Far North Land Cover Data Specifications Version 1 - … North...Far North Land Cover Data Specifications Version 1.4 ... CODE Land cover code ... Landsat satellite imagery was used

Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry

Far North Land CoverData Specifications Version 1.4

November 2014

Contact :

Provincial Remote Sensing Specialist, Science and Information Branch, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources anf Forestry. (705) 946-7450

Disclaimer

This instructional documentation has been prepared by Her Majesty the Queen in right of Ontario as represented by the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry (the “Ministry”). No warranties or representations, express or implied, statutory or otherwise shall apply or are being made by the Ministry with respect to the documentation, its accuracy or its completeness. In no event will the Ministry be liable or responsible for any lost profits, loss of revenue or earnings, claims by third parties or for any economic, indirect, special, incidental, consequential or exemplary damage resulting from any errors, inaccuracies or omissions in this documentation; and in no event will the Ministry’s liability for any such errors, inaccuracies or omissions on any particular claim, proceeding or action, exceed the actual consideration paid by the claimant involved to the Ministry for the materials to which this instructional documentation relates. Save and except for the liability expressly provided for above, the Ministry shall have no obligation, duty or liability whatsoever in contract, tort or otherwise, including any liability or negligence. The limitations, exclusions and disclaimers expressed above shall apply irrespective of the nature of any cause of action, demand or action, including but not limited to breach of contract, negligence, strict liability, tort or any other legal theory, and shall survive any fundamental breach or breaches.

Table of contents

1.0 Data specifications sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

2.0 Far North Land Cover classification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

2.1 Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

2.2 Data dictionary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

2.2.1 Dataset attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

2.2.2 Raster datasets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

2.2.3 Geodatabase tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

2.2.4 Cartographic legend files for Far North Land Cover geodatabase data layers . . . . . 8

2.3 Classification scheme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

2.4 Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

2.5 Table 1: Description of Far North Land Cover classes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

2.6 Chart 1: Class aggregation hierarchy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

3.0 Far North Land Cover to PLC 2000 correspondence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

4.0 Table 2: Land cover class to provincial ecosite correspondence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

5.0 Listing of terms adopted from Ecosites of Ontario . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

6.0 Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

7.0 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

Far North Land Cover – Data Specifications Version 1.4 1

1.0 Data specifications sheet

Date: November 2014

Section 1: Data standard information This section identifies the name, abbreviation, and extent of the Far North Land Cover, and

provides contact information for the producer and custodian of this data layer.

Layer name: Far North Land Cover

Layer abbreviation:

Layer description:

Regional, ecologically based, land cover and change inventory. Represents the landscape current to between 2005-2011.

References: Far North Land Cover Methodology

Production: Science and Research Branch, Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF)

Product contact: Provincial Remote Sensing Specialist, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Science & Research Branch. (705) 946-7450

Extent: Ontario north of approximately the 48th parallel. Includes most of ecoregion 3W and 3S and portions of 4S and 3E.

Custodian: Science and Research Branch, MNRF

Section 2: GIS Data layer specifications This section identifies the geospatial criteria for this data layer. 1. File information

File type: GRID

Projection file name: UTM Zones 15, 16 and 17

Geometry type

X Grid Point Line Polygon Raster

2. Coordinate system

Geographic X UTM

Horizontal coordinate system: NAD83/UTM Zones 15, 16 and 17


2.0 Far North Land Cover classification

2.1 Overview

The aim of creating a revised land cover for the Far North is to produce a consistent map to meet regional - to landscape level analysis (1:50,000 – 1:100,000). Remote sensing analysts apply image analysis, and combine other data such as geology and elevation, to create the land cover database. This is an advantage to previous land cover databases that relied on spectral data alone. The revised land cover will have a vintage across the entire Far North of 2006-11.

A secondary objective is to develop ways of identifying changes over time to ensure land cover data can be updated, and be used in long-term resource monitoring. Changes over time from natural disturbances (e.g., fire and wind damage) and from forest harvesting are being mapped. Disturbances are being clas-sified as either anthropogenic (cuts, infrastructure) or natural. The vintage of these events (pre 1990, 1990-2000, and post 2000) are also captured. More specific time periods and event types (burns, weather related, and insect/disease) are identified wherever suitable data is available. These changes have been incorporated into the land cover as two different types of disturbance features while greater detail on the nature and time period of disturbance is offered in the Provincial Satellite Derived Disturbance Mapping.

2.2 Data dictionary

Far North Land Cover classification products are available in an ESRI ArcGIS File Geodatabase. Contained within the geodatabase are a series of raster datasets and tables.

The following sections are provided as a data dictionary.


2.2.

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2.3 Classification scheme

In an effort to maintain consistency with previous land cover products the majority of classes have been adopted from previous provincial land cover class schemes as outlined in “User Manual on the Provincial Land Cover Database with Recommendations for Database Management” (Spectranalysis, Inc.. 1997), and “Introduction to the Ontario Land Cover Data Base, Second Edition (2000): Outline of Production Methodology and Description of 27 Land Cover Classes” (Spectranalysis, Inc.. 2004).

Classes and descriptions have been slightly modified to account for recent advances in ecological classification science using The Ecosystems of Ontario, Part 1: Ecozones and Ecoregions (Crins et al.. 2009) “Provincial Ecosites of Ontario” (Ecological Land Classification Work Group, 2009) and Wetlands of the Ontario Hudson Bay Lowland: A Regional Overview (Riley, 2011). Additionally, significant effort has been expended attempting to match land cover classes with Ontario ecosite decision structure and conditions. However, limitations associated with source data resolution prevents a one to one relationship. The following sections discuss these limitations and offer a description of the basic ecology of each land cover class mapped, much of which has been borrowed from the references cited.

