compiling land cover change [19–21]. More generally, land use change studies, or
regional mosaics, require compatibility with respect to the classification system,
level of detail, spatial scale, date, and projection. Analysts, therefore, should devote
special attention to consistency in land use classification in such situations.
2.3 Sources of Land Use/Land Cover Data
For any specific region, there are likely to be several sources for acquiring land use
or land cover data derived from remotely sensed imagery, with alternative dates,
coverage, and classification systems. For the United States, the NLCD (mentioned
above) provides land cover data with broad-scale coverage (e.g., national, regional,
or state levels). For finer scales, such as cities or comparable local areas, more
detailed data completed from sensors with finer spatial resolution is readily available in most jurisdictions. However, the data, likely organized by political or
administrative boundaries, will not match to drainage basin (watershed) boundaries.
Data for other countries each follow procedures and classification strategies
specific to local needs and traditions. In considering national land cover mapping
systems, the analyst will encounter wide variations in costs, dates, availability,
classification, and completeness of coverage. Some examples:
The Canada Land Inventory, available for rural Canada, provides data covering
land use and cover categories for agriculture, forestry, wildlife, and recreation. The
maps were generated in the 1960s, 1970s, and early 1980s and many Canadian
jurisdictions still use them for land use planning [22].
The European Environment Agency provides downloadable land use and land
cover data for Pan-European urban areas with populations greater than 100,000
people. The Urban Atlas was completed using multispectral data, and the categories
are based on the European Coordination of Information on the Environment
(CORINE) classification system [23].
The Centre for Ecology and Hydrology provides land cover mapping data for the
United Kingdom (for 1990, 2000, and 2007 [24]), but each of these three maps has
been produced as a number of different products with varying data formats and
spatial resolutions. The United Kingdom also has generalized land use data available through their generalized land use website [25].
Land cover maps for Africa have been generated by both the US Geological
Survey [26] and the European Space Agency [27].
3 Electromagnetic Radiation Use in Remote Sensing
Sensors that measure the sun’s electromagnetic radiation provide the foundation for
obtaining and analyzing aerial photographs and other imagery used to monitor the
Earth’s surface. Electromagnetic energy from the sun that is reflected off the Earth’s
6
T.E. Parece and J.B. Campbell
regional mosaics, require compatibility with respect to the classification system,
level of detail, spatial scale, date, and projection. Analysts, therefore, should devote
special attention to consistency in land use classification in such situations.
2.3 Sources of Land Use/Land Cover Data
For any specific region, there are likely to be several sources for acquiring land use
or land cover data derived from remotely sensed imagery, with alternative dates,
coverage, and classification systems. For the United States, the NLCD (mentioned
above) provides land cover data with broad-scale coverage (e.g., national, regional,
or state levels). For finer scales, such as cities or comparable local areas, more
detailed data completed from sensors with finer spatial resolution is readily available in most jurisdictions. However, the data, likely organized by political or
administrative boundaries, will not match to drainage basin (watershed) boundaries.
Data for other countries each follow procedures and classification strategies
specific to local needs and traditions. In considering national land cover mapping
systems, the analyst will encounter wide variations in costs, dates, availability,
classification, and completeness of coverage. Some examples:
The Canada Land Inventory, available for rural Canada, provides data covering
land use and cover categories for agriculture, forestry, wildlife, and recreation. The
maps were generated in the 1960s, 1970s, and early 1980s and many Canadian
jurisdictions still use them for land use planning [22].
The European Environment Agency provides downloadable land use and land
cover data for Pan-European urban areas with populations greater than 100,000
people. The Urban Atlas was completed using multispectral data, and the categories
are based on the European Coordination of Information on the Environment
(CORINE) classification system [23].
The Centre for Ecology and Hydrology provides land cover mapping data for the
United Kingdom (for 1990, 2000, and 2007 [24]), but each of these three maps has
been produced as a number of different products with varying data formats and
spatial resolutions. The United Kingdom also has generalized land use data available through their generalized land use website [25].
Land cover maps for Africa have been generated by both the US Geological
Survey [26] and the European Space Agency [27].
3 Electromagnetic Radiation Use in Remote Sensing
Sensors that measure the sun’s electromagnetic radiation provide the foundation for
obtaining and analyzing aerial photographs and other imagery used to monitor the
Earth’s surface. Electromagnetic energy from the sun that is reflected off the Earth’s
6
T.E. Parece and J.B. Campbell