The shores of Lake Ontario have a story to tell, and Meredith Caspell wants to share it with as many people as she can.

Using historical maps, striking photography and clear, concise commentary to show where and how the coast has changed since 1934, Caspell, a Master of Sustainability student, has created “If Coastlines Could Talk: A Story of Lincoln, ON,” an interactive ArcGIS StoryMap that was recently awarded the 2020 Esri Canada scholarship for Brock University.

“Visualizing change is a tool that can empower communities to combat the impacts of a changing world,” says Caspell.

The online project, based on Caspell’s thesis research in the Sustainability Science and Society graduate program, also explains the many factors affecting the alterations of the coastline, from storms to construction projects, and suggests what might be done to stabilize vulnerable areas.

Part of the MEOPAR-Lincoln Community Sustainability Project, “If Coastlines Could Talk” presents several dramatic animations to highlight specific areas that have seen some drastic changes, sometimes in a very short timeframe.

 

Continue reading at Brock University.

Image via Brian Jaworsky.