Working with ArcMap

After reading the user's manual for the effective mesh size tool I tried installing it on my work station. Unfortunately, I don't have administrator rights and therefore couldn't place the effMeshArcGIS folder in the ArcGIS folder.

Instead, I attempted to create buffers around footprint types as described in table 7 (page 44 of .pdf file) of the North Yukon Planning Region's Land Use Scenarios Report so I could compare their linear density and surface disturbance results with my own. The Major Roads layer, which corresponds to the Major Road footprint type, was selected and I attempted to created a 1000 metre buffer around this linear feature, but somehow the buffer was not created. Rather than working with the individual layers created for each linear feature, I decided to work with the original layer "nypr_linear_features_50k". Buffers were then created for the following features:

• Access Roads: 500m
• Major Roads: 1000m
• Road: 500m
• Seismic Lines: 100m
• Trails: 100m
• Winter Roads: 500m

The next step was to measure the total length (in metres) of each linear feature for each LMU. However, I need to get familiar with the "Spatial Analyst" tool (I've uploaded a file "Using_ArcGIS_Spatial_Analyst_Tutorial" in Google Docs). Given that the main objective of this project is to measure the effective mesh size (or density), I think it would be wiser not to spend too much time figuring out how to measure LD and SD.

List of questions to ask NY team

I've tried to match the features present in the "ny_footprint" layer with feature types listed in "table 2: Study area land use footprints" of your scenarios report. I want to be sure that I haven't made a mistake when naming the footprint types in the layer you have sent us. Here's what I've got:

• AIRS: Airstrip
• AR: Access Road
• CAMP: ?
• FISH: ?
• GRAV: Gravel Pit
• MR: Major Road
• SET: Settlement
• SL: Seismic Line
• TOWR: ?
• TR: Trail
• TRc: ?
• VISH: ?
• WELL: Well Site
• WR: Winter Road

I still don't know which feature type corresponds to CAMP, FISH, TOWR, TRc and VISH.

The footprint layer seems to be more detailed than the linear features layer as it includes not only linear features, but also surfaces that may affect the effective mesh size (or density) of the region.

The next step(s) will be to:

• try and find a computer where I can install the effective mesh tool;
• wait for a reply from NY team about the question I sent;
• start written report while I wait for the above.

I received a quick reply from Jeff Hamm about the info I needed and could therefore create buffers for each feature in the ny_footprint layer according to the corresponding buffer widths listed in table 7 of the scenarios report. I'm still unsure if buffers need to be applied when measuring the effective mesh size and will therefore need to do further research on this subject.