2.4 Considerations

• The Far North encompasses approximately 441,000 km2 (roughly 43% of Ontario). Medium resolution Landsat satellite imagery was used because of its synoptic and temporal coverage. The Far North Land Cover includes a southern extension into the Area of Undertaking (AOU) for an additional area of 175,000 km2. In total this represents 60% of Ontario for a total of 616,000 km2 mapped. An additional 85,000 km2 was mapped on the Manitoba/Ontario border to support ecological land cover and wildlife research activities.

• The Landsat sensor records data on a grid of approximately 30 m x 30 m cells or ‘pixels’. This pixel size is ideal for regional or landscape level mapping since it is capable of mapping features as small as 0.5 hectare. The overall minimum mapping unit is approximately 1 hectare. Data users should be aware of this minimum mapping standard in reporting and analysing results.

• Single year full leaf conditions are ideal for mapping most vegetative features. However, acquiring optimal cloud free imagery representing these conditions for an area the size of the Far North is challening. Consequently, concessions have to be made which include allowing for a range of years and leaf out conditions. By doing so, mapping consistency can be impacted. For example, a hardwood stand on an optimal image may look more like a mixed wood stand on a non-optimal image. A spatial index of the image extents and dates has been provided to enable users to account for these differences.

• This product was created using imagery acquired on many different dates that exhibited differing physiographic and vegetative conditions. Furthermore, numerous remote sensing analysts contributed to the creation of this product. While extensive efforts were made to rationalize discrepancies, not all artificial boundaries between individual mapping tiles could be resolved.

• Landsat imagery used for classifying has known limitations. Most obvious is image pixel generalization: a pixel represents mixtures of many physiographic and vegetative surface conditions. This can cause a number of discrepancies between it and field based classification systems such as Ecosites of Ontario (Ecological Land Classification Work Group, 2009). Typical discrepancies related to this limitation include:


• Classes associated with tree cover terminology commonly used to classify provincial ecosites. Reliably discriminating classes on the basis of percent canopy cover is problematic, particularly at lower covers between approximately 10% and 40%.

• This imagery is not a precise separator of sparsely treed and completely open vegetation communities. This is particularly true for sparsely treed fen and bog where tree growth is often also stunted. For example, bogs are typically dry and vegetatively homogeneous. In such situations the dry homogeneous areas significantly reduce the satellite sensors ability to detect the sparse, poorly growing black spruce scattered within, causing an averaged pixel tone that is more representative of completely open conditions.

• The separation of some ecological features, such as fen and bog, can rely on the presence of as little as one indicator graminoid, herbaceous plant, moss or lichen. A few simple assumptions and concessions have therefore been made when mapping wetlands. The presence of pure image tones reflecting primarily sparse tamarack/graminoid or sphagnum moss communities are used to map fen and bog respectively. Efforts were made to account for non-spectral characteristics such as feature shape, size and relationship to other mapped classes. However, the inclusion of such information was challenging and therefore largely based on an individual image analyst’s ability to recognize these characteristics as class determining factors.

• Wetland features are smaller and more physiographically heterogeneous in the southern portion of the Boreal Shield. Consequently treed fen, treed bog and coniferous swamp are particularly challenging to separate on satellite imagery.

• A review of the land cover mapping in the Boreal Shield, including feedback from 2011 field observations, indicates that there may be an underestimation of coniferous swamp and deciduous swamp. While the best available topographic data was used to aid the mapping of these features this elevation source does not penetrate dense tree canopies. Such situations can create artificial topographic mounds that appear to represent false upland ecology.

• A comprehensive ecological description of wetlands in the Hudson Bay Lowlands was completed in 2011 (Riley, 2011), including a reference to a “peat plateau” wetland class. On the surface these features contain both bog- and fen-like communities, though the latter is not well documented. Below the surface they differ in that they are an expression of various permafrost mechanisms and therefore their formation is the result of differing physiographic processes. While land cover analysts were aware of these features, no effort was made to distinguish them from bog or fen features. However, given their significance for both wildlife (i.e. caribou) and climate change monitoring it is hoped that future mapping will distinguish these features with the aid of Riley’s ecological description and existing permafrost, geology and vegetative mapping.

• The Forest Resources Inventory (FRI) was used as auxillary information for the portion of the study area extending into the Area of Undertaking (AOU)(OMNR, 2010). FRI data were derived by interpretation of aerial photos which have significantly finer resolution than Landsat imagery. Although an intentional attempt was made to preserve the consistency across the entire product, it can be expected that the land cover accuracy in the southern extension exceeds the previously mapped territories to some extent. For instance, Deciduous Swamps are separately mapped in the southern extension of FNLC Release 1.3. The class is mapped mostly through FRI data interpretation. North of the extension area this class has been lumped into Thicket Swamps because it occurs with little frequency and exhibits poor spectral severability based on Landsat data alone.


2.5

Tab

le 1

: Des

crip

tion

of

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lite

imag

e to

ne.

Forc

ing

hyd

rolo

gy

in t

his

way

allo

wed

for

the

map

pin

g o

f sm

all a

nd n

arro

w w

ater

feat

ures

, w

hile

als

o in

clud

ing

po

rtio

ns o

f bo

th v

eget

atio

n an

d e

xpo

sed

sub

stra

tes.

Ad

diti

ona

lly, r

egar

dle

ss

of v

eget

atio

n co

nten

t th

e p

rovi

ncia

l ELC

co

nsid

ers

all w

ater

with

less

tha

n 2

met

res,

as

op

en o

r sa

lt w

ater

mar

sh.

