Land Cover
Classification Mapping
& its uses for Planning
• What is Land Cover Classification Mapping?
• Examples of an actual product
• Why use Land Cover Classification Mapping
for planning?
• Possible uses for this technology
• Examples of how it has been used
• Q&A
What is Land Cover Classification
Mapping?
• Land Cover Classification Mapping is derived
using an automated technique called
Accelerated Feature Extraction (AFE)
• AFE is an iterative, or self-learning software
program.
• It was originally designed for use by the U.S
Department of Defense and NASA.
• It is a much faster and cost effective way to
map features on the ground
Natural Color Red, Green & Blue Bands
Color Infrared (CIR) Imagery
Accelerated Feature Extraction
What is Accelerated Feature Extraction (AFE)?
Digital Image Classification &
Analysis
to Detect Features Based on –
• Pattern Recognition
• Spectral Content
Forest Biomass
• Spatial Context
• Texture
Urban Forestry
The AFE Process
Collect a ground sample with
known characteristics.
Extrapolate the sample to an
entire area.
• For every project, it is important to use known ground samples to check accuracy
•When ground samples are compared to “first run” data, the software is adjusted
accordingly, yielding greater accuracy
• Automated feature extraction yields results that accurately reflect nuance that
may otherwise be missed by manual digitization while shrinking project
timeframes
Manual
Automated
Landcover imagery
7-Class Land Cover Classification Composite
RFP Mapping LLC, 2009
High-Visibility Slides
Each Feature is Highlighted in Yellow
Copyright NCDC Imaging, RFP Mapping LLC,
2009
Bare Soil
Copyright RFP Mapping LLC, 2009
This illustrates impervious sure
Impervious Surface
Copyright RFP Mapping LLC, 2009
Tree Canopy
Copyright RFP Mapping LLC, 2009
Water
Copyright RFP Mapping LLC, 2009
Healthy Grass / Irrigated Area
Copyright RFP Mapping LLC, 2009
Unhealthy Grass / Non-Irrigated Area
Copyright RFP Mapping LLC, 2009
Grass
Copyright RFP Mapping LLC, 2009
7-Class Land Cover Classification Composite
Copyright RFP Mapping LLC, 2009
Why is LCCM Important for
Planning?
1.It lets you know what land classes you
have
2.It identifies where each class is
3.It lets you know how much of each land
class you have
Cited by the APA
In the best-practices
manual titled “Planning
the Urban Forest” the
use of LCCM is
mentioned as being a
great planning tool for
urban foresters.
When you have statistical data on the land resource, your
planning decisions are better informed, you have a better
understanding for the big picture, and can incorporate the
needs of many instead of one.
Value of Land Cover Mapping
Environmental – habitat, water/air quality, carbon
storage & sequestration
Economic – heating & cooling, infrastructure &
design, increased property values
Social – greening initiatives, sense of community,
lower crime rates & public health
Value of Land Cover Mapping
Land – LU/LC (land conversion), urban heat island,
sustainable design, physical modeling
Air – carbon market, non-attainment (ozone), quality of
life, climate change modeling
Water – supply, conservation, watershed protection,
modeling tools
Modeling, Research & Policy – future land use,
program effectiveness, monitoring, outreach,
education, economic development
Current Issues that LCCM Addresses
Climate Change
Green Infrastructure Planning
Stormwater Run-off
Air Quality
Smart Growth Issues
Sprawl
Smart Growth
Transportation
More Traffic
Congestion
More Choices
Pedestrians &
Cyclists
No or Few Options
Safe Places
Consumes
Preserves
Destroys
Supports
Pollutes and Harms
Protects
Pay More
Cost Less
Takes Resources
Away
Enhances
Open Space
Farmland
Environment &
Public Health
Cost
Community
Source: Smart Growth America
Mapping as a benchmark or
baseline
•LCCM may be used as the benchmark for
measurement when many planning projects
begin.
•It is easily repeatable, and due to its
scientific nature, results are easy to
measure.
LCCM is cost effective and far less time
consuming than manual methodology.
It is created via accelerated feature extraction
software, and offers a very high degree of
accuracy.
It integrates easily with existing GIS. And, inhouse data such as street center lines or
parcel data increase its value!
It may be used by virtually every department
in a city or municipality.
Also, the GIS information may be used with
GoogleEarth© making it extremely easy for
the public to view and offer input on specific
projects.
Possible uses for Land Cover
Classification Mapping
It is a planning tool that helps to calculate
the environmental, economic and social
value of urban green space by scientifically
demonstrating the impact it has on air
quality, water quality, carbon sequestration,
and stormwater run-off.
•
Possible uses for Land Cover
Classification Mapping
• Stormwater
modeling
• Water conservation
•Streets and sanitation
• Urban forestry
• Zoning
• Parks and recreation
• Transportation
• Land conservation and acquisition
Possible uses for Land Cover
Classification Mapping
• Wildfire risk analysis
• Wildlife corridor planning
• Watershed management
• Utility vegetation management
• Green infrastructure planning
Local examples of Land
Cover Classification Mapping
Projects
Calculating Impervious Area by
Parcel
Bull Valley, IL
• A community that is
very environmentally
focused
• Wanted to create a
modeling program to
promote “Smart
Growth”
Bull Valley, IL
Use land cover data to prevent an influx of
“un-smart” development
• Take a proactive stance in protecting
precious water resources
• Use land cover mapping and other software
as a modeling tool to help mitigate ground
water loss
• Protect wetlands and sustain biodiversity
•
Preventing Urban Sprawl
Barrington, IL
Geographically, a community that is known
for it’s beauty, hilly, many natural bodies of
water
• Well established residentially and
commercially, many older buildings
• Older stormwater infrastructure system in
some areas
• Homeowners have filled in natural drainage
ditches to beautify their properties
•
Barrington, IL
• A northwest suburb of Chicago
• Challenged with flooding issues
• Wanted to create a stormwater utility
• Purchased 6-class landcover product to
help mitigate stormwater run-off problems,
create a stormwater utility, and create a
benchmark for future studies
Other users:
The City of Chicago, Department of the
Environment. They wanted to know the best
places to plant trees of varying sizes
throughout the city.
Milwaukee, WI. Department of Forestry, had a
need to identify the location of all of the ash
trees within the city limits, on a parcel basis.
Thank-you for your time!
Questions and answers.
Bill Peel
RFP Mapping, LLC
930 Pyott Road, Crystal Lake, IL suite 100, 60014
bpeel@rfpmappingllc.com
www.rfpmappingllc.com