This reference contains the imagery data used in the completion of the baseline vegetation inventory project for the NPS park unit. Orthophotos, raw imagery, and scanned aerial photos are common files held here. A set of CIR aerial photographs was collected on October 4, 2006. This photo mission was funded by the NPS VIP, and supervised by GLKN staff. This set of photography covered the entire GRPO vegetation mapping project extent at 1:12,000-scale and was the primary imagery used in photointerpretative mapping. In support of mapping from the CIR photos, we used a set of TC aerial photographs (1:8,000-scale) that was collected May 2, 2003, providing deciduous leaf-off viewing of the entire extent. This photo mission was funded by GRPO and supervised by GLKN staff. Having the TC photos gave interpreters a definite advantage in determining evergreen tree and shrub components within forest communities otherwise obscured by deciduous tree canopy on the fall-season CIR photos, thus giving credence to Avery’s statement regarding lack of a single all-purpose film emulsion. To assure stereo viewing and full aerial coverage, aerial photo missions were planned with a 60% forward-lap and 30% side-lap. Contact prints of both CIR and TC photo sets were produced for fieldwork use by mappers and vegetation crews. Diapositives of the CIR photo set were produced for photointerpretative mapping.

This reference contains the imagery data used in the completion of the baseline vegetation inventory project for the NPS park unit. Orthophotos, raw imagery, and scanned aerial photos are common files held here. The imagery we used was acquired by Digital- Globe Inc.’s Quickbird satellite on December 3, 2007, as a new, tasked acquisition for this project. Image preprocessing and initial interpretation to the formation level were done at the Arizona Remote Sensing Center, University of Arizona. The imagery product purchased was the “Ortho-ready Standard” bundle of four spectral bands (blue, green, red and near-infrared) at 2.4-m spatial resolution, plus the broadband panchromatic data at 0.6-m resolution. This imagery is intended to be orthorectified by the user and is only coarsely geo-registered, with a nominal spatial accuracy of 23 m CE90—meaning that 90% of features in the imagery must be within 23 meters of their true location on the ground.

This reference contains the imagery data used in the completion of the baseline vegetation inventory project for the NPS park unit. Orthophotos, raw imagery, and scanned aerial photos are common files held here. The imagery we used was acquired by Digital- Globe Inc.’s Quickbird satellite on December 3, 2007, as a new, tasked acquisition for this project. Image preprocessing and initial interpretation to the formation level were done at the Arizona Remote Sensing Center, University of Arizona. The imagery product purchased was the “Ortho-ready Standard” bundle of four spectral bands (blue, green, red and near-infrared) at 2.4-m spatial resolution, plus the broadband panchromatic data at 0.6-m resolution. This imagery is intended to be orthorectified by the user and is only coarsely geo-registered, with a nominal spatial accuracy of 23 m CE90—meaning that 90% of features in the imagery must be within 23 meters of their true location on the ground.

This reference contains the imagery data used in the completion of the baseline vegetation inventory project for the NPS park unit. Orthophotos, raw imagery, and scanned aerial photos are common files held here. The initial base map layers were developed using the 2 m resolution color aerial orthophotos, since they had the highest spatial resolution. The regions were designed on their shared physiography: Eastside, Westside, Riverside, USFS, and Tsankawi sub-units. The vegetation map was developed using a combination of automated digital processing (supervised classifications and image segmentation) and direct image interpretation of high-resolution color and color infrared aerial orthophotography in combination with satellite imagery (Landsat Thematic Mapper).

This reference contains the imagery data used in the completion of the baseline vegetation inventory project for the NPS park unit. Orthophotos, raw imagery, and scanned aerial photos are common files held here. The mapping component was initiated by photo interpretation and digitization of 3-band 2001 color infrared (CIR) IKONOS imagery for the vegetation and land use classes determined through the field visit and expert knowledge of project team members. The heads-up digitization was performed at a display scale of 1:1000 to 1:1500. The digitization, evaluation, and modifications were iterative and collaborative processes involving the GIS analysts and the rest of the team. Preliminary maps were checked, corrected, and rechecked for boundary delineations. Final edits were made using the 2009 NAIP imagery, which captured the changes made along the eastern end of the property with the construction of the visitor’s center.

