Forest Sciences Commons^™

Measuring Tree Height Using Pictometry Hyperspatial Imagery, Daniel Unger, David Kulhavy, Matthew A. Wade, I-Kuai Hung

Faculty Publications

Trees within Nacogdoches, Texas were measured for height using Pictometry hyperspatial imagery at 4 inch spatial resolution. Trees measured included baldcypress located on LaNana Creek as part of a hybrid analysis study. Baldcypress, Taxodiumdistichum, was planted along La Nana Creek, Nacogdoches, Texas, for erosion control and as a test bank for growth of the species genotypes. Each tree was located with GPS and entered into the GIS data base in the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, Stephen F. Austin State University. Actual tree height, measured using a height pole in 0.1 inch increments, was compared to …

Spatial Patterns And Physical Factors Of Smokejumper Utilization Since 2004, Tyson A. Atkinson

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This research examines patterns of aerial smokejumper usage in the United States. I assess landscape and environmental factors of their deployment using a detailed nine-year record of smokejumper activity in combination with terrain, fuels, and transportation network data. Specifically, the research seeks to identify commonalities in location (proximity), terrain, fuels, fire occurrence, and accessibility of smokejumper actions that inform current usage and identify opportunities for improved utilization. Terrain parameters (steep, rugged, inaccessible) of the western U.S. were classified and a baseline travel time grid was created (30 meter resolution). Fires in which smokejumpers responded were compared with all fires that …

Habitat Type Mapping In Montana De Oro State Park Through Gis Image Classification, Evan Corrales, Sarah Fockler

Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences

This project involved using aerial imagery and GIS procedures to automatically map the basic vegetation communities present within Montana de Oro State Park, CA: grassland, coastal scrub, bare ground, woodland, and riparian areas. 1m resolution color imagery of the park from the NAIP 2005 (National Agriculture Inventory Program) and 1m resolution LiDAR height data were also used to determine the locations of the different vegetation types in the park. This data was then classified by color using the interactive supervised classification tool in ArcGIS. Points were taken in the park using a GPS unit, and compared with the GIS results …

Crowdsourcing With Arcgis Online For Natural Resources Management, Yanli Zhang, Matthew W. Mcbroom, Jason Grogan, Paul R. Blackwell

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Land Suitability Assessment For Rice Cultivation Based On Gis Modeling, Orhan Dengi̇z

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

The main objective of this study was to develop a spatial model for land suitability assessment for rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivation using geographic information system (GIS) techniques. The land mapping units, resulting from the overlay of the selected theme layers, have unique land quality information, on which land suitability is based. Results showed that 55.5% of the study area is highly or moderately suitable for rice cultivation, whereas 34% of that area is unsuitable for rice cultivation due to soil and topographic conditions. The model was also validated with field studies. According to the statistical analysis, there was a …

Keeping It Wild: Mapping Wilderness Character In The United States, Steve Carver, James Tricker, Peter Landres

United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

A GIS-based approach is developed to identify the state of wilderness character in US wilderness areas using Death Valley National Park (DEVA) as a case study. A set of indicators and measures are identified by DEVA staff and used as the basis for developing a flexible and broadly applicable framework to map wilderness character using data inputs selected by park staff. Spatial data and GIS methods are used to map the condition of four qualities of wilderness character: natural, untrammelled, undeveloped, and solitude or primitive and unconfined recreation. These four qualities are derived from the US 1964 Wilderness Act and …

Evaluating The Current Status Of Chestnut-Present Forest Systems: Integrating Gigapan As A Tool For Site Assessment, Charles Taylor Brewer

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The field of environmental science can directly benefit from a society driven by advances in technology. The loss of the American chestnut (Castanea denata) has had a significant negative environmental and economic impact throughout the Appalachian region. However, using an integrated approach utilizing recent advances in science and technology, we may be able to promote the re-introduction of a very similar species within this region. Using GigaPan as a tool for site assessment and data storage, and previous methods of biological field surveying within the critical detritus layer of the forest floor, we will assess the status of forest ecosystems …

Spatial Prioritization For Invasive Plant Management, Abraham Michael Levin-Nielsen