Thes

e fe

atur

es w

ill o

ften

be

map

ped

as

tur

bid

wat

er.

Sate

llite

imag

ery

and

OH

N w

ater

la

yer

Intertidal Mudflat

3C

om

ple

tely

unv

eget

ated

co

asta

l are

as o

f Hud

son

and

Ja

mes

Bay

s. T

hese

feat

ures

are

co

vere

d b

y va

ryin

g d

epth

s o

f wat

er d

epen

din

g o

n d

ista

nce

fro

m t

he c

oas

t, a

s w

ell a

s th

e p

oin

t in

the

tid

al c

ycle

whe

n th

e im

ager

y w

as a

cqui

red

. Th

ese

feat

ures

hav

e a

uniq

ue a

nd id

entifi

able

imag

e to

ne

due

to

the

co

mb

inat

ion

of w

et a

nd e

xpo

sed

so

il. P

roxi

mity

to

Jam

es a

nd H

udso

n B

ays

also

aid

s d

etec

tion.

Inte

rtid

al m

arsh

, tur

bid

wat

er, c

lear

op

en w

ater

—

mud

flat

cove

red

with

wat

er c

an b

e co

nfus

ed

with

inte

rtid

al m

arsh

and

mix

ed w

ater

feat

ures

, w

hile

co

mp

lete

ly e

xpo

sed

mud

flats

can

be

conf

used

with

san

d, g

rave

l and

min

e ta

iling

s.

Sate

llite

imag

ery


Uni

t na

me

CO

DE

#

Des

crip

tion

Poss

ible

con

fusi

onIn

put

sou

rce

Intertidal Marsh

4Pr

imar

ily o

pen

co

mm

uniti

es c

ont

aini

ng li

ving

and

sen

esce

d

gra

sses

, sed

ges

and

em

erg

ents

. Th

ese

mar

shes

are

dire

ctly

ad

jace

nt t

o t

he H

udso

n an

d J

ames

Bay

co

asts

bet

wee

n m

udfla

ts a

nd t

he s

uper

tidal

zo

ne, a

nd a

re c

ons

tant

ly

influ

ence

d b

y b

rack

ish

and

fres

hwat

er.

They

are

flo

od

ed

at h

igh

tide

and

slo

wly

dra

in a

s th

e tid

e fa

lls; a

pro

cess

th

at le

aves

a m

osa

ic o

f po

ols

of s

tand

ing

wat

er.

Est

uarin

e in

tert

idal

mar

shes

are

foun

d a

t th

e o

utflo

ws

of f

resh

wat

er

river

s an

d a

re a

lso

incl

uded

in t

his

clas

s. L

ast

year

’s d

ead

ve

get

atio

n is

so

met

imes

pre

sent

whi

le fl

uctu

atin

g w

ater

le

vels

and

oth

er n

atur

al d

istu

rban

ce (e

.g. o

verg

razi

ng

by

abno

rmal

ly h

igh

gee

se p

op

ulat

ions

) can

als

o s

tres

s ve

get

atio

n in

thi

s zo

ne c

ausi

ng it

to

sen

esce

ear

ly.

A

com

bin

atio

n o

f hig

her

amo

unts

of d

ead

and

sen

esce

d

gra

sses

and

het

ero

gen

eous

co

nditi

ons

pro

vid

e a

uniq

ue

mo

saic

of i

mag

e to

nes

that

allo

ws

for

map

pin

g.

Pro

xim

ity

to J

ames

and

Hud

son

Bay

s al

so a

ids

det

ectio

n.

Dry

up

land

mea

dow

s —

op

en d

ry m

ead

ow

s w

ith

gre

en a

nd s

enes

ced

veg

etat

ion

that

are

ad

jace

nt

to H

udso

n an

d J

ames

Bay

s ca

n b

e co

nfus

ed w

ith

inte

rtid

al m

arsh

.

Sate

llite

imag

ery

Supertidal Marsh

5Pr

imar

ily o

pen

co

mm

uniti

es c

ont

aini

ng s

om

e sh

rub

s an

d t

rees

. Tr

ee a

nd s

hrub

co

ver

≤ 25

% a

nd d

om

inat

ed

by

emer

gen

t hy

dro

phy

tic m

acro

phy

tes.

Wat

er t

able

is

seas

ona

lly o

r p

erm

anen

tly a

t, n

ear,

or

abo

ve s

ubst

rate

su

rfac

e. T

his

clas

s in

clud

es c

oas

tal m

arsh

es b

eyo

nd t

he

inte

rtid

al z

one

and

as

such

, sub

ject

ed t

o s

alt

wat

er v

ia

exce

ptio

nal t

ides

and

sto

rm s

urg

es.

Low

er a

mo

unts

of

visi

ble

sen

sed

veg

etat

ion

and

wat

er a

long

with

pro

xim

ity t

o

Jam

es a

nd H

udso

n B

ays

allo

ws

for

imag

e d

etec

tion.

Thic

ket

swam

p, u

pla

nd t

hick

et, o

pen

fen

, fr

eshw

ater

mar

sh—

the

sup

ertid

al z

one

oft

en

cons

ists

of b

oth

em

erg

ent

and

her

bac

eous

mar

sh

com

mun

ities

, sub

ject

ed t

o m

ore

freq

uent

tid

al

floo

din

g, a

nd t

hick

et s

wam

p c

om

mun

ities

furt

her

inla

nd a

nd t

here

fore

less

freq

uent

ly im

pac

ted

b

y tid

es.

