Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians (TMBCI)

Andy Robertson, Executive Director of GeoSpatial Services, recently joined Donna Jacob and Kiah Sagami of Houston Engineering (HEI) to present the final results of a multi-year wetland mapping project for the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians (TMBCI).

The presentation focused on the completion of Part 1 of the TMBCI Wetland Program Plan (WPP). This project, supported by an EPA Wetlands Program Development Grant, provides the Tribe with updated geospatial data necessary for informed water resource management and long-term environmental planning.

Andy Robertson Speaking at the TMBCI project wrap-up.

Key project deliverables included:

Updated National Wetland Inventory (NWI): A comprehensive re-mapping of wetlands and surface waters within the reservation using current high-resolution imagery.

Hydro-Modified Digital Elevation Models (DEM): Development of an elevation-derived stream network to better understand surface water connectivity and drainage basins.

Functional Assessments: The application of NWIPlus descriptors to characterize the ecological functions of mapped wetlands.

This collaborative effort between GSS, Houston Engineering, and the TMBCI Environmental Office establishes a technical foundation for the Tribe to monitor wetland health and prioritize future restoration efforts.

Fieldwork Update: Mapping Kansas City’s Wetlands

This past week, March 14–18, our team at Geospatial Services (GSS) completed critical fieldwork in Kansas City, MO, as part of the KCMO Wetlands Mapping and Classification project.

Senior GIS Analyst Kevin Stark and Lead GIS Analyst Zack Ansell led the effort to verify remote sensing data and ensure the accuracy of the city’s updated wetlands inventory.

A Collaborative Effort

The fieldwork was a multi-agency collaboration. The GSS team was joined by:

• Jing Tao, PhD, Environmental Manager at KC Water and the overall Project Manager.

• Frank Nelson, Wetland Coordinator for Statewide Resource Management at the Missouri Department of Conservation.

• Staff from KC Water and other partnering organizations.

The Mission: Ground-Truthing

The team conducted "ground-truthing" across the 230,000-acre project area to verify preliminary mapping derived from high-resolution aerial imagery. Key activities included:

Site Verification: Visiting 60–100 "check sites" to correlate image signatures with real-world wetland and upland conditions.

Riparian Assessment: Testing the Western Riparian Classification system on Midwestern forest types to identify unique ecosystems that are ecologically significant but may not meet standard wetland criteria.

Data Collection:

Recording GPS locations, site photographs, and documenting soil, vegetation, and hydrologic conditions.

Impact:

Funded by a US EPA Wetland Program Development Grant, this project provides a vital tool for managing Kansas City’s resources. The final geodatabase will support water quality monitoring, identify high-potential restoration sites, and help the city protect its wetlands amid ongoing development.

GSS Attends Alaska Wetlands Mapping Workshop in Anchorage

Last week, GSS Executive Director Andy Robertson and GIS Project Manager Eric Lindquist traveled to Anchorage, Alaska, to participate in the Alaska Wetlands Mapping Workshop. Held at the University of Alaska Anchorage Consortium Library on March 10–11, 2026, the event brought together a diverse group of data scientists, wetland ecologists, and resource managers from across North America.

Hosted by the Alaska Geospatial Council (AGC) Wetlands Technical Working Group, the workshop focused on the "state of the science" regarding how wetlands geospatial data is currently produced, maintained, and used. For Andy and Eric, the trip was a return to familiar territory; both have extensive experience managing National Wetland Inventory (NWI) and National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) updates across the state.

Defining the Future of Alaska’s Data

The workshop’s vision was to define a path forward for Alaska’s wetlands data—aiming to make it more accessible, integrated, and "analytic-ready" for end users. Highlights from the agenda included:

Strategic Overviews: Presentations from the Alaska Geospatial Office and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on current mapping production.

Emerging Technologies: Technical sessions on GeoAI workflows, machine learning methods, and semi-automated mapping techniques.

Strategic Planning: An afternoon session dedicated to developing recommendations for the next Wetlands Technical Working Group Strategic Plan.

