GIS & Mapping
WeConservePA researches, analyzes, and publishes geographic information in support of conservation.
We also provide a forum for creators and users of conservation-related spatial data and analysis.
Conserved Land Database
PA’s Official Spatial Database
of Conserved Land
WeConservePA compiles and maintains Pennsylvania’s official spatial database of conserved land, including privately conserved land and properties and those conserved by federal, state, county, and local governments.
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Conserved Lands Summary Metrics
This map provides the user with the number of and acreages of conserved land within the viewing window. It includes multiple filter levels to allow the map customization to depict user-specified land ownership and easement holders along with by county, watershed, and landscape.
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Land Conservation Data Submission Instructions
Please submit updated new acquisitions as a zipped folder through email, Dropbox, Google Drive, or WeTransfer. Please convey the following information when providing your data.
Attribute Fields
- Type: In Fee or Easement
- Area Name
- Area: acres (area preserved or eased sans exclusion zones) #,###.##
- Tax Parcel ID Number (if no shapefile is available) describe exclusion areas, include survey map pdf
- “Easement Plan, i.e. ‘exhibit B’ or a graphic depiction of the property, i.e. survey”
- Resource: web link to site description or conserved properties
- Public access – Open / Closed
- Fee Owner or Easement Holders(s)
- Owner/Holder web address
- Owner Type: NGO, Private, State, Local, Federal, Other-Specify
- County
- Date acquired: “mm/dd/yyyy”
- Duration – Term: (If not permanent, then Temporary – duration in years
- Resource – Specific Objectives: Water, Biological, Soil, Scenic, Ecosystem Services
- Restrictions: No restrictions (NR) or Withold from public (W), will not be included on web map
Template
Delaware River Watershed Conserved Lands
An expansion of PA’s Conserved Land into the Delaware River Watershed, this map depicts lands protected by government and non-government entities through ownership and easements in Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, and New York. Select the Dashboard button for an interactive experience.
If you wish to make improvements to the map, use the DRB Editor App or email the GIS Analyst.
Launch web map DashboardGroup Service Areas
WeConservePA has mapped the service areas of land trusts, watershed associations, environmental advisory councils, and other organizations. We provide basic, intermediate, and advanced pathways for exploring these organizations.
Basic Exploration
Find a Group or groups working in a particular county.
Intermediate Exploration
See the service areas of land trusts or search by address using the land trust spatial database.
See the service areas of watershed associations or search by address using the watershed association spatial database.
See the service areas of environmental advisory councils using the EAC spatial database.
Search for trail groups by trail type (e.g. biking or hiking) using the trail group spatial database.
Advanced Exploration
Conduct advanced analysis regarding the service areas of land trusts, watershed associations, or environmental advisory councils, and their relationships to watersheds, legislative districts, and other geographic features, go to WeConservePA’s Advanced Query app.
Updates to Organization Profiles
For updates to organization profile page or to add conserved properties, please contact Irina Beal, GIS Analyst at [email protected] or call 717.220.3272.
List of Pennsylvania land trusts
Information Presented
- Contact Information
- Website
- Type of Organization
- Year Founded
- Number of Staff
- Counties of Operation
- Adopted S&P
- Mission or Purpose
- Land Conservation Figures: PA & Out of State
State Conservation Investment
Spatial Database
Grants on the Ground
The Grants on the Ground map displays and summarizes conservation projects funded through DCNR’s Bureau of Recreation and Conservation. Grant projects are categorized by funding source including: Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund; Environmental Stewardship Fund; and Land and Water Conservation Fund.
Keystone, Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund Projects
Displays and summarizes conservation projects funded specifically through the Keystone, Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund.
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Environmental Stewardship Fund Projects
Displays and summarizes conservation projects funded specifically through the Environmental Stewardship Fund.
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Streamside Tree Planting Opportunities and Prioritization for PA
Where is a good place to plant streamside forests to improve water quality? The answer could be “just about anywhere.” But some streamside forests benefit water quality more than others. This project combines high-resolution land cover data with soils, topography, land use, and climate data to evaluate more than 200,000 potential streamside forest planting opportunities across Pennsylvania. View the full report here.
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Riparian Buffer Planting
Prioritization Phase II
Spatial distribution of unforested (low vegetation) areas adjacent to rivers and streams.
- Prioritize highest continuous low-vegetation coverage over fragmented areas
- Prioritize and identify potential projects located on conserved or eased land
- Identify locations where opportunities for planting by landowners exist
Riparian Buffer Project Prioritization Tool: Filter riparian buffers by prioritization criteria
Riparian Planting Prioritization with Buffer Zones:
1) List of low vegetated areas by Priority Score and
2) Charts showing area and percent distribution of buffer zone areas within viewing pane.
Outdoor Recreation Access in Pennsylvania
DCNR has developed Outdoor Recreation Access Interactive that help implement Pennsylvania’s vision that enjoyable outdoor recreation is welcoming to all and accessible in every Pennsylvania community. DCNR partnered with The Trust for Public Land and WeConservePA to answer two questions: Who in Pennsylvania has access to outdoor recreation within 10 minutes of their home? More importantly, who doesn’t? The interactive maps can help identify new recreation spots to increase equitable access.
Launch Web MapData Resources
PA DCNR Open Data
This site provides access to all of our published GIS data, which includes over 130 datasets relative to state parks, state forests, geology, recreational opportunities and more. You can also connect directly to the data, download it or share it.
USGS Landsat Data Access Portals
Landsat data products held in the USGS archives can be searched and downloaded at no charge from a variety of sources. This page provides details about which data access portals may work best, based on the data desired.
