History and use of remote sensing for conservation and management of federal lands in Alaska, USA

Carl Markon

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USGS · 70187048

History and use of remote sensing for conservation and management of federal lands in Alaska, USA

Carl Markon

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Abstract

Remote sensing has been used to aid land use planning efforts for federal public lands in Alaska since the 1940s. Four federal land management agencies-the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, US. Bureau of Land Management, US. National Park Service, and U.S. Forest Service-have used aerial photography and satellite imagery to document the extent, type, and condition of Alaska's natural resources. Aerial photographs have been used to collect detailed information over small to medium-sized areas. This standard management tool is obtainable using equipment ranging from hand-held 35-mm cameras to precision metric mapping cameras. Satellite data, equally important, provide synoptic views of landscapes, are digitally manipulatable, and are easily merged with other digital databases. To date, over 109.2 million ha (72%) of Alaska's land cover have been mapped via remote sensing. This information has provided a base for conservation, management, and planning on federal public lands in Alaska.

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Natural Areas Journal Article

Source-reported bounding extent: 51.376176° to 71.352561° latitude; -179.758993° to -129.982348° longitude. This indicates report coverage, not an exact sampling location. View area on OpenStreetMap.

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Carl Markon. 1995. History and use of remote sensing for conservation and management of federal lands in Alaska, USA. https://pubs.usgs.gov/publication/70187048

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