Projects

Regional Earth Science Applications Center
The Regional Earth Science Applications Center (RESAC) uses remote sensing, geospatial technologies, and models to help resource managers in the Upper Midwest with issues concerning forestry, agriculture, land cover and land use change, and water resources.

RESAC is helping the user community realize economic and environmental benefits by using satellite imagery to:

• Monitor lake clarity

• Map and analyze urban growth

• Estimate forest characteristics

• Monitor vegetation condition

For more information on this project, see the website at: http://resac.gis.umn.edu or contact Marvin Bauer.

Land Cover and Land Use Change
While land cover and land use have been much studied, there remains considerable uncertainty when quantifying the extent, causes, and consequences of past, current and future land cover and land use change. Combining satellite-delivered land use change estimates with field based hydrologic measurement and modeling, this project aims to assess land use change effects on water quality and quantity in the southeastern uplands of North America using:

• High resolution multispectral satellite data

• Multitemporal Landsat data

• Historical aerial photography

• High resolution digital terrain data

For more information on this project, see the website at: http://lcluc.gsfc.nasa.gov/intro/index.asp or contact Paul Bolstad.

eForest: Integrating Satellite Remote Sensing into Forest Inventory & Management
eForest is a collaborative effort between researchers and forest resource managers integrating satellite technologies into forest inventory and field methods. The goal is to integrate satellite remote sensing into forest inventory and management at all levels—local, state, federal, corporate and private by using:

• IKONOS imagery for mapping forest condition

• Forestry field techniques that combine satellite imagery, GPS, GIS and pen-based computers

• Landsat imagery to determine cover type, basal area and volume

For more information on this project, see the website at: http://eforest.gis.umn.edu or contact Marvin Bauer.

TerraSIP
The TerraSIP project was created to address the need for timely and accurate data on land cover and land use for land managers and the public. The objective is to develop applications of satellite imagery and related geospatial data for Minnesota and other Upper Great Lakes States by using:

• Open Source MapServer development

• Processing techniques for AVHRR, MODIS and Landsat imagery

• Internet delivery of geospatial data

• Geospatial educational outreach for 7-12

For more information on this project, see the website at: http://terrasip.gis.umn.edu or contact Tom Burk.

Prototyping a GIS for Wildlife Refuge Management Planning
University researchers are working with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to build GIS capability for Comprehensive Management Planning (CMP) efforts for wildlife refuges across eight upper Midwest states. The project is:

• Producing legislative boundaries, WPA’s, easement boundaries for refuge areas in this Midwest region

• Gathering base map and refuge-specific layers

For more information on the this project, see the website at: http://gis.umn.edu/fws or contact Tom Burk.