Theses and Dissertations--Forestry and Natural Resources

Invasive exotic plant species have been recognized as serious threats to ecosystems. Extensive research on invasive exotic plant species has primarily focused on the impacts, characteristics, and potential treatments. Decision tools and management models that incorporate these findings often lack input from managers and have limited use in differing invasion scenarios. Therefore, in this study, I created a scientifically-driven framework that incorporates expert input to prioritize watersheds for management within the Inner Bluegrass region of Kentucky. The widely distributed invasive exotic plant Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii) was used as an example species. The framework is built around the Analytic Hierarchy …

Extent Of Coterminous Us Rangelands: Quantifying Implications Of Differing Agency Perspectives, Matthew Clark Reeves, John E. Mitchell

United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Rangeland extent is an important factor for evaluating critical indicators of rangeland sustainability. Rangeland areal extent was determined for the coterminous United States in a geospatial framework by evaluating spatially explicit data from the Landscape Fire and Resource Management Planning Tools (LANDFIRE) project describing historic and current vegetative composition, average height, and average cover through the viewpoints of the Natural Resources Inventory (NRI) administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program administered by the US Forest Service. Three types of rangelands were differentiated using the NRI definition encompassing rangelands, afforested rangelands, and transitory …

Snapping A Pour Point For Watershed Delineation In Arcgis Hydrologic Analysis, Yanli Zhang, Matthew W. Mcbroom, Jason Grogan, I-Kuai Hung

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Classifying And Mapping Diversity In A Species-Poor System: The Mangrove Meta-Community Of Laguna Chacahua National Park, Oaxaca, Mexico, Elizabeth Kay Weisgerber

Master's Theses

ABSTRACT

Classifying and Mapping Diversity in a Species-Poor System: the mangrove meta-community of Laguna Chacahua National Park, Oaxaca, Mexico

by

Elizabeth Kay Weisgerber

Both field transects and imagery grid plots were analyzed with the goal of creating a community classification map for the mangrove forest of Parque Nacional Lagunas de Chacahua. In total, data was collected in 49 sites throughout the park, recording measures such as DBH, basal area, estimated dominance, frequency, cover and relative dominance. Field locations were marked and georeferenced with a GPS and grid plots overlaid on satellite imagery of the park were generated via a random …

Cottonwood Riparian Site Selection On The Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation, Julie A. Thorstenson, Diane Rickerl, Janet H. Gritzner

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences (through 2013)

The construction of the Oahe Dam on the Missouri River eliminated thousands of acres ofriparian and floodplain lands on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation in South Dakota. Restoration is needed to replace wildlife habitat. This study focused on site selection for native cottonwood (Populus deltoides Bartr. Ex Marsh. ssp. Monilifers (Ait.) Eckenwalde) restoration to help mitigate this loss. Geographic information systems technologies were used to develop a suitability model for cottonwood restoration. Tribal lands were extracted from a digital dataset oflandownership. Those touched by or included in a 46 m border of the Moreau River were candidate sites. Of …

Soil Erosion Modeling With The Modified Universal Soil Loss Equation, Yanli Zhang, Jason Grogan, I-Kuai Hung, Ramanathan Sugumaran

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Utilization Of Geographic Information System For Research, Management, And Education In The Natural Resources Management Department At California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, David In Yun

Master's Theses

Geographic Information System (GIS) is “an organized collection of computer hardware, software, geographic data, and personnel designed to efficiently capture, store, update, manipulate, analyze, and display all forms of geographically referenced information” (ESRI, 1997a). The Natural Resources Management Department at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California, hereafter NRM, was one of the early users of GIS technology. Although GIS was primarily used as an educational tool, it was also used for cataloging and displaying resource information for management planning and research projects. As the computing technology advanced, GIS became more powerful and easier to use. NRM faculty and …

Moderate-Scale Mapping Methods Of Aspen Stand Types : A Case Study For Cedar Mountain In Southern Utah, Chad M. Oukrop, David M. Evans, Dale L. Bartos, R. Douglas Ramsey, Ronald J. Ryel

Aspen Bibliography

Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) are the most widely distributed tree species across North America, but its dominance is declining in many areas of the western United States, with certain areas experiencing rapid mortality events over the past decade. The loss of aspen from western landscapes will continue to profoundly impact biological, commercial, and aesthetic resources associated with aspen. However, many options are available for its restoration. Advances in remote sensing technologies offer cost-effective means to produce spatial and quantitative information on the distribution and severity of declining aspen at many scales. This report describes the development and application of …

Web-Based Spatial Decision Support System And Watershed Management With A Case Study, Yanli Zhang, Matthew W. Mcbroom, J. Degroote, R. L. Kauten, P. K. Barten

