Discipline: Ecology Environmental and Earth Sciences
Subcategory: Geosciences and Earth Sciences
Tamara Spikes - Spelman College
Metropolitan Atlanta has had a significant increase in population throughout the years. According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the population of Metro Atlanta region has grown by approximately 2 percent between 2014 and 2015. This rapid increase in population has caused a massive urban sprawl of this region. Urban sprawl or low-density development in this region has made its urbanized area grow rapidly, replacing farmland and forests with asphalt, subdivisions, and low-rise commercial buildings. The environmental impacts of urban sprawl and population growth in Atlanta are among the most significant and widespread in the nation throughout the years. Such impacts include the depletion of natural resources, deforestation, reduction of potable water use, increase in the emission of greenhouse gases, and depletion of air and water quality. To prevent and control the likelihood of these occurrences, it is important to consider potential strategies that will support Atlanta’s increased population and promote sustainable land use. In order to understand the potential strategies that can promote sustainable land use, I will analyze the cross sectional effects of inefficient land use, within the greater Atlanta area, through the use of ArcGIS. By analyzing the land use parameters, I will be able to assess the land use throughout Atlanta. From the observations, I would like to convey potential solutions that can ultimately promote sustainable land use and support Atlanta’s increasing population.
Funder Acknowledgement(s): Not Applicable
Faculty Advisor: Nirajan Dhakal, ndhakal@spelman.edu
Role: I completed the entire research project with the assistance of my research advisor. In addition to developing a map through ArcGIS, an extensive literature review was conducted to assist in understanding the urban sprawl phenomena.