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

January 1, 1995

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.

Publication Year 1995
Title History and use of remote sensing for conservation and management of federal lands in Alaska, USA
Authors Carl Markon
Publication Type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Series Title Natural Areas Journal
Index ID 70187048
Record Source USGS Publications Warehouse
USGS Organization Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center