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Abstract

Urban landscape networks of connected habitat nodes are expanding and play an important role in shaping the biosphere. Within these networks, humans and wildlife coexist, living and moving in close proximity with the potential for conflict. Remotely sensed data provides accurate knowledge of landscape cover. Circuit-based ecological connectivity models can simulate the movement of wildlife across complex urban landscapes. The resistance surfaces needed to perform this modelling were derived using random forest machine learning land cover classification on combined Planet SkySat multispectral satellite imagery and LiDAR-derived digital surface model datasets with 78.2% overall accuracy. By comparing movement models for wildlife species and humans, sites of overlapping movement were identified primarily along roads and between forested patches in the south of campus. Areas of particular interest were located at intersections where vehicle and pedestrian traffic is high, and at active construction sites both near the Museum of Anthropology and in Wesbrook Village. These findings are consistent with previous projects studying ecological connectivity on campus. Recommendations involve monitoring construction projects, roads, and neighbourhoods. These results support Campus Vision 2050 initiatives to increase green space to improve ecological connectivity in the centre of campus, design protected connectivity corridors, and discourage unnecessary single- passenger vehicle traffic. Future research may incorporate object-based classification, or consider timing in human and animal movement patterns. Disclaimer: “UBC SEEDS provides students with the opportunity to share the findings of their studies, as well as their opinions, conclusions and recommendations with the UBC community. The reader should bear in mind that this is a student project/report and is not an official document of UBC. Furthermore readers should bear in mind that these reports may not reflect the current status of activities at UBC. We urge you to contact the research persons mentioned in a report or the SEEDS Coordinator about the current status of the subject matter of a project/report.”