The

tran

sitio

n b

etw

een

com

mun

ities

ca

n b

e g

rad

ual a

nd t

here

fore

diffi

cult

to m

ap.

Ad

diti

ona

lly, s

uper

tidal

mar

sh v

eget

atio

n ca

n ha

ve

sim

ilar

imag

e to

nes

to t

hick

et s

wam

p a

nd u

pla

nd

shru

b t

hick

et o

n b

each

rid

ges

. Th

ese

two

shr

ub

com

mun

ities

are

the

refo

re e

asily

co

nfus

ed w

ith

sup

ertid

al m

arsh

.

Sate

llite

imag

ery


Uni

t na

me

CO

DE

#

Des

crip

tion

Poss

ible

con

fusi

onIn

put

sou

rce

Freshwater Marsh

6Fr

esh

wat

er m

arsh

es o

ccur

in c

lose

pro

xim

ity t

o H

udso

n an

d

Jam

es B

ays.

The

y ar

e o

ften

ad

jace

nt t

o s

uper

tidal

mar

shes

b

ut n

ot

sub

ject

ed t

o a

ny s

alt

wat

er in

fluen

ces.

Oth

erw

ise,

fr

eshw

ater

mar

sh fe

atur

es a

re re

lativ

ely

rare

in t

he F

ar

No

rth

but

do

occ

ur.

Whe

n th

ey o

ccur

the

se fe

atur

es a

re

loca

ted

on

inla

nd la

kes

and

riv

ers

in t

he s

out

hern

po

rtio

n o

f th

e O

ntar

io S

hiel

d a

nd in

riv

er o

xbo

ws

in t

he H

udso

n B

ay

low

land

s. T

hese

are

gen

eral

ly o

pen

co

mm

uniti

es w

here

the

w

ater

tab

le is

sea

sona

lly o

r p

erm

anen

tly a

t, n

ear,

or

abo

ve

sub

stra

te s

urfa

ce.

Veg

etat

ion

is c

om

po

sed

prim

arily

of

gra

sses

, sed

ges

and

em

erg

ents

whi

le t

ree

and

shr

ub c

ove

r ≤

25%

.

Op

en f

en, b

edro

ck, a

nd u

pla

nd m

ead

ow -

D

ense

gra

ss, s

edg

e an

d e

mer

gen

t co

mm

uniti

es

occ

urrin

g in

bo

th fr

esh

wat

er m

arsh

and

op

en

fen

app

ear

sim

ilar

on

sate

llite

imag

ery

lead

ing

to

co

nfus

ion

bet

wee

n th

ese

clas

ses.

Op

en b

edro

ck

and

up

land

mea

do

w a

re a

lso

sim

ilar

in im

age

tone

, esp

ecia

lly in

are

as o

f dis

turb

ance

.

Sate

llite

imag

ery

Heath

7H

eath

co

mm

onl

y o

ccur

s o

n th

e ra

ised

min

eral

so

ils

dep

osi

ted

as

bea

ch r

idg

es a

nd s

tran

dlin

es.

The

slig

htly

hi

ghe

r el

evat

ions

and

clo

se p

roxi

mity

to

the

co

ast

ensu

res

thes

e fe

atur

es a

re c

ons

tant

ly e

xpo

sed

to

all

inte

nsiti

es

of p

reva

iling

and

co

asta

l win

ds.

The

rela

tive

hig

h el

evat

ion

and

co

arse

so

il en

sure

s th

ese

area

s ar

e w

ell

dra

ined

the

refo

re w

ater

tab

le is

typ

ical

ly w

ell b

elo

w t

he

sub

stra

te s

urfa

ce c

reat

ing

up

land

co

nditi

ons

. A

ltho

ugh

veg

etat

ion

cove

r is

gre

ater

tha

n 25

%, e

xtre

me

cond

itio

ns

limit

veg

etat

ion

prim

arily

to

lich

en, a

rtic

her

b a

nd v

ario

us

eric

aceo

us s

hrub

sp

ecie

s. T

he c

om

bin

atio

n o

f lic

hen

and

eric

aceo

us s

hrub

imag

e to

nes,

pro

xim

ity t

o t

he

coas

t an

d s

pat

ial c

oin

cid

ence

with

bea

ch r

idg

es a

llow

for

iden

tifica

tion

and

map

pin

g.

Op

en b

og, s

par

se t

reed

, san

d/g

rave

l/m

ine

taili

ngs

— v

eget

atio

n an

d s

urfa

ce m

ois

ture

co

nditi

ons

can

be

sim

ilar

to li

chen

ric

h o

pen

b

og

s. S

par

se fo

rest

co

mm

uniti

es c

an a

lso

occ

ur

at d

ensi

ties

clo

se t

o 2

0%.

Ho

wev

er, e

xtre

mel

y d

ry

cond

itio

ns a

nd h

igh

liche

n d

ensi

ties

can

pre

vent

ac

cura

te re

pre

sent

atio

n in

imag

e to

nes.

Sate

llite

imag

ery,

O

ntar

io R

adar

D

igita

l Sur

face

M

od

el (O

RD

SM)

and

qua

tern

ary

geo

log

y

Thicket Swamp

8G

reat

er t

han

25%

hyd

rop

hytic

shr

ub s

pec

ies

cap

able

of

gro

win

g t

alle

r th

an 2

met

res

and

tre

e co

ver

less

tha

n 10

%.

