WCRC

Geospatial Interns

Summer 2025

For the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission, Taryn generated detailed, landscape-scale variables for 67 watersheds, providing data critical for resource management and conservation planning. In partnership with the French Creek Valley Conservancy, she conducted a comprehensive suitability analysis for a proposed canoe launch site along French Creek, integrating environmental, logistical, and spatial considerations into her assessment.

Taryn’s drone operations utilized both multirotor and fixed-wing platforms to capture high-resolution imagery for a variety of ecological and restoration projects. These included:

• Documenting a one-mile stretch of German Run prior to “chop-and-drop” restoration efforts

• Recording post-treatment conditions at the Harmonsburg fen following targeted Phragmites removal

• Surveying the lawn in front of Pelletier Library in preparation for the installation of pollinator gardens
  
  

Her field-based contributions extended beyond aerial surveys. At Bousson Experimental Forest, she collected GPS data to standardize trail marking systems. On campus, she inventoried street sign locations to inform a parking study. For the Meadville Shade Tree Commission, Taryn designed a robust database schema to support a city-wide tree inventory initiative.

In addition to these applied projects, Taryn began developing an Environmental Science and Sustainability (ESS) alumni dashboard to showcase post-graduation career pathways, providing valuable insights for current students. She also created precise routing maps for the newly established cross-country course at Robertson Athletic Complex, enhancing both athletic training and event planning.

Taryn’s summer was marked by an exceptional range of high-impact, data-driven projects. Her contributions not only generated tangible benefits for partner organizations, but also further developed the advanced technical and analytical skills that will serve as a strong foundation for her future career and endeavors.