Path distance analysis to determine accessibility for long-term vegetation monitoring program, Lake Clark National Park and Preserve
Mortenson CD and Miller EA. 2008. Path distance analysis to determine accessibility for long-term vegetation monitoring program, Lake Clark National Park and Preserve. Natural Resource Technical Report. NPS/SWAN/NRTR—2008/126. National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science. Fort Collins, Colorado
This report outlines the development of a ground-based sampling approach for vegetation monitoring using path-distance analysis in a GIS. Although the SWAN will use remotely sensed data to monitor vegetation change at the landscape scale, targeted, ground-based sampling will be required to monitor change at the finer scale of plant associations. The approach described here was developed to ensure that travel to sampling sites would be feasible. The vegetation types targeted for sampling comprise at least 5% cover in the parks where they occur, and are considered representative of the local vegetation within a given elevation zone. Thus, constraints on access should not compromise our ability to sample these types, but rather ensure the sustainability of the monitoring program. We used Lake Clark National Park and Preserve (NP&P) as a pilot park within the SWAN to test this sampling selection process. If the sampling approach proves successful, it could be used for ground-based monitoring in other national parks in Alaska, or in any large, remote wilderness area with limited access.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Mortenson, C; Miller, E
- Date of Issue
- 2008-02
- Publisher
- National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science
- Units
- AKSO , LACL , NRSS , SWAN
- Keywords
- cost path analysis, GIS, ground-based sampling, Lake Clark National Park And Preserve, Path Distance Analysis, Spatial Analyst