Rebekah VanWieren interned with the Genesee Institute. 

For my internship, I worked on a research project for the Genesee Institute, which is a not-for-profit research organization dedicated to issues of land use, sprawl, and urban revitalization that have a direct association with the creation and operation of land banks. The Genesee Institute is a partner organization of the Genesee County Land Bank (GCLB), one of the nationí¢â‚¬â„¢s leading land banks, and is working to clean up and re-use more than 4,000 abandoned, dilapidated, greenfield, and brownfield properties throughout Genesee County (includes Flint, MI). The research project involved developing a metropolitan-wide plan for the diverse types of GCLB properties, looking at ecological design strategies for both future landuse opportunities and maintenance approaches. The strategies were developed using GIS modeling, tax property records, existing maps, and field research. Through this project, I learned how to apply landscape ecology and planning principles at a regional scale, gained new skills in using GIS and doing landscape history research, and was exposed to real issues related to shrinking cities, vacant properties, and the opportunities that cities, like Flint, have to redesign and revitalize their communities.

Project Description
This project involved developing ecological design strategies, at a regional landscape level, for properties owned by the Genesee County Land Bank (GCLB). The Land Bank has acquired many different types of properties throughout Genesee County, Michigan, from the city center of Flint to exurban development, including commercial sites, historic neighborhoods, transitional neighborhoods, areas of extreme disinvestment, and greenfield sites. The ecological design strategies I helped to develop look at 1) future landuse opportunities and 2) maintenance approaches for the different types of properties, creating a county-wide plan for redevelopment and short-term management of their properties. Instead of looking at what to do with individual properties on an isolated level, this regional level plan considers re-use strategies based on what is happening around the properties.

The process of developing the future landuse opportunities and maintenance approach strategies included county-wide geographic data analysis and modeling (with ArcGIS software) using soils, water resources, green infrastructure, infrastructure, population, landcover, and other data, analysis of tax property records and maps, and field research. My most extensive role in the project was the field research component as well as helping to refine and update the landuse and maintenance recommendations. I also researched landscape histories of a subset of GCLB properties and am working on a written report of the project findings.

Field Research Component
For the field research, we developed a sample of 97 GCLB properties that had a distribution across all types of future landuse opportunities and all types of maintenance approaches. In addition, the sample was chosen along a continuum from out-county areas to the metropolitan center so that we looked at properties county-wide. The goal of the field research was to look at the range of different property types to see if the future landuse and maintenance approaches developed in the lab through geographic analysis and modeling made sense on the ground. I developed a field protocol and database to organize and analyze the field data. The field data collected helped to refine and simplify the future landuse opportunity and maintenance approach recommendations and to document, through photographs, the different types of GCLB properties, surrounding landuses, and onsite specifications that could not be modeled in the lab. Based on the field research, I will also be developing examples of signage that can be used as part of the GCLB maintenance-related programs.

Large Properties Research
In order to better understand the landscape histories of properties owned by the GCLB, I did historical research on the thirty largest GCLB properties throughout the county. I looked at Sanborn Fire Insurance maps, other map resources, and township and county property tax records to find out why the property was turned over the GCLB and what the site was previous used for. Through this research I could determine for example which sites may be considered brownfield sites based on past industrial uses or sites that have always been greenfield sites that property owners were holding for future development investment.

Professional & Personal Development
Through my internship I gained new research skills in landscape history and landscape analysis and in using ArcGIS software, which are all extremely useful in the landscape architecture field. Professionally, I gained new knowledge and practice in applying landscape ecology principles at a regional scale, developing regional landscape plans, and understanding the potential that shrinking cities have to redesign their communities to improve livability. I continued to gain a better understanding of Flintí¢â‚¬â„¢s neighborhoods, the environmental, economic and social issues they are facing and the role of the Land Bank. I have also continued to build work relationships in Flint and with the Genesee Institute and GCLB, which may lead to additional projects or volunteer opportunities during my next two years of graduate school. 

Internship Details