Geosciences Colloquium - Lise Montefiore

“Mapping the historical growth of swine CAFOs in North Carolina through analysis of long-term satellite images”

By Lise Montefiore, North Carolina State University

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https://auburn.zoom.us/j/98871771561

Meeting ID: 988 7177 1561

Abstract:

North Carolina (NC) experienced a dramatic increase in swine production throughout the 1980s and early 1990s. Swine are usually raised in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), which generate large volumes of manure that are stored in one or several open-air lagoons and later distributed over spray fields. Swine CAFOs were constructed mainly prior to 1997, at which time a moratorium was placed on the construction or expansion of hog farms and lagoons in an effort to regulate the growth of the industry. In order to better characterize the effects of swine CAFOs on surrounding landscapes, more information is needed on the locations of CAFOs, as well as the ages of existing operations. In this talk, we present a methodology that reconstructs the historical expansion of swine CAFOs across the NC landscape through the analysis of satellite imagery, specifically from Landsat. We will highlight the use of Google Earth Engine, a geospatial processing service. Knowledge on CAFO ages can increase understanding of CAFOs’ long-term impacts on natural resources and provides useful information that can be used as inputs for environmental simulation models.