GIS & GPS for the Non-Industrial Private Forest Landowner © Phil Hurvitz, 1999-2002Wffa_20020427.ppt 1 GIS and GPS for the Non-Industrial Private Forest

© Phil Hurvitz, 1999-2002

GIS & GPS for the Non-Industrial Private Forest Landowner

Wffa_20020427.ppt 1

GIS and GPS for theNon-Industrial Private Forest

Washington Farm Forestry AssociationForest Owners’ Field Day

Pack ForestApril 27, 2002

by

Phil Hurvitz



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NIPF Concerns

• Long-term productivity of forest land• Accurate inventories of forest resources• Compliance with forest regulation• Road maintenance & abandonment plans• Property & harvest unit layout

• Nearly all goals of NIPF requiredetailed knowledge of ground conditions

• Accurate maps & inventory• Forest resources/stands/property boundary• Roads• Streams



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What is GIS?

• Computer-based method for the• Capture,• Storage,• Management,• Analysis, and• Representation/Display of

Spatially referenced data … which means …Anything that is or can be mapped



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What is GIS?

• Map data stored, accessed, and analyzed on a computer



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What is GIS?

• Map data stored, accessed, and analyzed on a computer



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Why is GIS different from paper maps?• Uses the analytical power of the computer to complete

complex tasks which would be impossible using paper maps. • Uses the computer's storage power to manage large and

complex data sets. • Allows the integration of many different types of data from

many different sources (maps, tabular data, aerial photos, elevation models, satellite imagery, CAD data, etc.) within a single storage, management, and analysis environment.

• Maps a variety of different data to the same coordinate space, which allows for the analysis of the combination of different themes (e.g., slope, windthrow hazard, and forest age).

• Digital data are more stable than paper media, easier to copy, and easier to distribute. Many web sites exist that distribute digital geospatial data.



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Why is GIS different from paper maps? (continued)

• Digitally created maps are more easily updated than paper maps. • GIS makes it easy to reproduce maps. A single digital map file

can be printed at will and multiple times. • Allows the creation and use of "one-time" maps (whereas paper

maps generally need to be printed and sold by the thousands to recapture the cost of production). For example, a map can be prepared with GIS specifically for a public presentation; the map may never be used after that presentation.

• Allows individual users to tailor their map displays for their own purposes, rather than having to settle for a general-purpose paper map.

• Eliminates some user bias (the computer repeats measurement and analytical processes identically, whereas people often repeat processes with random or systematic errors).

• Brings new tools for thinking differently about geographic data.



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How does GIS work?

• Data are stored in a spatially explicit coordinate system



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How does GIS work?

• Common coordinate framework for multiple data sets



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How does GIS work?

• Map (coordinate) data have descriptive (attribute) data



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How does GIS work?

• Data on the map are linked to descriptive data



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What can GIS do for the NIPF?

• Create maps of your forest• Calculate acreage of forest stands• Calculate length of streams and roads• Generate regulatory buffers around streams and

wetlands, … and• Calculate potential loss of harvestable lands• Aid in road design• Aid in sampling and inventory schemes• Provide input data for forest analysis software (e.g.,

LMS, Envision)



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• Create maps of your forest

5000 0 5000 10000 Feet

Age Class0 - 1010 - 2525 - 4949 - 111111 - 201

RoadsStreams

N

EW

S

PackForestage classes



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• Calculate acreage of forest stands



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• Calculate length of streams and roads



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• Generate regulatory buffers around streams and wetlands,

and …

• Generate regulatory buffers around streams and wetlands,



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• Calculate potential loss of harvestable lands



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• Calculate potential loss of harvestable lands

acreage before 150’ buffer acreage after 150’ buffer

• 24% loss of production land



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• Aid in road design: ArcView Pegger extension



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• Aid in road design: ArcGIS Culvert design tool



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• Aid in sampling and inventory schemes



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• Provide input data for forest analysis & visualization software (e.g., LMS, Envision)



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What is GPS?

• Radio-wave based location and navigation system• Method for obtaining precise ground coordinates, or

navigating to a precise location (15 m to sub-cm, depending on equipment)

• Spaceborne satellite constellation segment• Land-based control segment



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How does GPS work?

• Radio waves are a form of electromagnetic radiation (light)

• Constant velocity of 299,792,458 m/s

• Distance = rate * time

• Radio waves sent from orbiting satellites

• Time stamp on signal marks the start of the wave

• Time of reception marks the end of the wave

start: 0.00 s

end: 0.06 s 12,000 mi



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How does GPS work?

• With the distance from 1 satellite we can locate our position on the surface of a sphere_



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How does GPS work?

• With the distance from 2 satellites we can locate our position on the intersection of 2 spheres (a circle)_



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How does GPS work?

• With the distance from 3 satellites we can locate our position on the intersection of 3 spheres (1 of 2 points)_



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How does GPS work?

• With the distance from 4 satellites we can locate our position on the intersection of 4 spheres (1 point)_



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How does GPS work?

• The point is located on the surface of the earth_



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What are the benefits of GPS vs. manual survey?

• Easy to learn • Fast to use• Requires less attention to detail• Errors are not additive• No math!



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Potential GPS error sources

• Satellite geometry• Satellites that are closer result in less accurate

measurements_



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• Satellite geometry• A large spread of satellites makes the most accurate

measurements_



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• Landscape features

• Natural & artificial features can intercept signals

• Mountains, valleys, hills, buildings, tree canopies, etc._



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• Multipath errors

• Natural & artificial features can reflect signals

• Multiple “ghost” signals can confound timing_



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How can GPS support the NIPF?

• Harvest unit layout• Obtain boundaries in the field for mapping• Inventory plot layout and relocation• Significantly speed up any surveying or navigation

mission• Potentially increase the accuracy & precision of a survey



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Resources: Software

• Free• ESRI ArcExplorer

http://www.esri.com/software/arcexplorer

• AutoDesk VoloView Expresshttp://usa.autodesk.com/

• Landscape Management Systemhttp://lms.cfr.washington.edu/

• Envision (forest visualization)http://forsys.cfr.washington.edu/envision.html



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Resources: Software

• $$• ESRI ArcView & ArcGIS

http://www.esri.com/software

• AutoCAD Maphttp://usa.autodesk.com/

• MapInfo

http://www.mapinfo.com



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Resources: Tutorials

• GIS (ArcView)• ESRI Virtual Campus (various software)

• http://campus.esri.com

• CFR 250 (UW Course, ArcView 3.2)• http://gis.washington.edu/cfr250

• GPS• Trimble

• http://www.trimble.com/gps



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Resources: Free Geospatial Data

• TerraServer (digital orthophotos)• http://terraserver.homeadvisor.msn.com/

• UW Map Library (lots of data)• http://wagda.lib.washington.edu

• USGS GeoData (some data require $$ software)• http://edc.usgs.gov/geodata/

• Oregon Geospatial Data Clearinghouse • http://www.sscgis.state.or.us/data/



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Hands-on workshop

• Download and view data• GPS pre-planning• Data collection & navigation• Differential correction• Import GPS data to GIS

Documents

GIS & GPS for the Non-Industrial Private Forest Landowner © Phil Hurvitz, 1999-2002Wffa_20020427.ppt 1 GIS and GPS for the Non-Industrial Private Forest