This reference contains the imagery data used in the completion of the baseline vegetation inventory project for the NPS park unit. Orthophotos, raw imagery, and scanned aerial photos are common files held here. The mapping component was initiated by photo interpretation and digitization of 3-band 2001 color infrared (CIR) IKONOS imagery for the vegetation and land use classes determined through the field visit and expert knowledge of project team members. The heads-up digitization was performed at a display scale of 1:1000 to 1:1500. The digitization, evaluation, and modifications were iterative and collaborative processes involving the GIS analysts and the rest of the team. Preliminary maps were checked, corrected, and rechecked for boundary delineations. Final edits were made using the 2009 NAIP imagery, which captured the changes made along the eastern end of the property with the construction of the visitor’s center.

This reference contains the imagery data used in the completion of the baseline vegetation inventory project for the NPS park unit. Orthophotos, raw imagery, and scanned aerial photos are common files held here. The mapping component was produced by identifying land cover in a three-step process: (1) image objects were generated at 1 m resolution using e-Cognition applied to stacked leaf-on and leaf-off air photos, (2) image objects were coded with land cover classes on-screen, and (3) image objects were cut and corrected via heads-up digitizing at a display scale of not more than 1:1,000 against a back-drop of air photos. Imagery was the most recent available from the National Agriculture Imagery Program. This included 2009 leaf-on true color and 4-band Color infrared (CIR) 1 m resolution photos, and 2007-2009 leaf-off true color 2 foot resolution photos. All images were stacked before image objects were generated.

This reference contains the imagery data used in the completion of the baseline vegetation inventory project for the NPS park unit. Orthophotos, raw imagery, and scanned aerial photos are common files held here. The mapping component was produced by identifying land cover in a three-step process: (1) image objects were generated at 1 m resolution using e-Cognition applied to stacked leaf-on and leaf-off air photos, (2) image objects were coded with land cover classes on-screen, and (3) image objects were cut and corrected via heads-up digitizing at a display scale of not more than 1:1,000 against a back-drop of air photos. Imagery was the most recent available from the National Agriculture Imagery Program. This included 2009 leaf-on true color and 4-band Color infrared (CIR) 1 m resolution photos, and 2007-2009 leaf-off true color 2 foot resolution photos. All images were stacked before image objects were generated.

This reference contains the imagery data used in the completion of the baseline vegetation inventory project for the NPS park unit. Orthophotos, raw imagery, and scanned aerial photos are common files held here. The mapping component was produced by identifying land cover on air photos and hand digitizing on-screen. Heads-up digitizing was accomplished at a display scale of not more than 1:1,000 against a back-drop of air photos. Imagery was the most recent available from the National Agriculture Imagery Program. This included 2010 leaf-on true color and 2006 leaf-on color infrared images. The historic black and white photos from 1938 and 1968 showed the location of former croplands that have since been restored to tallgrass prairie, plus the location of former roads that have been removed and restored to native grasses. Former roads were avoided as potential sample plot locations.

This reference contains the imagery data used in the completion of the baseline vegetation inventory project for the NPS park unit. Orthophotos, raw imagery, and scanned aerial photos are common files held here. The mapping component was produced by identifying land cover on air photos and hand digitizing on-screen. Heads-up digitizing was accomplished at a display scale of not more than 1:1,000 against a back-drop of air photos. Imagery was the most recent available from the National Agriculture Imagery Program. This included 2010 leaf-on true color and 2006 leaf-on color infrared images. The historic black and white photos from 1938 and 1968 showed the location of former croplands that have since been restored to tallgrass prairie, plus the location of former roads that have been removed and restored to native grasses. Former roads were avoided as potential sample plot locations.