Thes

e ar

e ty

pic

ally

foun

d w

ithin

or

on

the

edg

es o

f sm

all

to la

rge

flow

ing

wat

er b

od

ies

and

in s

uper

tidal

po

rtio

ns

of t

he H

udso

n B

ay L

ow

land

s. T

heir

min

eral

or

org

anic

so

il is

sub

ject

to

sea

sona

l flo

od

ing

or

char

acte

rized

by

a hi

gh

wat

er t

able

. In

man

y ca

ses

a ci

rcul

atio

n o

f wat

er r

ich

in d

isso

lved

min

eral

s al

low

s fo

r d

ense

veg

etat

ion

gro

wth

. Th

eir

asso

ciat

ion

to w

ater

and

uni

que

imag

e to

nes

due

to

hi

gh

dec

iduo

us le

af d

ensi

ties

enab

les

map

pin

g.

Up

land

thi

cket

, dec

iduo

us t

reed

— d

ense

up

land

thi

cket

, oft

en fo

und

in d

istu

rban

ce a

reas

an

d d

ecid

uous

fore

st, h

ave

sim

ilar

imag

e to

nes

to d

ense

thi

cket

sw

amp

. In

the

eve

nt O

RD

SM

dat

a ar

e no

t p

reci

se e

noug

h to

infe

r sa

tura

ted

co

nditi

ons

co

nfus

ion

may

occ

ur. T

amar

ack

fen

cont

aini

ng a

mp

le t

all s

hrub

can

als

o e

xhib

it si

mila

r im

age

tone

s to

thi

cket

sw

amp

. In

so

me

case

s im

age

pix

el g

ener

aliz

atio

n ca

uses

co

nfus

ion

with

th

e tr

eed

fen

clas

s.

Sate

llite

imag

ery,

O

RD

SM,

qua

tern

ary

geo

log

y, a

nd

OH

N s

trea

ms


Uni

t na

me

CO

DE

#

Des

crip

tion

Poss

ible

con

fusi

onIn

put

sou

rce

Coniferous Swamp

9G

reat

er t

han

25%

hyd

rop

hytic

shr

ub a

nd/o

r co

nife

rous

tr

ee s

pec

ies.

The

ir m

iner

al o

r o

rgan

ic s

oil

is s

ubje

ct t

o

seas

ona

l flo

od

ing

or

char

acte

rized

by

a hi

gh

wat

er t

able

an

d a

circ

ulat

ion

of w

ater

ric

h in

dis

solv

ed m

iner

als.

H

ydro

log

ical

ly t

hese

feat

ures

exi

st in

iso

late

d d

epre

ssio

ns

or

adja

cent

to

str

eam

s, la

kes,

fens

or

bo

gs.

Con

ifero

us t

reed

— fl

at fo

rest

ed la

ndsc

apes

with

25

% c

ano

py

clo

sure

or

gre

ater

pre

sent

sig

nific

ant

chal

leng

es fo

r re

mo

te m

app

ing

of s

wam

ps.

C

ano

py

den

sitie

s o

ften

pre

vent

det

ectio

n o

f wat

er

and

the

tra

nsiti

on

fro

m s

wam

p t

o fo

rest

oft

en

occ

urs

gra

dua

lly o

ver

long

dis

tanc

es.

Sate

llite

imag

ery

and

OR

DSM

Deciduous Swamp

10G

reat

er t

han

25%

hyd

rop

hytic

shr

ub a

nd d

ecid

uous

tre

e sp

ecie

s. T

he t

ree

cove

r m

ost

ly d

ecid

uous

is g

reat

er t

han

10%

. The

ir m

iner

al o

r p

eaty

pha

se s

ubst

rate

is s

ubje

ct

to s

easo

nal fl

oo

din

g o

r ch

arac

teriz

ed b

y a

hig

h w

ater

ta

ble

and

a c

ircul

atio

n o

f wat

er r

ich

in d

isso

lved

min

eral

s.

Hyd

rolo

gic

ally

the

se fe

atur

es e

xist

in d

epre

ssio

ns o

r le

vel

slo

pe,

ad

jace

nt t

o la

kes,

str

eam

s an

d r

iver

s, o

r o

pen

p

eatla

nds.

Dec

iduo

us t

reed

or

thic

ket

swam

ps

— d

ense

th

icke

t o

r d

ecid

uous

sw

amp

s an

d d

ecid

uous

fo

rest

hav

e si

mila

r im

age

tone

s si

nce

dec

iduo

us

veg

etat

ion

has

stro

ng re

flect

ion.

In a

dd

itio

n, h

igh

cano

py

clo

sure

pre

vent

s d

etec

tion

of w

ater

. Als

o

the

tran

sitio

n fr

om

sw

amp

to

fore

st o

ften

occ

urs

gra

dua

lly o

ver

long

dis

tanc

es.

FRI d

ata,

sat

ellit

e im

ager

y, a

nd

OR

DSM

Open Fen

11Fe

ns d

evel

op

in a

reas

of g

ener

ally

slo

w fl

ow

ing

wat

er a

nd

oft

en h

ave

satu

rate

d o

r flo

od

ed s

urfa

ces.

The

se fe

atur

es

are

fed

by

wat

er fr

om

pre

cip

itatio

n, g

roun

d a

nd/o

r su

rfac

e w

ater

, with

the

latt

er t

wo

so

urce

s en

riche

d b

y co

ntac

t w

ith

surr

oun

din

g m

iner

al s

oils

. Th

ese

cond

itio

ns e

nab

le s

light

ly

mo

re v

eget

ativ

e d

iver

sity

and

den

sity

tha

n b

og

s. M

oss

es

(gen

eral

ly n

ot

spha

gnu

m),

gra

min

oid

s an

d lo

w e

ricac

eous

sh

rub

s ar

e al

l co

mm

on.

