Abstract
APFO’s Historical Treasures: How Aerial Imagery Can Track Agricultural Change
Track: Agriculture
Author(s): Brian Vanderbilt
The Aerial Photography Field Office (APFO) in Salt Lake City is an invaluable resource of aerial imagery for a GIS study of land use change. APFO archives one of the largest collections of digital aerial imagery in the United States. Beginning in the Depression, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has been using aerial photography to administer farm programs. APFO’s historical collection includes film and digital imagery dating from 1955. Imagery programs have emphasized acquisition in agricultural areas, but every county in the conterminous U.S. is represented by at least three years of aerial photography. Film scans can be easily georeferenced in ArcGIS or other applications for use in analysis. Raster analysis can be used to classify areas by land use, and to locate and compare areas of change over time. Through GIS, APFO’s historical role in administering farm programs can provide an overview of how our nation’s lands are changing.
Brian Vanderbilt
USDA-FSA-APFO
2222 W 2300 S
Salt Lake City , Utah 84119
United States
Phone: 801-844-2930
E-mail: brian.vanderbilt@slc.usda.gov