Starting a Community Geography Project in the Rural US South: Early Lessons and Future Plans

Keywords: Community Geography, US South, Historic District, PPGIS
Abstract Type: Paper Abstract

Abstract

Community Geography approaches seek to apply the developments and technological capabilities of geospatial information and spatial analysis to leverage community knowledge, advance local planning decisions, and enhance access to local resources, ideally improving lives of community members. The primary outcomes of this community geography project are directed at establishing a Main Street district and a Historic District delineation in a small town in rural southeast Georgia. In addition, the project seeks to assist the municipal governments in their economic development efforts. The research team experienced myriad challenges in planning and implementing city focused projects in a community in southeast Georgia with limited GIS data and capabilities.. In trying to build a relationship between the community and university and bridge knowledge and ability gaps of both researchers and participants, we identify four major considerations in the process of project development and implementation: 1) student researchers’ abilities and time constraints; 2) community leaders’ requests and their transformation to geographic products; and 3) leveraging existing data sources, both internal and external to the community; 4) reinforcing honest and realistic expectations when communicating with city and county representatives and community members. Additionally proposed are considerations and recommendations for future projects and enhanced community participation. Potential future impacts of this project include graduate student-led development of a streamlined process and set of protocols for students to identify opportunities to collaborate with the city and/or county, providing client-driven GIS services and products as part of a capstone experience.