Pacific Southwest Region

Change Detection and Cause Information

A key component of the vegetation monitoring program is identifying changes in land use, land cover and vegetation structure through time. Change detection, using two different source dates of satellite imagery covering the same area, is a useful tool in helping map specific changed areas for a given time period. Activity information GIS sources for past wildfires, harvest, reforestation, fuel treatments, tree mortality and development are used to explain cause of change areas. Additional imagery and or photo interpretation is necessary to identify causes for unknown change areas. The vegetation mapping program uses change and cause information as input sources to identify specific areas that need to be updated.

• Quick Change Methodology
• Vegetation Burn Severity
• Change Detection Information Products
• Lassen Modoc Quick Change Detection Data, 1999-2004
• Northwest Forest Plan Stand Replacing Disturbance, 1998-2003
• Sierra Nevada Change Detection, 1985-1991
• Southern California Mortality, 2001-2003
• Northern Sierra Monitoring Project, 2000-2005 Change Detection and Cause

USDA Forest Service - Pacific Southwest Region
Last Modified: Friday, 13 April 2012 at 13:48:00 EDT