Tal

l shr

ubs

may

als

o b

e p

rese

nt

but

at

den

sitie

s o

f les

s th

an 2

5%.

Co

nditi

ons

suc

h as

op

en

wat

er s

urfa

ces

and

sat

urat

ion,

den

se g

ram

ino

ids,

str

ing

p

atte

rns

and

tex

ture

d e

ricac

eous

shr

ub-r

ich

com

mun

ities

al

l aid

the

ir re

mo

te d

etec

tion.

Ad

diti

ona

lly, l

ow

tre

e co

ver,

app

roxi

mat

ely

zero

to

10%

, als

o a

ids

iden

tifica

tion.

Tree

d F

en, F

resh

wat

er M

arsh

, Bed

rock

, Up

land

M

ead

ow -

Dis

ting

uish

ing

per

cent

of t

reed

ve

get

atio

n is

diffi

cult

usin

g s

atel

lite

imag

ery,

p

artic

ular

ly w

hen

per

cent

ages

are

low

. Tr

eed

and

o

pen

fen

com

mun

ities

can

the

refo

re b

e co

nfus

ed.

Den

se g

rass

, sed

ge

and

em

erg

ent

com

mun

ities

o

ccur

ring

in b

oth

fres

h w

ater

mar

sh a

nd o

pen

fe

n cl

asse

s ap

pea

r si

mila

r o

n sa

telli

te im

ager

y.

Co

nfus

ion

may

als

o a

rise

follo

win

g a

dis

turb

ance

w

here

op

en b

edro

ck a

nd u

pla

nd m

ead

ow

hav

e si

mila

r im

age

tone

s to

the

op

en fe

n cl

ass.

Sate

llite

imag

ery

and

OH

N s

trea

ms


Uni

t na

me

CO

DE

#

Des

crip

tion

Poss

ible

con

fusi

onIn

put

sou

rce

Treed Fen

12A

s d

escr

ibed

ab

ove

fens

rece

ive

gro

und

and

sur

face

w

ater

. Th

ese

cond

itio

ns a

llow

for

slig

htly

hig

her

veg

etat

ion

den

sity

tha

n b

og

s. T

amar

ack

is u

sual

ly a

sso

ciat

ed w

ith fe

ns

due

to

its

adap

tatio

n to

the

tel

luric

co

nditi

ons

co

mm

on

in t

his

wet

land

typ

e. A

t d

ensi

ties

pre

do

min

atly

ove

r 10

%,

tree

s d

isp

lay

a un

ique

imag

e to

ne t

hat,

whe

n co

mb

ined

w

ith t

he o

ther

ob

serv

able

co

nditi

ons

no

ted

for

op

en fe

n,

allo

w fo

r th

eir

det

ectio

n o

n im

ager

y. B

lack

sp

ruce

is a

lso

p

rese

nt in

the

se fe

atur

es, b

ut n

ot

typ

ical

ly u

sed

as

an

imag

e id

entifi

er a

s th

ese

tree

s ar

e al

so e

vid

ent

in s

ever

al

oth

er la

nd c

ove

r cl

asse

s.

Op

en f

en, t

reed

bog

— d

eter

min

ing

ve

get

atio

n d

ensi

ty is

diffi

cult

usin

g s

atel

lite

imag

ery,

par

ticul

arly

whe

n p

erce

ntag

es

are

low

. Thi

s kn

ow

n lim

itatio

n m

ay re

sult

in c

onf

usio

n b

etw

een

tree

d a

nd o

pen

fe

n co

mm

uniti

es.

Ad

diti

ona

lly, m

iner

al

po

or

tree

d fe

ns c

an c

ont

ain

com

mun

ities

o

f sp

hag

num

mo

ss, b

lack

sp

ruce

and

er

icac

eous

shr

ub t

hat

are

den

se e

noug

h to

influ

ence

imag

e to

ne.

Whe

n th

is

occ

urs

the

pre

senc

e o

f “fe

n in

dic

ato

r”

gra

min

oid

s an

d/o

r he

rbac

eous

veg

etat

ion

is o

ften

the

onl

y w

ay t

o s

epar

ate

fen

fro

m

bo

g a

nd/o

r m

iner

al p

oo

r sw

amp

. Si

nce

thes

e in

dic

ato

rs a

re o

ften

sp

arse

, eve

n o

ccur

ring

as

one

pla

nt, r

emo

te d

etec

tion

is n

ot

po

ssib

le.

Sate

llite

imag

ery

and

O

HN

str

eam

s

Open Bog

13B

og

s ha

ve a

thi

ck a

ccum

ulat

ion

of p

eat

oft

en fo

rmin

g

do

me,

pla

teau

and

hum

mo

ck-li

ke la

ndfo

rms

that

are

leve

l o

r sl

ight

ly h

ighe

r th

an s

urro

und

ing

sur

face

s. T

hese

thi

ck

laye

rs o

f org

anic

pea

t m

ater

ial a

re v

irtua

lly u

naffe

cted

by

surf

ace

runo

ff o

r g

roun

dw

ater

fro

m s

urro

und

ing

min

eral

so

ils; t

he p

rimar

y w

ater

so

urce

is p

reci

pita

tion.

Op

en b

og

s ha

ve w

ater

tab

les

seas

ona

lly o

r p

erm

anen

tly a

t, n

ear,

or

abo

ve s

ubst

rate

sur

face

. Su

bst

rate

s ar

e sp

hag

num

pea

t.