A Collaborative Effort

The event also served as a valuable networking opportunity, featuring "lightning talks" and breakout sessions where practitioners shared updates on their latest work. As long-time partners of the USFWS and former chairs within the AGC, Andy and Eric contributed GSS’s expertise in advancing mapping techniques through elevation-derived products and hydrologic modeling.

The insights gained from this workshop will help guide coordinated investment and stewardship of wetlands data statewide, ensuring that Alaska remains at the forefront of geospatial innovation.

Following the workshop, Andy and Eric spent the remainder of the week meeting with key regional partners, including Bristol Bay Native Corporation, the Kenai Watershed Forum and the Alaska National Parks System. These discussions focused on ongoing collaboration and specialized mapping needs to support local resource management and conservation efforts. Along with meeting partners the two met with current GSS Staff in Anchorage, Larissa Kramer and applicant Sander Johnson.

GSS Staff Head to Pacific Northwest

In mid-November, Andy Robertson and Kathy Allen traveled to Tulalip, Washington to help facilitate a Clean Water Act training for tribal program staff, funded by an EPA grant. GSS worked with the National Association of Wetland Managers (NAWM) and a planning team of EPA and tribal staff to plan and deliver the training. The training was attended by 102 staff members from 48 different tribal communities across the country. It included two and a half days of presentations from tribal staff, partner groups, and regional EPA staff, along with an afternoon field trip and an optional workshop day. Topics ranged from water quality monitoring and data management to non-point source (319) projects and establishing water quality standards. Workshops included hands-on training on field monitoring techniques and two sessions on programming in R, presented by partners from the Tribal Exchange Network Group (TXG), who also provided travel assistance for attendees. Kathy gave a presentation titled “What GIS Can Do for Your Water Program”.

GSS in Bayfield County with the Red Cliff Band of Chippewa

Geospatial Services (GSS) at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota recently sent three team members to Bayfield, WI and the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Reservation on the Bayfield Peninsula. The trip was part of an ongoing wetland and functional assessment project designed to support both the National Wetland Inventory (NWI) and the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa.

GSS team members Andy Robertson (Executive Director), Eric Lindquist (Project Manager/Analyst), and Kaylee McFarland (GIS Technician) spent three days in northern Wisconsin, working on both tribal and nearby lands. Their main goal was to verify aerial imagery and wetland mapping previously developed by GSS.

The team was welcomed by Jessica Jacobson, Wetland Specialist for the Red Cliff Band, who shared insights on the tribe’s wetland resources and joined the team in the field.

Fieldwork Highlights
Over the course of the trip, the team visited a series of field sites to compare pre-mapping data with on-the-ground wetland conditions. Field activities included:

• Identifying wetland vegetation

• Collecting soil samples to confirm wetland soils

• Documenting rivers and streams

• Taking site photos for future mapping updates

These efforts ensure that the mapping meets NWI standards and accurately reflects current wetland conditions. The resulting data will contribute to a comprehensive wetland inventory, supporting planning, conservation, and resource management across northern Wisconsin.

O’Duggan Returns from Alaska Research with GSS-partner, AK-BioMap

In July, SMUMN GSS, Technician Fionn O’Duggan flew to Kodiak, Alaska and took part in a 25-day research cruise with GSS partner Alaska Biomap Scientific Services and a small team of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) scientists on board the Lady Sea. The goal of the cruise was to gather data to validate and enhance an Individual Based Model (IBM) for pacific cod in the Gulf of Alaska. Juvenile gadids (any fish in the cod family) were collected using beach seine nets at sample sites with desirable habitat for young gadids (protected bays abundant with sugar kelp and eelgrass). Water temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen (DO) content, and substrate composition were recorded at each site. Baited underwater cameras were used as well to capture images of juvenile gadids to aid in estimation of relative abundance and health.  Sample sites ranged from Sand Point on the Shumagin Islands to Seward on the Kenai Peninsula. After collection, the juvenile cod were brought on board to be identified, counted, measured, and fin clipped for later genetic analysis. This research stemmed from dramatic declines of Pacific cod abundance in the Gulf of Alaska since 2013 due to a period of anomalously warm water. The overarching goal of the study is to better predict Pacific cod population health, distribution, and abundance so the fishing industry might better adapt to future oceanic changes.

