USDA Forest ServiceRemote Sensing Applications Center

Forest Inventory and Analysis

New TechnologyNew Technology

How is FIA integrating new technological developments such as remote sensing?

Ken Brewer

Washington Office

FIA Strategic Plan: January 2007

New Technology:

“Integrating new technology is critical to the efficient delivery of the FIA program.”

New Technology:

1. Team with USGS to improve accuracy of National Land Cover Data (NLCD) forest cover mapping…..Technology partnership with Multi-Resolution Land Characterization Consortium (MRLC) for NLCD

2. Technology partnerships with National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)

NLCD Tree Canopy Cover

=Response developed by classifyingTree crown cover on high resolutionImagery for 3-4, 1-4 km2 sampling

chips per Landsat scene.

Model developed using regression tree (random forest) algorithm

Fig. from Homer et al. 2007

2001 General modeling approach

NLCD Tree Canopy Cover

=Response developed by photo

Interpreting Tree crown cover on NAIP Imagery for ~4160 8100m2

sampling chips per Landsat scene.

Random forest algorithmK nearest neighbor

imputationSupport vector machines

Example modellingtechniques

Fig. from Homer et al. 2007

2001 General modeling approach

NLCD Pilot Study Areas4x Intensity Photo-based

Sample Locations

105 photo points to estimate% tree canopy cover for

modeldevelopment

North American Forest Dynamics Project• NASA funded project designed to characterize

disturbance patterns and recovery rates of forests across the continent.

• Goal: Determine the role of forest dynamics in North American carbon balance

• Uses FIA data for validation and training

Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity Project• MTBS characterizes burn severity on all large fires in CONUS, AK, HI, PR

– All ownerships– Historical (since 1984)– Landsat-based, 30m resolution

• Jointly implemented by USFS (RSAC) and USGS (EROS)• Interagency sponsorship by WFLC• FIA data used for estimates

Landsat NBR

Pre

-fir

e

P

os

t-fi

re

dNBR

Burn Severity

Fire PerimeterDifference

Dimensions of Change

Temporal Spatial

MTLCC Workshop Recommendation

• Hierarchical approach using multiple datasets:– MODIS data– Landsat data– NAIP & DOQ data– FIA field data

NASA-RSAC-FIA Inventory UAS Mission

Automated Image Acquisition

Yellow points = Plots

Red points = Images

High Resolution Imagery

16 Band Multi-spectral

Takeoff Unsuccessful

Questions?Questions?

USDA Forest ServiceRemote Sensing Applications Center

Forest Inventory and Analysis