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cathyleee / sds192-mp3

SDS 192 Mini Project 3: Spatial data
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Questions about the Macleish data #2

Open cathyleee opened 6 years ago

cathyleee commented 6 years ago

We should ask Professor Reid Bertone-Johnson of the Landscape Studies department these questions:

  1. Unknown colour variables: Different colours are assigned to the trails in the data. Do the colours refer to the level of difficulty, or some other kind of classification?
  2. Unknown trail segment: There is a weird segment in the trail (circled in red below) that doesn't have a popup marker in our plot because it is just a segment of a trail, not an entire trail itself. Does this segment belong to any trail in particular? weird_segment
  3. Other variables affecting difficulty: Do the different types of soil or wetlands affect the difficulty levels of the trails? What about the forest or vegetation?
  4. Challenge Courses: Do the trails and the Challenge Courses have anything in common?
cathyleee commented 6 years ago

Responses to the questions:

  1. Unknown colour variables: "The colors that come with the trails appear to be arbitrary. There is no meaning behind them."
  2. Unknown trail segment: "The little segment exists and is weird. It is just a little connector that allows people to get out to the Poplar Hill Road trail without continuing around the loop of the other trail. I wouldn't worry about including it if it causes you trouble."
  3. Other variables affecting difficulty: "I love the idea of classifying the trails in additional ways. Biodiversity/Vegetation Diversity ratings would be very cool. It might also be nice to characterize trails by the number of Arts Afield Sites1 they pass."
  4. Challenge Courses: "The "Challenge Course" elements are part of a low-rope challenge course for Smith students to use with facilitators from Smith. We have trails that connect the elements. Otherwise, there is no significance."

1 Not in the Macleish package. Will include in the Git repository if used. "Arts Afield Sites are locations for artistic work and reflection at the field station - a way of formally establishing locations for the collection of humanities and arts based research - reflections on place - at the field station."