Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area Photo Interpretation Report
Aerial Information Systems, Inc.. 2007. Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area Photo Interpretation Report. National Park Service
In Vegetation Mapping Program efforts, vegetation mapping begins with reference to either existing vegetation classifications, legacy plots, or past databases. Insufficient reference material existed for the Santa Monica Mountains NRA. Therefore, in order to develop the preliminary vegetation classification and subsequent preliminary mapping classification, a field sampling effort was needed. The field sampling information, input into a Microsoft Access database, underwent a classification analysis process, resulting in a final vegetation classification. The Park, with the State Ecologist, determined that the use of preliminary photo interpretive delineations of vegetation stands from the aerial photography would make the field sampling more efficient. Therefore, as part of the mapping effort, AIS delineated vegetation stands for 180 aerial photos distributed throughout the study area. The 180 photos, chosen by AIS, represented the different geographic areas or regions within the study area and the diversity of general vegetation types and environments. The photos were also selected with an eye toward allowing the field crew to access sites more easily via roads and trails. The photo interpreters tagged each delineated stand with a vegetation mapping type code. The code was based on a preliminary vegetation/mapping classification developed by the State Ecologist from field reconnaissance trips with the Park staff and the photo interpreters. Within a photo frame window, the photo interpreters identified potential polygon sites for the field crew to visit. The photo interpreters attempted to capture the widest range of variation for each potential vegetation type.
- Type
- Unpublished Report
- Authors
- Aerial Information Systems, Inc.
- Date of Issue
- 2007-05-23
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- Units
- SAMO
- Keywords
- Accuracy Assessment, Aerial Photography, alliances, Associations, community association, Digital Orthophoto, Digital Spatial Database, DOQ, DOQQ, Field Data, flight line, GIS, GPS, habitat mapping, Inventory Projects, Landcover, Landscape, National Park, National Park Service Inventory, National Vegetation Classification Standard, National Vegetation Classification System, NVCS, Orthophoto, Plots, U.S. National Vegetation Classification, USNVC, USNVCS, Vegetation Inventory, Vegetation Inventory Report, Vegetation Map Report, Vegetation Mapping, Vegetation Plots