Hyd

rolo

gic

and

sub

stra

te p

rop

ertie

s si

gni

fican

tly li

mit

veg

etat

ion

gro

wth

and

div

ersi

ty.

In o

pen

bo

gs

tree

co

ver

is s

par

se a

t le

ss t

han

10%

whi

le t

all s

hrub

s ca

n o

ccur

at

den

sitie

s le

ss t

han

25%

. D

ense

and

pur

e sp

hag

num

and

lic

hen

gro

und

co

ver

are

the

prim

ary

cont

ribut

ors

to

imag

e id

entifi

catio

n. V

ario

us d

ensi

ties

of e

ricac

eous

shr

ubs

can

also

occ

ur; h

ighe

r d

ensi

ties

also

pro

duc

e a

uniq

ue im

age

tone

tha

t ca

n b

e us

ed fo

r m

app

ing

.

Hea

th, t

reed

bog

— d

istin

gui

shin

g

per

cent

age

of t

reed

veg

etat

ion

is d

ifficu

lt us

ing

sat

ellit

e im

ager

y. S

imila

ritie

s in

veg

etat

ion

and

sur

face

mo

istu

re

cond

itio

ns c

an re

sult

in c

onf

usio

n w

ith

liche

n ric

h tu

ndra

hea

th.

Sate

llite

imag

ery

and

O

HN

str

eam

s


Uni

t na

me

CO

DE

#

Des

crip

tion

Poss

ible

con

fusi

onIn

put

sou

rce

Treed Bog

14Th

e ec

olo

gic

al c

hara

cter

istic

s o

f tre

ed b

og

are

sim

ilar

to

tho

se d

escr

ibed

for

op

en b

og

. Tr

eed

bo

gs

have

eith

er t

ree

cove

r g

reat

er t

han

10%

and

tal

l shr

ub c

ove

r le

ss t

han

25%

. A

co

mb

inat

ion

of l

ow

eric

aceo

us s

hrub

, lic

hen,

sp

hag

num

m

oss

and

bla

ck s

pru

ce a

ll ai

d d

etec

tion.

Op

en b

og, t

reed

fen

— d

eter

min

ing

ve

get

atio

n d

ensi

ty is

diffi

cult

usin

g s

atel

lite

imag

ery,

par

ticul

arly

whe

n p

erce

ntag

es a

re

low

. A

dd

itio

nally

, min

eral

po

or

tree

d fe

ns

can

cont

ain

com

mun

ities

of s

pha

gnu

m m

oss

, b

lack

sp

ruce

and

eric

aceo

us s

hrub

s th

at a

re

den

se e

noug

h to

influ

ence

imag

e to

ne. T

he

pre

senc

e o

f “fe

n in

dic

ato

r” g

ram

ino

ids

and

/or

herb

aceo

us v

eget

atio

n is

oft

en t

he o

nly

mea

ns

of s

epar

atin

g fe

n fr

om

bo

g a

nd/o

r m

iner

al p

oo

r sw

amp

. The

se fe

n in

dic

ato

rs a

re o

ften

sp

arse

, ev

en o

ccur

ring

as

one

pla

nt t

hat

cann

ot

be

reso

lved

usi

ng re

mo

te s

ensi

ng d

ata.

Sate

llite

imag

ery

and

OH

N s

trea

ms

Sparse Treed

15Tr

eed

(> t

wo

met

res

in h

eig

ht) a

rea

cont

aini

ng c

oni

fero

us

or

dec

iduo

us s

pec

ies

or

a co

mb

inat

ion

of t

he t

wo

. Tre

ed

site

s w

ith t

all a

nd/o

r lo

w t

reed

can

op

y cl

osu

re b

etw

een

10 a

nd 2

5%.

Thes

e co

mm

uniti

es a

re o

ften

situ

ated

on

bed

rock

kno

bs,

rap

idly

dra

inin

g s

oils

, or

on

rais

ed m

iner

al

soils

, dep

osi

ted

as

bea

ch r

idg

es a

nd s

tran

dlin

es in

clo

se

pro

xim

ity t

o H

udso

n/Ja

mes

Bay

. The

y o

ften

exh

ibit

a d

ry

and

ver

y sh

allo

w s

ubst

rate

. Den

se c

om

mun

ities

of g

roun

d

liche

ns, g

ram

ino

ids

and

/or

mo

sses

are

als

o c

om

mo

n. T

he

com

bin

atio

n o

f gro

und

co

ver,

dry

co

nditi

ons

and

sp

arse

ca

nop

y o

ffer

uniq

ue im

age

tone

s ai

din

g id

entifi

catio

n.

Ele

vatio

n in

form

atio

n ex

trac

ted

fro

m a

n el

evat

ion

mo

del

an

d q

uate

rnar

y g

eolo

gy

par

ent

mat

eria

l als

o a

ids

map

pin

g.

Tree

d B

og, H

eath

- T

reed

bo

g w

ith d

ense

lich

en

com

mun

ities

can

hav

e si

mila

r im

age

tone

s.

Dig

ital e

leva

tion

slo

pe

and

land

scap

e p

osi

tion

(i.e.

to

p o

f a r

idg

e o

r hi

ll fe

atur

e g

reat

er t

han

app

roxi

mat

ely

10 m

etre

s in

hei

ght

) are

use

d

to a

id s

epar

atio

n, b

ut d

ata

and

cla

ssifi

catio

n lim

itatio

ns c

an li

mit

pro

per

to

po

gra

phi

c d

efini

tion

caus

ing

co

nfus

ion.

