Forest change in Yellowstone
| There are more than 700 million acres of land covered by forest in the United States, much of which is owned or managed by the federal government. Forests are used as a source of logs for lumber and paper pulp, as well as providing places for people to hike, fish, and observe wildlife. With so many different uses and so much land to manage, forest resource managers are often faced with a difficult task in mapping and inventorying the forests. At Yellowstone National Park, located in the state of Wyoming, forest resource managers have been using satellite images to help them with this task. By comparing pictures taken several years apart, scientists and park managers can use satellite images to identify changes in the forest that are caused by fire, insect infestation, logging, and regrowth of seedlings after a fire. |
Credit: Kansas Applied Remote Sensing Program
For more info: http://www.kars.ukans.edu/forest