A Geographic Information System Approach to Mapping Disturbed Landscapes for Cultural Resources Management: Peterson and Schriever Space Force Bases

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Military Cultural Resources Management" session, at the 90th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Located on 1,630 and 3,800 acres in the high plains east of Colorado Springs, Peterson and Schriever Space Force Bases (SFBs) have experienced human activity across pre-contact, historic, and Air Force eras, as well as natural disturbance from watercourses. Both natural and cultural activities have led to ground disturbance that could affect the integrity of cultural deposits. This project employs a GIS approach to delineate land disturbances at Peterson and Schriever SFBs, producing a map illustrating the areas affected and the severity of the disturbances. Land disturbance features were mapped for the entirety of the bases using high-resolution LiDAR data and historical imagery from before, during, and after base construction. Additionally, a cultural resource model was developed using data from existing pre-contact and historic sites in the vicinity to provide general guidance on prioritizing survey areas for both bases. The resulting disturbance maps and geospatial data provide a tool for informing Peterson and Schriever SFB’s future planning activities and decision-making, including consideration of impacts on cultural resources.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Military Cultural Resources Management   •
• Society for American Archaeology 90th Annual Meeting, Denver, CO (2025)

Keywords

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 53525