Program on the Environment

Urbanization is rapid and is unfortunately pushing out many small-scale freshwater environments causing ecological changes that the public is not aware of. Despite efforts led by local organizations, South Portage Bay is experiencing degradation and community members do not know how to get involved or how the region has been affected in the first place. The purpose of this study is to explore how utilizing historical imagery analysis can lead to increased public awareness and participation in volunteer efforts. Through my internship with Friends of South Portage Bay, I conducted a thorough historical photo analysis and explored various ecological elements and documented how each changed over time, noting any major human impacts that occurred each year. Following analysis, I organized a public visioning session inviting community members in South Portage Bay to explain what I had learned. Results indicate that once the public is able to visualize these complex environmental changes going on around them through historical images, there is less confusion and a stronger motivation to engage in conversation and ask questions regarding how to get involved. Friends of South Portage Bay can utilize the information gathered from analysis to further enhance their knowledge of the region and organize public learning sessions. It is crucial to continue utilizing historical imagery analysis to efficiently explain complex environmental issues to wider audiences. This framework can be applied to various environmental settings and can help with informing wider audiences about small-scale freshwater systems that are similarly affected by urbanization.