Session Lead: Peter Claggett (U.S. Geological Survey)
Co-Lead(s): John Wolf
Session Format: Oral presentations
Session Description:
Achieving the goals of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement requires tools that combine cutting-edge science with practical usability. This two-part session explores how emerging technologies and stakeholder-driven design are shaping the next generation of targeting tools for restoration and conservation.
Session A: High-Resolution Geospatial Data and Technical Advances
Description: The ever-increasing availability of aerial and satellite imagery, tax parcels, protected lands, and other large spatial datasets along with emerging technologies and techniques for extracting information from big data, present unprecedented opportunities for targeting and monitoring restoration and conservation actions in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. When coupled with policies and programmatic commitments, targeting tools can increase the efficiency and effectiveness of investments to restore and maintain the health of waterways. Emerging technologies and techniques have enabled the mapping of land use and land use change at 1-meter spatial resolution and the mapping of small streams, ditches, and land management practices. Efforts to leverage these data in tools and models include the development of the Phase 7 watershed model, the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Targeting Portal, parcel-level targeting for land conservation, rapid stream delisting protocols, and inventories of Best Management Practices such as riparian forest buffers and conservation tillage. These efforts can only be successful, however, through programmatic comments to consider the information in resource allocation decisions.
Session B: Audience-Driven Design for Conservation and Restoration Tools, Maps, and Data
Description: This session will explore how user research and usability testing are shaping the redesign of the Chesapeake Bay Targeting Portal to better serve diverse audiences. Participants will learn about the key findings from this research, including common barriers such as complex interfaces, outdated data, and fragmented resources, and the specific improvements users requested: locally relevant, parcel-scale information; actionable outputs for planning and reporting; and intuitive designs supported by clear documentation and case studies.
The session will demonstrate how these insights are informing the portal redesign, including streamlined access to authoritative datasets, improved search and categorization, and features that help users communicate conservation and restoration outcomes effectively. Beyond interface changes, the redesign emphasizes delivering data, maps, tools, and fact sheets that directly address stakeholder needs under the updated Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement.
Attendees will see examples of planned enhancements, learn about the next steps for testing and implementation, and engage in discussions about strategies for embedding stakeholder feedback into tool development. This session is designed for practitioners, planners, and technical staff who want to ensure geospatial tools are not only scientifically robust but also practical and indispensable for advancing watershed restoration.