Faculty Publications

In order to maintain a proper balance between development pressure and water resources protection, and also to improve public participation, efficient tools and techniques for soil and water conservation projects are needed. This paper describes the development and application of a web-based watershed management spatial decision support system, WebWMPI. The WebWMPI uses the Watershed Management Priority Indices (WMPI) approach which is a prioritizing method for watershed management planning and it integrates land use/cover, hydrological data, soils, slope, roads, and other spatial data. The land is divided into three categories: Conservation Priority Index (CPI) land, Restoration Priority Index (RPI) land, and …

Soil Viewer Extension Brings Soil Data To Your Gis, Jason Grogan, I-Kuai Hung, Yanli Zhang

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Object-Based Segmentation And Classification Of One Meter Imagery For Use In Forest Management Plans, W. Kevin Wells

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This research developed an ArcGIS Python model that extracts polygons from aerial imagery and assigns each polygon a vegetation type based on a modified set of landcover classes from the Southwest Regional Gap Analysis Project. The model showed an ability to generate polygons that accurately represent vegetation community boundaries across a large landscape. The model is for use by the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands to assist in the preparation of forest management plans. The model was judged useful because it was easy to use, it met a designated 50% threshold of useable polygons, and it met …

Collecting Multiple Point Features Referenced To A Single Geographic Position In Arcpad, Jason Grogan, I-Kuai Hung, Yanli Zhang

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Accuracy Of Forest Road And Stream Channel Characteristics Derived From Lidar In Forested Mountain Conditions, Russell Alan White

Master's Theses

Forest roads and stream channels are mapped using a variety of remote sensing and ground-based techniques. In densely forested areas, conventional remote sensing methods provide limited terrain information, while ground-based surveys can be time-consuming, difficult, and expensive. Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) is an airborne remote sensing technology used to create high-resolution digital elevation models (DEMs) of the earth’s surface. This study tests the accuracy of forest road and stream channel features mapped using LiDAR in the steep, forested terrain of California’s Santa Cruz Mountains. A conventional total station survey was used to determine centerline position and elevations along a …

Assessing Ecological Functions Of Bottomland Hardwood Wetlands Using Remote Sensing And Geographic Information Systems, Rachel Mcnamee, Hans Michael Williams, Kenneth W. Farrish, I-Kuai Hung, Daniel Unger

Faculty Presentations

Bottomland hardwoods are one of the most rapidly diminishing wetland ecosystems due to agricultural clearing, development, and reservoir construction. As society has become more aware of the functions of wetlands, so has the importance in conservation of these valuable resources. The objective of this study was to compare the accuracy of Remote Sensing and GIS based functional assessment to the field based Hydrogeomorphic (HGM) approach. Remote sensing models were developed using a combination of soil maps, soil information, QuickBird ® multispectral satellite imagery, LiDAR derived Digital Elevation Model (DEM), and LiDAR derived Canopy Height Model. Results, although mixed, indicated that …

Evaluation Of A Low-Cost Gps Receiver For Precision Agriculture Use In Adana Province Of Turkey, Muharrem Keski̇n, Sai̇t Muharrem Say, Serap Görücü Keski̇n

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

The most vital factor in the application of precision agriculture technology is the cost of the required high-technology equipment. The equipment cost is the major obstacle in adopting the precision agriculture. GPS receiver is one of the most essential tools with high initial costs in this technology. The aim of this study was to evaluate a low-cost GPS receiver in 3 different tests including static, dynamic circular area, and dynamic straight line tests. It was observed that the tested low-cost GPS receiver yielded a deviation of less than 1.50 m, 1.60 m, and 1.48 m in static, circular area, and …

Integration Of Modified Universal Soil Loss Equation (Musle) Into A Gis Framework To Assess Soil Erosion Risk, Yanli Zhang, J. Degroote, Calvin Wolter, Ramanathan Sugumaran

Faculty Publications

Soil erosion is an important economic and environmental concern throughout the world. In order to assess soil erosion risk and conserve water and soil resources, soil erosion modeling at the watershed scale is urgently needed. This study integrated the Modified Universal Soil Loss Equation (MUSLE) in a Geographic Information System (GIS) framework in the form of a tool called ArcMUSLE, an extension of ArcGIS® software, to assist soil and water conservation agencies in soil erosion risk assessment and prioritization of critical areas for soil erosion control practices. With widely available spatial data, this tool can be applied to determine curve …

