Using GIS to influence emerging urban landscapes

By Judy Arginteanu

"Every little bit helps" could be Laura Musacchio's mantra.

Musacchio, associate professor of landscape architecture, champions small parks and other often overlooked green spaces--like remnant habitats, vacant lots, wetlands, and stream corridors. Not only are there lots of them, but they also have an impact that belies their size--thanks in large part to Geographic Information Systems (GIS), which is an important tool for mapping these places.

"GIS is an important part of what I do," she said. Because her research focuses on sustainable design and ecological cities, she is interested in new ideas regarding what nature is about, how parks change and why, and particularly in re-greening cities." GIS can help identify potential areas to do that," Musacchio said, and show how these small green spaces are influencing emerging new landscapes in the city.

GIS also allows her to integrate complex sets of information that in the past would have been too difficult to analyze. So beyond simply identifying the myriad green spaces dotting the urban landscape, she can now start addressing intersecting issues, such as whether a green space--beyond the obvious grass and trees--is truly green in terms of factors like supporting biodiversity. "What I'm trying to do with GIS is to flesh out in a more practical, applied way how sustainability can be measured and integrated into the design process."

Musacchio also finds digital simulation technology a valuable tool to help show people what alternative nature--or even natures--can be. "People need different types of nature to help with their well-being, because we have different needs," she said.

In the classroom, Musacchio emphasizes her role of educating the next generation of practitioners across various disciplines, both design and scientific. What students are excited about now, she said, is learning the differences between conventional urban landscapes and the kinds of alternative landscapes that can be designed and brought to visibility through digital imaging.

"These alternative landscapes are what landscape architects are designing a lot lately, like green roofs, greenways, and restoration projects," she said. "They get inspired as their education transforms how they think about nature," and they in turn can teach the public with these digital tools at their disposal, helping them answer questions, explore issues, and not only find out what's there now, but also ask the question "What if?"