Landsat-based monitoring of landscape dynamics at Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway: 1990–2020
Kirschbaum AA . 2024. Landsat-based monitoring of landscape dynamics at Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway: 1990–2020. Science Report. NPS/SR—2024/155. National Park Service. Fort Collins, Colorado. https://doi.org/10.36967/2304342
Landscape disturbances such as forest harvest, blowdowns, fire, and development activities create patches on the landscape that modify the structure and function of ecosystems and watersheds. Understanding the timing, location, size, and intensity of these disturbances can assist resource managers in making decisions regarding management options. To provide information regarding these metrics, the Great Lakes Inventory and Monitoring Network implemented a long-term monitoring project to quantify landscape dynamics inside and surrounding St. Croix National Scenic Riverway using an automated, satellite-based, change detection program called LandTrendr (Landsat-based detection of trends in disturbance and recovery). This is the second report for the park and varies slightly from the original report published in 2013 in terms of the time period analyzed, which increased by 23 years, from 2005–2010 (six years) to 1990–2020 (31 years). Results of this extended analysis showed that inside the park, disturbances due to forest harvest activities affected the largest amount of land (3,389 ha, or 109 ha annually). Lands in the area outside the park experienced far greater levels of disturbance, with forest harvest accounting for 78% of the disturbances and affecting 9.25% of the land (29,148 ha, or 940 ha annually). Long-term monitoring of this analysis area will contribute to our understanding of how these disturbances may affect water quality, wildlife corridors, and pressures on the natural resources within the St. Croix watershed.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Kirschbaum, Alan
- Date of Issue
- 2024-07
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- DOI
- 10.36967/2304342
- Units
- GLKN , NRSS , SACN
- Keywords
- Land Use Monitor, Landsat, landscape disturbances, Minnesota, Namekagon River, St. Croix River, Wisconsin