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Forest is a significant source of biodiversity and a sink to carbon dioxide, the main cause of global climate change. The world has just under 4 billion hectares of forest, covering about 30% of the world's land area. From 1990 to 2005, the world lost 3 percent of its total forest area, an average decrease of 0.2% per year. There is a need for sustainable forest resource management at a local or global level because of an increase worldwide deforestation triggered by pressures such as logging, wildfires, desertification, pests and diseases. In fact, the recent pine beetle infestation in western North America has affected 1.5 million acres in Colorado according to a recent survey.
Different forest management strategies are being implemented including reforestation, good harvesting practices, landscape restoration, water and wildlife management. Remote sensing imagery, with their spatial, spectral and temporal characteristics can help optimize existing forest management strategies.
What is a Tamarisk Map?
The Tamarisk (Saltcedar) Map shows the spatial distribution of Tamarisk over the area of interest. The map is produced using proprietary algorithms to take advantage of the spectral, spatial and temporal attributes of remotely sensed imagery.
How can the map be used?
Tamarisk Map can be imported into a hand held GPS for field scouting and to support Tamarisk eradication programs. It can also be imported into Variable Rate Applicator in support of a controlled chemical application eradication program.
Product value
Tamarisk is an invasive species that has infested large areas, about 260 million acres in the Western US. This weed sinks its roots along rivers and springs in desert climates and consumes nearly twice the water of native plants like cottonwood. In addition, it accumulates mineral salts in its leaves that, as they accumulate on the ground, create a high soil salinity zone not tolerated by adjacent native vegetation. By altering the surrounding soil environment, the plant rapidly dominates native vegetation. If Tamarisk is not eradicated there is a great chance of critically diminishing the water flow in the Colorado River.
A variety of crude, inexact and costly methods are currently in use for identifying, locating and mapping invasive weed species. The principal tools used for these purposes range from boots on the ground” visual surveys, aerial photography (with and without verification by visual inspection in the field); to the use of more sophisticated tools such as hand held GPS units to mark and measure the target species for incorporation into a geo-database. All these methods are expensive, labor-intensive, and limited to accessible areas. There is an urgent need for mapping noxious species to assess infestations. These digital weed maps can be used for more efficient and cost effective planning, managing, monitoring and eradication programs.
What is a Tree Counting Map?
A Tree Counting Map shows the contour of individual trees crown within an area of interest and their relative vigor. The map is produced using proprietary algorithms taking advantage of the spectral, spatial attributes of high spatial resolution satellite imagery.
How can the map be used?
The Tree Counting Map can be imported into a hand held GPS for scouting to rapidly locate problem areas, such as pine beetle infestation in the western slopes and wild fire, within the area of interest (generally at low plant vigor) and to take action through fertilizer, irrigation, herbicide application or mechanized tree removal after the cause of the problem is identified.
Product value
Current management consists of sending scouts on the field to randomly search problem areas, which is time consuming, costly and inefficient. GeoSpatial Partners'. Tree Counting Map is used to estimate the volume of lumber and make replanting decisions. It can also help plan scouting programs by identifying potential problem areas in the field, usually indicated by extreme plant vigor areas (low and high) on the map. The scout is then directed to those extreme areas to quickly identify the cause (soil fertility, irrigation, insect or pest) of the anomaly, thus saving time. The map can be calibrated for import into variable rate applicators to apply the recommended amount of fertilizer, water, herbicide, or pesticide at the exact area where the problem was detected, significantly saving inputs cost when compared to blanket applications.
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