Mapping: A Tiered Approach

1
Mapping A Tiered Approach
From RSB Strategic Development Plan The Remote
Sensing Band (RSB) proposes a 3-tiered approach
for creating spatial products associated with FIA
plot inventories 1.   spatial products that
accrue as a by-product of standard database
queries using hex-coloring or some easily
implemented method of assigning plot information
to the landscape. 2.   spatially modeled products
derived from combining information from FIA plots
with GIS layers. 3.   spatial products that
are derived by combining FIA plot information
with GIS layers and remotely sensed data
2
General discussion points
Any geospatial product developed should include a
measure of uncertainty. We should use large
class increments when producing our mapped
products. Example Basal Area (sq.ft/A)
0-50 50-100 100-150  Each FIA unit has
issues with GPS coordinate accuracy. Parts of
the task of reconciliation of GPS/GIS coordinate
accuracy falls to the RSB right now.
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Spatial Product Development

• Tier 1 Products
• North Central FIA is doing the P3 hex-level
  mapping, populating hexes for several variables
  via a simple averaging technique MAP
• The RSBs vision for the production of Tier 1
  products includes mapping FIA variables and
  variable constructs to the P2 hex-level. To
  facilitate production we hope to provide FIA
  analysts with an easy method for creating maps as
  a by-product of standard analyses and core table
  development. GIS interface development could be
  a component of this process, or might include a
  cookbook approach to using a few GIS point and
  click procedures to create maps.

4
Proof of Concept
The RSB plans to demonstrate the P2 hex-level
products at the All-Hands meeting in Charleston,
SC in February. We can pilot test the
concepts and with this strawman initiate a
dialogue with the other bands on how to implement
and improve the map-making process. Variables
to be mapped could include           forest
type group,           volume (cubic foot),
          biomass,           total BA,
          total height,           date (of
available FIA data for this map),
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Hurdles

• Get the data together !!!
• The Mother dataset
• Get the data clean
• ISSUES Include
• One plot per hexclosest to center (or avg)?
• GPS-status of coordinatesperiodically update the
  databasePLOTS IW ALASKA
• Compatibility of information at various dates and
  inventory designs
• Varying coordinate accuracy
• Determine measures of accuracy/uncertainty

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Proof of Concept Advantages

• Illustration of the quality of the data available
  for making national maps, including

• the currency of the data

• any holes in the data

• status of the coordinates

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Tier 2 ProductsThe Analysts Playground

• Site under construction
• GIS Layers produced by RSAC
• Categorical layers produced from Tier 3
• Ancillary data collection (Geospatial One Stop)
• DEMs ..slope, aspect
• Climate data
• STATSGO soils
• Etc. etc. etc.

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Tier 3 Products and the Mother Predictor
Database
RSAC project

• Build a national model-ready geospatial
  database
• 250 meter resolution
• 1250,000 DEMs (90m resolution resampled to
  250m)
• Heterogeneity, variability, diversity measures
  calculated from 1992 NLCD
• Climate data (Ppt, Temp.) (Eileen)
• Some measure of clumpiness
• Ecoregions (Holdridge..Eileen, BaileysRSAC)
• Soils (STATSGO)
• MODIS Bands, Vegetation Indices (VI), VCF
  (Veg.Cont.Field. treecover, multi-temporally
  basedphenology)

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Recommendationsand Ruminations
A national map available on the web at
necessarily national resolutions etc. Include
hyperlinks that would enable the user to click on
different parts of the US and zoom/link to
regional datasets created with more specific
models, more local data, etc. The big map will
initially have few links, but will over time be
filled in all areas ? What does each region
consider to be the basic FIA program when it
comes to RS operational products?
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Recommendationsand Ruminations (cont.)
2003 SAF Convention Forest Science in
Practice SAF Proposal Putting the Where in
FIA FIAs New Spatial Products Proposal Due
Date 1/15/03 Proposal Sponsor Mike
Hoppus Organizer Gretchen Moisen Presenters
Remote Sensing Band