FORESTRY

Forest Service Evaluation Illustrates the Feature Analyst Software's Ease of Use.

The Remote Sensing Application Center (RSAC) of the U.S. Forest Service recently completed an extensive evaluation of Feature Analyst^®.

In their report, High Resolution Image Classification: A Forest Service Test of Visual Learning Systems' Feature Analyst, Forest Service specialists Dave Vanderzanden and Mike Morrison discussed the usefulness of Feature Analyst to the Forest Service.

"The hierarchical learning approach of Feature Analyst makes it easy to achieve the best results possible from the software," wrote Vanderzanden and Morrison. "Feature Analyst has tools allowing the user to select 'correct,' 'incorrect' and 'missed' areas. This greatly improves final results."

The summary publication of this study pointed out a number of benefits that make Feature Analyst of particular interest to the Forest Service, including its ability to map individual tree crowns, canopy coverage and trails, and its potential to differentiate between conifer and hardwood trees.

"The user must have a working knowledge of ArcGis and/or ArcView and must know how features of interest relate to the imagery being used," noted Vanderzanden and Morrison. "Beyond that, however, there are no special skills needed to use the software. This makes it ideal for forest specialists of all backgrounds."

Vanderzanden, Dave; Morrison, Mike; USDA Forest Service. High Resolution Image Classification: A Forest Service Test of Visual Learning System’s Feature Analyst.

The abovementioned paper, High Resolution Image Classification, is available to view in its entirety, along with a new presentation issued in 2007: Landscape Scale Assessment of Red-Cockaded Woodpecker Habitat in Apalachicola National Forest Using Feature Analyst (4MB).

For additional forestry-specific information, you may want to view the latest promotional videos or Project Summary Sheets written for individuals and organizations involved in forestry.