Date of Award

2024

Document Type

Open Access Master's Report

Degree Name

Master of Geographic Information Science

Administrative Home Department

College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science

Advisor 1

Sigrid Resh

Advisor 2

Mickey Jarvi

Committee Member 1

Mike Hyslop

Committee Member 2

Dorthea Vander Bilt

Abstract

Utilizing prioritization models gives invasive species managers the capability to systematically target surveying and management toward priority areas, therefore maximizing limited financial resources by increasing the value that management can have on the landscape. In this report, Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques were utilized to produce an invasion risk model and a quality land model. Combining these two models produced a landscape-level prioritization model, which denoted the land quality and associated invasion risk across the study area. High-quality land was commonly distributed within Isle Royale National Park, along Lake Superior’s coastline, and within coastal wetlands and riparian habitats. Areas of high invasion risk were frequently located near roads and reported invasive species patches. This prioritization model has the potential to guide invasive species surveying towards high-quality land at elevated invasion risk at the landscape level and at smaller scales, such as prioritizing land based on individual landowner goals.

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