  cycles
• Area is now beginning to experience growth
• Sewer project expected to change landscape
• Open land for development
• Benefits accrue to land owners (not residents)

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Local Issues in Scotts Run
Pollution direct sewer into acid mine stream
Economic deterioration empty storefronts in Osage
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PGIS in Scotts Run

• Team tours and contact with key informants
• Initial meetings and follow-ups
• Expansion of study area (west and north)
• Concentration of land ownership identified
• Environmental degradation illustrated
• Surveys of area residents conducted
• Maps and database developed, linked
• Local development activities enhanced

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Scotts Run Residential Survey Results

• Several common issues emerged from discussions
  with community members
• Near coal mines
• Houses in area run down
• Flooding problematic
• Sewage health issues
• Virtually all community members said they did not
  receive financial assistance to improve
  conditions
• More than half of the people surveyed were below
  20,000 in income
• More than 10 percent were African-American
• 64 percent owned their residence

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Cheat Lake study site

• High growth corridor in the county
• New residential housing, commercial activities
• Completion of highway corridor connector expected
  in next 2 years
• Wealthiest portion of the county
• Meetings with two county planners in the fall of
  2003 helped establish initial contacts with
  community.
• Project plan in progress
• Work will be carried out in the summer/fall 2004

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Local Issues in Cheat Lake
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Expected Outcomes in Cheat Lake

• Create GIS land use database for Monongalia
  County planners (collaborating with Chris
  Fletcher)
• Identify areas of community consensus and
  conflict regarding critical land use issues
• Integrate local knowledge into GIS with
  multimedia, mental maps, and narratives
• Provide local residents with GIS land use change
  data to strengthen their arguments about critical
  land use issues
• Important to document if their opinions of
  critical land use issues change as they are
  exposed to GIS

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Reflections on PGIS Experience

• Project plan needs to be in place prior to
  entering the community
• Flexibility must also be present to explore the
  issues raised by the community let the community
  define their issues
• Find key informants and an in with the
  community
• Use multiple methods for collecting local
  knowledge (public meetings, in-depth interviews,
  mapping exercises, transect walks, etc)

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Employing Participatory GIS in Appalachia

• For more information about the A-SARD Project
• Please email Tim Hawthorne at
• thawthorne_at_geo.wvu.edu