Geo-spatial technologies in urban environments: policy, practice and pixels

Rya n R . Jense n

J a y D . Gatrel l

Danie l D . McLea n

n

Editors

-Spatia l

Policy , Practice ,

a n d Pixel s

f ) Spr inge i r

R. R. Jense n

J. D . Gatrell

D . McLea n

Geo-Spatia l Technologie s i n Urba n Environment s

Policy , Practice , an d Pixels

Secon d Editio n

R . R . Jense n

J . D . Gatrel l

D . McLea n

Editor s

Geo-Spatial

Technologie s i n Urba n

Environment s

Policy, Practice, and Pixels

Second Edition

With 39 Figures

Springe r

D r . Rya n R . Jense n

D r . Ja y D . Gatrel l

D r . Danie l McLea n

Indian a Stat e Universit y

Departmen t o f Geography ,

Geolog y an d Anthropolog y

Terr e Haut e I N 4780 9

U S A

£-mai/: Ryan R. Jensen [[email protected]]

Librar y o f Congres s Contro l Number : 200693900 7

ISBN-13 978-3-540-69416-8 Springer Berlin Heidelberg New York

ISB N ( 1 s t Edition ) 3-540-22263- 4 Springe r Berli n Heidelber g Ne w Yor k

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Forewor d

I wa s introduce d t o citie s a s "ecosystems " b y th e lat e Professo r Fores t

Stearn s (Universit y o f Wisconsin , Milwaukee ) wh o wa s a n earl y pionee r i n

t h e studie s o f th e urba n ecolog y i n th e 1970s . I stil l recal l th e variou s

terms : "Urba n ecosystem" , "Urba n zones " Urba n corridors " Megacities "

o r "Megacities ' complexes " an d "Megalopolis " use d b y variou s disciplin e

expert s a s the y grapple d wit h th e comple x o f al l th e terrestria l habitats-th e

city . Citie s hav e bee n humanity' s habita t sinc e ancien t time s an d on e ca n

fin d reference s t o th e citie s eve n i n biblica l writing s an d othe r ancien t text s

fro m man y part s o f th e world . S o wha t i s differen t now ? I t i s th e rat e o f

globa l urbanizatio n tha t ha s brough t urba n system s an d urba n environ -

ment s int o focu s onc e again . Thi s ha s capture d ou r attentio n i n th e pas t

severa l months . Fo r example , th e Britis h Broadcastin g Corporatio n New s

(BB C news ) devote d a serie s o f highl y educationa l program s title d "Urba n

planet " i n Jul y 2006 . I wa s impresse d wit h th e breadt h an d th e dept h o f ur -

b a n issue s discusse d i n th e serie s an d th e fac t tha t man y academi c an d

governmen t expert s wer e feature d t o provid e a n assessmen t o f th e curren t

stat e o f globa l urbanization . Th e Unite d Nation s report s tha t increase d ur -

banizatio n ha s create d a rang e o f seriou s issues , includin g acces s t o clea n

water , sanitation , shelter , urba n poverty , HIV/AID S an d problem s wit h ur -

b a n governance , no t t o mentio n th e issue s relate d t o urba n environments .

Wha t i s significan t i s th e repor t tha t sometim e i n 200 7 an d somewher e o n

t h e planet , someon e migratin g fro m a rura l are a t o a cit y wil l ti p th e globa l

urban/rura l balance . Unite d Nation s agencie s forecast s tha t majorit y o f

huma n populatio n wil l liv e i n urba n setting s ver y soon . Thes e estimate s

indicat e tha t abou t 180,00 0 peopl e ar e bein g adde d t o th e urba n populatio n

ever y day . Ca n th e world' s urba n infrastructur e absor b th e equivalen t o f

t h e populatio n o f tw o Toyko s eac h year ? A s a new s reporte r pu t i t "Hom o

sapiens " ar e fas t becomin g "Hom o urbanis" !

In historical literature, there are fascinating examples of the use of "early

form s o f geospatia l technologies " suc h a s photograph s o f citie s acquire d

fro m th e ho t ai r balloons , fro m camera s suspende d fro m kites , an d th e ver y

firs t aeria l photograp h o f a cit y fro m Wilbu r Wright' s plan e i n 190 9 an d

man y earl y map s fro m geographi c field surveys .

vi Foreword

As we rapidly urbanize as a society, we need to usher in new and innova￾tive technologies, social and policy initiatives, and political and economic

instruments to improve the quality of life in urban environments. A set of

rapidly maturing technologies termed the "Geospatial" technologies are

becoming a vital part of this new urbanized world. Geospatial technologies

have already had a major impact of many aspects of how we analyze,

model and manage the urban systems and their environments. From popu￾lation census using remote sensing and satellite technologies to modeling

the impact of a contagious disease using GIS; we have come to realize the

promise and potential of these rapidly maturing technologies. Despite

many strides in the application of geospatial technologies for urban appli￾cations; this science is still in its infancy.

This book edited by Ryan Jensen, Jay Gatrell, and Daniel McLean is,

therefore a much awaited contribution to the literature. The editors have

assembled an extraordinarily talented contributors for the book. It is a pio￾neering effort in many ways for it uniquely brings together the physical

and social aspects of urban environments via geospatial technology appli￾cations.

The book chapters address some difficult and important aspects of applica￾tion of geospatial technologies in urban environments. The authors have

discussed cutting-edge geospatial technologies for issues ranging from ur￾ban change detection, estimating urban population to urban health and heat

wave and urban child obesity. Chapter on role of geospatial technologies

in environmental justice is a good example how social and physical aspects

of urban landscape can be brought together using these technologies.

Also, the issues unique to the semi-rural counties have been addressed in

the book.

I believe this timely publication will spur further development of geospa￾tial technology applications for urban systems. Many challenges remain

and need to be addressed if we are to fully apply these technologies for ur￾ban environments. I am confident that this book will inspire a new genera￾tion of researchers who will apply geospatial technologies to urban sys￾tems before the impact of rapid global urbanization becomes a crisis for

our societies in both the developed and the developing world.

Kamlesh P. Lulla, Ph.D; Ph.D.

NASA Johnson Space Center

Houston, Texas 77058