Wildland–Urban Interface Maps Vary With Purpose And Context, Susan I. Stewart, Bo Wilmer, Roger B. Hammer, Gregory H. Aplet, Todd J. Hawbaker, Carol Miller, Volker C. Radeloff

United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Maps of the wildland– urban interface (WUI) are both policy tools and powerful visual images. Although the growing number of WUI maps serve similar purposes, this article indicates that WUI maps derived from the same data sets can differ in important ways related to their original intended application. We discuss the use of ancillary data in modifying census data to improve WUI maps and offer a cautionary note about this practice. A comparison of two WUI mapping approaches suggests that no single map is “best” because users’ needs vary. The analysts who create maps are responsible for ensuring that users …

Watershed Forest Management Information System (Wfmis), Yanli Zhang, P. K. Barten

Faculty Publications

Maintenance of a sustainable clean water supply is critical for our future. However, watershed degradation is a common phenomenon around the world that leads to poor water quality. In order to protect water resources, the Watershed Forest Management Information System (WFMIS), was developed as an extension of ArcGIS® and is described in this paper. There are three submodels to address nonpoint source pollution mitigation, road system management, and silvicultural operations, respectively. The Watershed Management Priority Indices (WMPI) is a zoning approach to prioritize critical areas for conservation and restoration management. It meets the critical need to spatially differentiate land cover …

Evaluating Forest Harvesting To Reduce Its Hydrologic Impact With A Spatial Decision Support System, Yanli Zhang, P. K. Barten, Ramanathan Sugumaran

Faculty Publications

Timber harvesting changes the condition of forest ecosystems, which are a major influence on the characteristics of headwater streams. Such characteristics include the quantity and timing of base flow and storm flow, concentrations of sediment and dissolved nutrients, water temperature, and the stability of the stream channels. This paper explores previous studies dealing with the relationship between timber harvesting and its hydrologic effects, especially long term water yield increase. The watershed disturbance threshold theory is raised and investigated in detail. The development and evaluation of a spatial decision support system, the Harvest Schedule Review System (HSRS), is then described. The …

Landscape Analysis Of George W. Pirtle Scout Reservation, David Kulhavy, Daniel Unger, Frank B. Shockley, Josh Bardwell

Faculty Presentations

To assist in detecting change over time for the forested landscape of George W. Pirtle Scout Reservation, Panola County, Texas, digital ortho-photography imagery (acquired 1996 and 2004) were used to designate forest cover types and hazard rating for forest insects and diseases. Status of camp grounds was ascertained and recommendations made for management using the GIS database created for the camp.

Mapping Secondary Forest Succession With Geographic Information Systems: A Case Study From Bulanıkdere, Kırklareli, Turkey, Günay Çakir, Fati̇h Si̇vri̇kaya, Sali̇h Terzi̇oğlu, Emi̇n Zeki̇ Başkent, Turan Sönmez, Haci Ahmet Yolasiğmaz

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Developing forest management plans for sustaining the full range of forest values is a challenging task. One of the difficulties in this process is to set and achieve management objectives, and conservation targets. A sustainable forest management concept requires that a target forest structure (the composition and the configuration) be set before developing alternative management actions for the achievement of management objectives and the conservation targets. In this respect, developing and understanding vegetation succession play important roles in setting the target forest conditions. This study was conducted in the Bulanıkdere Forest planning unit (Kırklareli, Turkey) where the biodiversity-integrated multiple-use forest …

Comparing The Accuracy Of Multi-Source Data Integration For Two Supervised Image Classification Methods: Maximum Likelihood And Artificial Neural Network, Hillary Tribby, Daniel Unger

Faculty Presentations

No abstract provided.

Use Of Remote Sensing And Geographic Information System Technologies For Developing Greenhouse Databases, Namik Kemal Sönmez, Mustafa Sari

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

This model study was conducted in Antalya region greenhouses for the determination and registration of agricultural resources as a part of adjustment efforts for the European Union (EU) Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The aim was to create new database systems based on remote sensing (RS) and geographic information systems (GIS), rather than conventional land measurement techniques. For this purpose, glass and plastic greenhouses were determined by visual data analysis of satellite image, and databases were created for each greenhouse by GIS. These databases included area, coordinates and other characteristics of each greenhouse. These databases were prepared in a format that …