About This Map

The Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy (BOPC) tasked an NYU Wagner Capstone student team with designing a comprehensive park usership study method over the course of the 2023-2024 academic year. This map shows the observation points and routes the team recommended BOPC should study over four seasons to get a robust enough sample to generate an accurate estimate of total annual usership.

This map is meant to be used by BOPC staff and volunteers to make the data collection more handy with a smartphone.

The team recommends two study activities:

• Entry Counts consist of a field observer counting all individuals who cross an imaginary line to enter the park. Each park has multiple recommended Entry Points at which the counts should be conducted. There are three types:
  • Pedestrian Count: capture all park visitors that arrive on foot or by bike/skates/etc.
  • Car Count: capture all park visitors that arrive in a vehicle and enter the park
  • All Count: capture all park visitors that arrive on foot, bike/skates, or by car
• Activity Scans consist of a field observer walking along a designated path doing a visual sweep and count of all individuals in the visible zone and noting their level of activity. Each park was subdivided into Zones and Routes.

The Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy is the official non-profit manager and advocate for the 19 historic park assets designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, one of the most famous landscape architects in history. By understanding how many people use their parks, they will be able to plan more accurately for programming, maintenance, and capital projects.