GIS Shapefile - Summary of Block Group level analyses for Baltimore City.

Summary of Block Group level analyses for Baltimore City. This dataset contains block group level summary information for riparian vegetation, PROW (public right-of-way) vegetation, private land vegetation, and median age of homes. PRIZM codes are also present. The block group boundaries used in this dataset are from year 2000 GDT census data. The riparian analysis involved summarizing the riparian vegetation (forest and grass only) within a 100ft buffer of all 1:24K streams in Baltimore City for only those block groups that intersect the stream buffers. Vegetation data used in this analysis came from the 2001 MD DNR Forest Service IKONOS-derived Strategic Urban Forest Assessment (SUFA) vegetation layer. The amount of riparian forest, grass, and total vegetation was summarized on a block group level. In addition the percent riparian forest, grass, and total vegetation was summarized at block group level by dividing by the area of riparian land. The PROW analysis involved summarizing all PROW (non-parcel) vegetation (forest and grass) in Baltimore City. The PROW area consists of all roads and rights of way along roads. This area was delineated using Baltimore City parcel data by identifying all "non-parcel" areas. A cursory analysis of the "non-parcel" areas indicated that errors of omission were present due to insufficient parcel data. Vegetation data used in this analysis came from the 2001 MD DNR Forest Service IKONOS derived Strategic Urban Forest Assessment (SUFA) vegetation layer. The amount of urparian forest, grass, and total vegetation was summarized on a block group level. In addition the percent urparian forest, grass, and total vegetation was summarized at block group level by dividing by the area of urparian land. The private land area consists of all parcels not classified as "Exempt" or "Exempt Commerical." A cursory analysis of the parcel data indicated that errors of omission were present due to insufficient parcel data in certain block groups. Vegetation data used in this analysis came from the MD DNR Forest Service IKONOS derived Strategic Urban Forest Assessment (SUFA) vegetation layer. The amount of private land forest, grass, and total vegetation was summarized on a block group level. In addition the percent private land forest, grass, and total vegetation was summarized at block group level by dividing by the area of private land. PRIZM codes are generated from demographic and socioeconomic factors drawn from the U.S. Census data, the Claritas Company's PRIZM system classifies over 260,000 U.S. neighborhood markets into clusters. PRIZM codes can be linked with survey information. More information on PRIZM is available at http://www.clusterbigip1.claritas.com/claritas/Default.jsp?main=3&submenu=seg&subcat=segprizm. Median home age was summarized by block group from U.S. Census data. Credits