Applications of multi-temporal land cover information in the mid-Atlantic region: A RESAC initiative

The mid-Atlantic Regional Earth Science Applications (RESAC) was established in the Geography Department at the University of Maryland (UMD) by NASA's Earth Science Applications Program. The mid-Atlantic RESAC is to provide improved land cover mapping and ecological modeling capabilities for a diverse consortium of partners in Government, Academia, Industry and NGOs within the 178,000 km² Chesapeake Bay watershed. It is one of 7 regional centers established nationwide and leverages expertise in satellite remote sensing to address applications of regional significance including land cover change, land use planning, carbon exchange modeling, and integrated environmental monitoring. Examples of issues that are being addressed include nutrient runoff to the Chesapeake Bay, urban sprawl, farm and forest productivity, landscape fragmentation effects on biodiversity, a land manager decision support system, and educational outreach. The mid-Atlantic RESAC provides an example of how scientific advances can be focused on practical applications that challenge our ability to manage resources sustainably. A brief overview of the RESAC is provided and specific applications are reviewed using examples that emphasize the utility of remote sensing and GIS capabilities. Results of field activities undertaken during the 1999 growing season, for example, are used with a fusion of multi-temporal Landsat-7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper and SPOT panchromatic imagery to classify vegetation types, and to characterize development of the severe drought that took place in the region.