A statistical evaluation of Landsat TM and MSS data for mapping forest cutovers

Abstract

The cutover area and boundary placement mapping accuracies from currently used air photo techniques and LANDSAT TM and MSS imagery were determined for Alberta forestry conditions. Overall area accuracies for the air photo techniques, LANDSAT TM, and MSS images were 86.7%, 89.5%, and 86.9%, respectively. Overall boundary placement errors for air photo techniques, LANDSAT TM, and MSS images were 30.1, 24.9, and 38.3 m, respectively. The base map scale of 1:20 000 was a limiting factor to this study. LANDSAT TM images offered a 12:1 cost savings in data acquisition and are more efficient in comparison with conventional air photos. Use of either medium scale air photos or LANDSAT TM images can be recommended depending on the level of timber commitment accuracy requirements and is presented in the paper as an operational cutover update mapping strategy. -from Authors