Data story. Open or closed space in Western Massachusetts

Cartographer's statement

In the first map the open spaces for all of Massachusetts are represented in a bright green. The large number of conservation lands, town forests, state parks, and other open spaces showcase how much land is available to the public, especially in the western part of the state. In the second map, that storyline is challenged by highlighting open spaces that are of limited access to visitors. The large area surrounding the Quabbin Reservoir is protected (given that it is a main source of water for the state), and becomes the focal point of the map. It also sets the stage for an opposing narrative: that western Massachusetts is closed to the public.

Much of Tierney’s cartographic work has been focused on mapping natural and environmental spaces, so for this project she chose to use the library-provided Massachusetts open space data to map two aspects of natural areas in the state: regions that are freely open for public access and recreation, and regions that have restricted or non-existent access.

For this project Tierney explored cartographic techniques to create an aesthetic that brought the natural spaces of Massachusetts to the top of the visual hierarchy. First she found a map that inspired her; a map of Central westside Portland, Oregon, created in 1972 by John Tomlinson, which uses one color to highlight natural areas in the city. With this aesthetic in mind, she drew inspiration from the limited use of color. She then explored adding waterlines to the coast, learned from a tutorial by cartographer Daniel Huffman, and experimented with a new font created by cartographer Sarah Bell.

Cartographer

• Lauren Tierney
  

  Lauren Tierney is a Graphics Reporter and cartographer at the Washington Post who enjoys telling stories with maps and specializes in mapping environment, climate, wildlife, and adventure topics. Before joining the Post in 2017, she was a Graphics Editor at National Geographic Magazine, and has a masters degree in geography from the University of Oregon. Lauren is also a board member of North American Cartographic Information Society.