O’Duggan was joined on the trip by other interns, including Ella Kelly from the NOAA. A link to her NOAA blog is included below.

When he wasn’t beach seining or working in the boat’s lab, Fionn fished off the deck, cold plunged, enjoyed the wildlife, and beach combed for salmonberries and rocks.

NOAA Intern, Ella Kelly’s blog can be found here: LINK

GSS Intern: Leah Ramsey Tackles Invasive Species and Community Outreach on Kodiak Island

Leah Ramsey, a student at Winona State University and GSS student worker, is spending her summer with the Kodiak Soil and Water Conservation District in Alaska. Her internship has taken her from remote field sites like Uganik Cannery to the heart of Kodiak’s community gardens and native plant nurseries.

Working alongside Masumi from KSWCD, Leah is actively surveying and treating invasive species like orange hawkweed, common tansy, and foxglove. When weather keeps the team indoors, she’s managing GIS data, mapping treatment areas, and maintaining plant records for KSWCD’s herbarium.

Leah’s summer also includes a strong community outreach component:

• Participating in Native Plant Week by hosting an arts and crafts night for kids

• Helping lead a crayfish derby at Buskin Lake

• Supporting Trail Day with the Alaska State Parks system

• Volunteering in the community garden and native plant nursery, salvaging and growing local species for future sales at the farmer's market

“Every day is different—one day we’re hiking remote trails to treat invasives, the next we’re teaching kids about native plants,” Leah shared. “It’s a great way to connect science, people, and the land.”

GSS SMUMN is proud to support internships like Leah’s that foster leadership in environmental restoration, geospatial data collection, and community-based conservation work, as well as being thankful for the support of SMU Alumna Angie Steger, which helps us continue these programs.

GSS SMUMN Partners with Restoravore to showcase Local Watershed Restoration

GeoSpatial Services at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota (GSS SMUMN) is proud to support Restoravore in their mission to restore and protect the Pleasant Valley Watershed through innovative, community-centered land management and restoration.

The Pleasant Valley Watershed: A Living Lab

Restoravore sees their home watershed as a working “proof of concept.” It serves as a hub for research, observation, and experimentation in restoration, grazing management, and native vegetation stewardship. With goals of building local food markets connected to ecological health, they envision terms like “prairie-fed” or “native-fed” becoming part of a regional identity.

GSS’s Role: Bringing the Story to Life

To support this work, GSS developed a dynamic story map using the ArcGIS StoryMap application. The story map format allows geographic information to be combined with narrative storytelling using text and multimedia content. The result is a geographically enabled and interactive digital story that highlights the exciting restoration work that Restoravore is conducting in its watershed.

Highlights of the project include:

Through the story map, users can interact with 3D applications, data visualization dashboards, and interactive web maps that showcase Restoravore’s restoration efforts in the Pleasant Valley watershed.

Explore the StoryMap:

Take a visual tour of the project, its progress, and what lies ahead:

View the Pleasant Valley Watershed StoryMap by clicking the link: Cultivating a Native Ecological Legacy

Why It Matters:

This StoryMap is more than a collection of maps—it’s a tool for:

• Planners and decision-makers who need actionable data for restoration

• Landowners and local stewards, who want to see and share results

• Educators and volunteers, who can use it as a resource in community outreach

• Everyone who cares about water quality, habitat, and rural resilience

Recently, Restoravore hosted one of the field trip events for the Northeast-Midwest Prescribed Fire Science and Management Workshop, along with the Prairie Enthusiasts, on the Pleasant Valley bluff. This event was presented to show how prescribed fire is used to restore and manage an exemplary goat prairie near Winona in the Driftless Area of southeast Minnesota. GSS Technician, Rainier Bergstrom-Conley, and GSS/Cascade Meadow Summer Interns, Gabriella Acosta and Gavin Stichman, were able to attend the event and experience the work firsthand.