EarthExplorer
Graphical interface used to define areas of interest by address, zip code, place name,
or using the map. Queries can be applied to multiple collections simultaneously.
GloVis
Visualization viewer that provides access to select datasets within the USGS remote sensing archive.
LandLook
Viewer used to access Landsat Collection 1 data in the USGS archive.
ESPA On-Demand Interface
Processing system that allows higher-level data processing requests.
AppEEARS
Enables users to subset U.S. Landsat ARD data using spatial, temporal, and band/layer parameters for Surface Reflectance and Pixel-level Quality Assessment data.
Google Earth Pro
Create stories and maps with Google Earth Pro.
How to Create a polygon in Google Earth Pro
How to Organize, save and tour placemarks in Google Earth Pro
Chesapeake Bay Program
This interface provides access to several types of data related to the Chesapeake Bay. Bay Program databases can be queried based upon user-defined inputs such as geographic region and date range.
Data Programs
Modeling
Monitoring
Resource Lands Assessment
Data Downloads
- Water Quality
- Living Resources
- Point sources
EnviroAtlas
EnviroAtlas
This easy to use, interactive mapping application does not require any GIS skills to use and provides ready access to 400+ maps and multiple analysis tools.
ESRI Geographic Information System Resources
Esri MOOC Program
Esri currently offers six massive open online courses (MOOCs). All Esri MOOCs are free and open to learners worldwide.
Multi-Resolution Land Characteristics Consortium
Land Cover
The National Land Cover Database (NLCD) provides nationwide data on land cover and land cover change at a 30m resolution with a 16-class legend based on a modified Anderson Level II classification system. NLCD 2016 represents the latest evolution of NLCD land cover products focused on providing innovative land cover and land cover change data for the Nation. NLCD 2016 offers 7 integrated epochs of land cover for years 2001, 2003, 2006, 2008, 2011, 2013, and 2016. Developed classes in these years are directly derived from and updated following the impervious surface cycle. These products update all previously released versions of landcover products for CONUS (NLCD 2001, NLCD 2006, NLCD 2011). New for NLCD 2016 is the NLCD Land Cover Change Index. The NLCD Land Cover change index provides a simple and comprehensive way to visualize change from all 7 dates of land cover in a single layer. The change index was designed to assist NLCD users to understand complex land cover change with a single product. NLCD 2016 does not yet contain updated products for Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico.
NLCD Land Cover Change Index (CONUS)
NLCD Land Cover (CONUS) All Years
NLCD 2016 Land Cover (CONUS)
PennDOT's Spatial Data Portal
This site provides access to all of PennDot’s published GIS data that you can map, style, chart, download or share.
Aviation
Layers and data for Pennsylvania’s airports, heliports, and seaports.
Boundaries
Layers and data for Pennsylvania’s boundaries and districts.
Bridge
Layers and data for Pennsylvania’s stage and local bridges.
Facilities
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s facility and building locations.
Projects
Layers and data for Pennsylvania’s transportation improvement projects.
Railway
Layers and data for Pennsylvania’s railways and intersections.
Roadway
Layers and data for Pennsylvania’s roads including traffic counts and administration.
Safety
Layers and data for Pennsylvania’s safety devices and assets.
Penn State University Libraries: Maps & Geospatial: Aerial Photographs
Statewide Resources
Pennsylvania Spatial Data Access (PASDA) Imagery Navigator — BEST RESOURCE
Pennsylvania Spatial Data Access (PASDA) is the official public access geospatial information clearinghouse for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Spatial Data Access (PASDA) Imagery Navigator Video Tutorial
Short video tutorial on how to access historic aerial photos through PASDA’s Imagery Navigator.
Penn Pilot
Access to over 75,000 historic aerial photographs of Pennsylvania from 1937 to 1971. All Penn Pilot photos have been added to PASDA’s Imagery Navigator. Best access is through that site.
Pennsylvania Geological Survey Library
The DCNR Bureau of Geological Survey, also known as the Pennsylvania Geological Survey, studies all aspects of the geology of Pennsylvania and makes its findings available to the public. They have aerial photos and geologic maps.
Pennsylvania State Archives
The Pennsylvania State Archives maintains a collection of print historic aerial photographs. Contact them directly for access to their collection.
Penn Pilot Centroid Atlas
Photo center atlas created by PSU Libraries to aid in the understanding of what years each county was photographed.
Vintage Aerial Photos
Business that has scanned hundreds of thousands of oblique aerial photos including many of individual rural properties. You can view these online or purchase copies.
Eastern Pennsylvania Resources
Philadelphia Free Library Aerial Photo Collection Guide
A list of regional aerial photo sets available at the Free Library of Philadelphia, as well
as sets available online through other repositories. Digitized collections are marked with asterisks and have accompanying links.
Delaware Valley River Planning Commission Aerial Photos (1956-2015)
Delaware Valley River Planning Commission’s aerial photos for Pennsylvania are available on PASDA’s Imagery Navigator for the following years (called “Southeast PA): 1959, and every 5 years from 1965 through 2015.
Hagley Digital Archives, Dallin Aerial Survey Company photographs
These digital archives include some images from the 1930s from a perspective viewpoint. Generally eastern Pennsylvania.
Western Pennsylvania Resources
Historic Pittsburgh
This collection is held by the Archives Service Center (ASC) at the University of Pittsburgh, contains 137 aerial views of Pittsburgh and its surrounding communities taken between 1923 through 1937.
GIS Discussion Board
Join the GIS community discussion board to share best practices, ask questions, and connect with other GIS professionals.
Questions?
Irina Beal
GIS Analyst
[email protected]