JB Baum

I’m JB Baum, a GIS analyst and researcher exploring dynamics and disturbance regimes across the interface of ecological systems and the built environment.

This site showcases my GIS work focused on spatial analysis, cartography, and environmental mapping. Click on different projects to explore.

GIS Projects

This Olympic National Park map refines the National Park Service (NPS) layout, maintaining its familiar structure while enhancing readability and visual clarity. Icons replace dense labeling, making key features easier to locate. The color palette introduces higher-contrast hues, distinguishing landforms, trails, and park boundaries while preserving an approachable aesthetic. Circular icons and standardized symbology improve consistency, and adjusted trail and road representations ensure clear differentiation between routes. Text is thoughtfully placed to enhance legibility without overwhelming the design. These refinements create a more intuitive and visually cohesive map, making navigation effortless while honoring the original’s intent.


This map visualizes building height and elevation relationships across the UCLA area, incorporating 3D GIS interpolation techniques to generate a Triangulated Irregular Network (TIN). It reflects how different interpolation methods, including Kriging and IDW, shape terrain representation and influence the accuracy of elevation modeling.


The sightline assessment models how elevation and building heights influence spatial experience and accessibility across campus. This visualization provides a clearer understanding of vertical spatial relationships in the built environment, reinforcing the significance of accurate height data and terrain modeling in geospatial analysis.

VIEWSHED ANALYSIS


This study examines cell tower coverage across Los Angeles County, focusing on how topography and infrastructure shape access to cellular networks. Using viewshed analysis, it identifies coverage gaps and explores targeted improvements to reduce service inequities, addressing disparities that impact 9.72 million residents.


Findings highlight the uneven distribution of cell service, with coverage gaps concentrated in lower-income, high-renter communities. While raising tower height or signal range provides only marginal improvements, adding strategically placed towers results in a significant expansion of service, particularly in densely populated urban cores where coverage is most limited. Since cell access directly impacts economic opportunity, emergency response, and digital connectivity, prioritizing infrastructure investment in historically underserved areas is the most effective and equitable solution.

SITE SUITABILITY ANALYSIS


This project assesses forest vegetation suitability for potential summer campsite development in the Laguna and Cuyamaca Mountains, a region spanning diverse ecotypes within the California Floristic Province. The analysis evaluates key criteria—elevation, slope, major road proximity, biodiversity observation density, and trail/park road accessibility.


The analysis highlights the importance of land ownership in conservation-based planning. While many high-scoring sites exist, ownership limitations restrict feasibility, underscoring the need for collaboration between state, county, and private stakeholders to expand recreational opportunities while ensuring environmental sustainability.


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