With the advent of GIS and image processing capabilities, the process of calculating timberland suitability for forest planning required through the National Forest Management Act has changed. This paper compares the traditional way of determining suitability with innovative, new technology. The format of this paper begins with a description of what is currently available, explains the process for determining information needs, and concludes with how we derive the final product, timberland suitability. The vegetative layer is one of the most critical layers for the suitability model. The process of creating this layer using satellite imagery is described. The vegetative layer is used in several spatial analyses that can be vital in making good management decisions. Various ways of using image processing for incorporating resource data from remote sensing systems into GIS are discussed.
The State Forests of New South Wales is entrusted with the responsibility of managing, caring and sustaining the forests of New South Wales state in Australia. With the increase in awareness for conservation of flora and fauna within the forests, the demand for environment impact studies is increasing every day . The public and conservation agencies are getting involved in the management of forests. In order to meet these objectives, The State Forests has undergone a major change in work culture. GIS has been used as core system for delivering spatial databases, reports and maps to the forest management information systems such as Harvest Planning and Management System and Environment Impact Assessment. Owl habitat prediction in forests is one such application of GIS modelling. ArcInfo, in particular GRID is used for analysing various topographic, climatic and vegetation type layers for generating data for statistical package. The results were analysed and maps produced for showing the potential owl habitat within the forests.
A wildfire spread rapidly through the Point Reyes National Seashore in October of 1995, burning over 12,000 acres and destroying 45 homes on the wildland/urban interface. At the height of the fire suppression campaign, 2,164 personnel, including 74 handcrews, 27 bulldozers, 7 air tankers, 7 helicopters and 196 fire engines, were involved. During and immediately following the fire, GIS was utilized to monitor the daily/hourly spread of the fire, measure fire suppression actions, assess damage to natural resources, and evaluate damage to adjacent homes. Examples of GIS data layers created to assist in the evaluation of fir effects included burn intensity, bulldozer lines, and soil erosion. Within two weeks and with the aid of GIS, a team of specialists were able to present a comprehensive assessment of the fire impacts and recommend specific actions to the national park service for short and long term restoration and rehabilitation.
For over fifteen years, Dr. Jan Henderson has been collecting forest plot data and developing a model to predict climax vegetation using physical determinants (e.g., slope, aspect, elevation, precipitation, temperature, topographic moisture, and cold air drainage) in the North Cascade Mountains in Washington State. Several years ago, a raster GIS model was developed (with the assistance of former Esri employee Michael Fitzgibbon) for the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. That model has undergone several revisions, changing aspects of the model's operation as well as its geographic scope. This paper describes the theoretical basis for the model, provides an overview of how the model functions, and highlights some of the technical problems to be overcome in expanding this GIS application to incorporate the biotic diversity and the data to represent an area as large as 70 to 150 thousand square miles.