GSS SMUMN is excited to continue supporting innovative and collaborative watershed work with Restoravore and other local partners. Together, we’re connecting data, land, and people—one story at a time.

GSS SMUMN Intern Spotlight: Lola Schwinghamer Supporting Watershed Science in Alaska

This summer, GSS student worker Lola Schwinghamer, a student at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, is gaining hands-on experience in watershed science through an internship with the Kenai Watershed Forum in Soldotna, Alaska, sponsored by SMUMN, GSS and SMU Alumna Angie Steger.

Lola’s work focuses on monitoring water temperature and stream flow—vital components in understanding and protecting fish habitat throughout the Kenai Peninsula. In addition to field monitoring, she’s spending time with KWF’s invasive species program, assisting staff member Katrina with identifying and spraying invasive plants that threaten native biodiversity.

From wading into streams with temperature loggers to hiking riverbanks searching for invasive weeds, Lola is contributing to meaningful conservation work while gaining valuable field experience in the Alaskan landscape. Lola has even connected with SMUMN & GSS Alumn Katrina Danziger, who now lives in the Kenai area and continues work she was a part of on previous GSS internships!

“Getting to be out in the field every day and learn from professionals has been amazing,” said Lola. “I’m learning a lot about how environmental science is applied at the community level.”

The internship is part of GeoSpatial Services’ ongoing partnerships with conservation organizations around the country to provide real-world opportunities for student workers and is generously supported directly by SMU Alumna Angie Steger.

Wyoming Part 2 ! Mapping Water, Building Relationships: GSS Field Work Continues in Wyoming

GeoSpatial Services (GSS) at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota is continuing wetland mapping work in Wyoming, as part of its ongoing contributions to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Wetlands Inventory (NWI). Following the successful first half of the field hitch working on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands in eastern Wyoming, the team has now turned its focus westward to the Wind River Reservation—home to the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribes.

The effort reflects GSS’s ongoing commitment to productive partnerships and to improving the understanding of water resources, water rights, and usage efficiency throughout the region.

Field Team & Tribal Collaboration

This segment of the project brought together a strong team of professionals and partners, including:

• Andy Nadeau (Field Lead)
• Isabelle McNeill (Field Technician)
• Eric Lindquist (Project Manager)
• Hildred Hill (USFWS Intern)
• Andy Robertson (GSS Executive Director)

The crew was welcomed by and met with representatives from Tribal Fish and Game, including Art Lawson, as part of the broader effort to align mapping goals with local priorities and ecological stewardship.

Field Verification & Wetland Science

Field work remains a cornerstone of the NWI update process. Across the Wind River landscape, the team visited numerous check sites to validate the accuracy of mapped wetland features previously identified through aerial imagery. This hands-on ground-truthing included:

• Photo interpretation validation to confirm visual wetland indicators
• Soil sampling and analysis to identify hydric (wetland) soils
• Vegetation surveys to identify hydrophytic plant species
• Hydrologic assessments to evaluate water sources and saturation levels

These methods ensure that mapped wetlands meet federal criteria and accurately reflect real-world conditions. The data gathered on-site directly supports the development of digital wetland maps that feed into the national geospatial dataset used for conservation, planning, and policy-making.

A Collaborative Campus Effort

While the field crew worked across the plains and foothills of central Wyoming, Saint Mary’s students back on campus contributed to the project through image analysis, GIS data management, and map production tasks. This dual-track model provides students with critical hands-on experience in applied environmental science while advancing meaningful conservation work.

A Legacy of Impact

This is GSS’s fifth wetland mapping project in Wyoming since 2018, underscoring the organization's long-term investment in the region. The Wind River phase adds another meaningful chapter, highlighting how scientific fieldwork, Indigenous knowledge, student engagement, and agency partnership can come together to better understand and protect our nation’s water resources.

As climate change, land use pressures, and ecological needs increase, accurate wetland data is more important than ever. GSS’s work helps ensure that decisions around land management, water use, and conservation are informed by science, supported by partnership, and grounded in respect for both people and place.