Tun

dra

hea

th a

lso

ex

hib

its s

imila

r to

po

gra

phi

c tr

aits

and

imag

e to

nes

to s

par

se fo

rest

and

can

thu

s ea

sily

be

conf

used

.

Sate

llite

imag

ery,

O

RD

SM a

nd

geo

log

y la

yer

Deciduous Treed

16Pr

edo

min

atel

y d

ecid

uous

tre

e co

ver

situ

ated

on

vary

ing

so

il d

epth

s ha

ving

dry

, fre

sh a

nd s

om

etim

es m

ois

t co

nditi

ons

. Ve

get

atio

n co

ver

is t

ypic

ally

clo

sed

and

tal

l (g

reat

er t

han

10

met

res

in h

eig

ht a

nd 6

0% c

losu

re).

May

als

o in

clud

e o

pen

ta

ll (g

reat

er t

han

10 m

etre

s in

hei

ght

and

bet

wee

n 25

and

60

% c

losu

re) a

nd lo

w (l

ess

than

10

met

res

in h

eig

ht a

nd

gre

ater

tha

n 25

% c

losu

re) c

om

mun

ities

. U

pla

nd d

ecid

uous

tr

ee s

pec

ies

mak

e up

gre

ater

tha

n 75

% o

f can

op

y cl

osu

re.

Spec

ies

are

prim

arily

po

pla

r an

d b

irch.

Thic

ket

Swam

p, T

reed

Fen

, Mix

ed T

reed

Thic

ket

swam

p o

ften

co

ntai

ns d

ense

thi

cket

s o

f ald

er a

nd w

illo

w t

hat

app

ear

sim

ilar

to d

ecid

uous

fore

st o

n sa

telli

te im

ager

y.

Lim

itatio

ns in

the

OR

DSM

and

str

eam

dat

a us

ed t

o h

elp

sep

arat

e th

ese

feat

ures

can

ca

use

conf

usio

n. S

imila

rly, f

ens

with

hig

her

den

sitie

s o

f tam

arac

k ca

n al

so a

pp

ear

sim

ilar

to

dec

iduo

us fo

rest

and

cau

se c

onf

usio

n.

Sate

llite

imag

ery,

O

RD

SM a

nd

geo

log

y la

yer


Uni

t na

me

CO

DE

#

Des

crip

tion

Poss

ible

con

fusi

onIn

put

sou

rce

Mixed Treed

17A

mix

ture

of d

ecid

uous

and

co

nife

rous

tre

e co

ver

situ

ated

o

n va

ryin

g s

oil

dep

ths

that

can

hav

e d

ry, f

resh

and

so

met

imes

mo

ist

cond

itio

ns. V

eget

atio

n co

ver

is t

ypic

ally

cl

ose

d a

nd t

all (

gre

ater

tha

n 10

met

res

in h

eig

ht a

nd 6

0%

clo

sure

). M

ay a

lso

incl

ude

op

en t

all (

gre

ater

tha

n 10

met

res

in h

eig

ht a

nd b

etw

een

25 a

nd 6

0% c

losu

re) a

nd lo

w (l

ess

than

10

met

res

in h

eig

ht a

nd g

reat

er t

han

25%

clo

sure

) co

mm

uniti

es.

Up

land

dec

iduo

us a

nd c

oni

fero

us t

ree

spec

ies

are

pre

sent

and

mak

e up

less

tha

n 75

% o

f can

op

y cl

osu

re.

Spec

ies

are

prim

arily

jack

pin

e, b

lack

sp

ruce

, whi

te

spru

ce, p

op

lar

and

birc

h.

Thic

ket

swam

p, d

ecid

uous

tre

ed, c

onife

rous

tr

eed

— t

hick

et s

wam

p o

ften

co

ntai

ns d

ense

th

icke

ts o

f ald

er a

nd w

illo

w t

hat

app

ear

sim

ilar

to d

ecid

uous

fore

st.

Whe

n m

ixed

with

wat

er

and

low

co

nife

rous

tre

es t

hese

feat

ures

can

ap

pea

r si

mila

r o

n sa

telli

te im

ager

y. A

dd

itio

nally

, p

erce

ntag

es o

f dec

iduo

us a

nd c

oni

fero

us fo

rest

es

timat

ed u

sing

sat

ellit

e im

ager

y m

ay n

ot

alig

n w

ith fi

eld

bas

ed e

stim

ates

resu

lting

in a

so

urce

o

f fiel

d -

rem

ote

map

pin

g d

iscr

epan

cy.

Sate

llite

imag

ery,

O

RD

SM a

nd

geo

log

y la

yer

Coniferous Treed

18Pr

edo

min

atel

y co

nife

rous

tre

e co

ver

situ

ated

on

vary

ing

so

il d

epth

s th

at c

an h

ave

dry

, fre

sh a

nd s

om

etim

es m

ois

t co

nditi

ons

. Veg

etat

ion

cove

r is

typ

ical

ly c

lose

d a

nd t

all

(gre

ater

tha

n 10

met

res

in h

eig

ht a

nd 6

0% c

losu

re).

May

al

so in

clud

e o

pen

tal

l (g

reat

er t

han

10 m

etre

s in

hei

ght

and

b

etw

een

25 a

nd 6

0% c

losu

re) a

nd lo

w (l

ess

than

10

met

res

in h

eig

ht a

nd g

reat

er t

han

25%

clo

sure

) co

mm

uniti

es.

U

pla

nd c

oni

fero

us t

ree

spec

ies

mak

e up

gre

ater

tha

n 75

%

of c

ano

py

clo

sure

. Sp

ecie

s ar

e p

rimar

ily ja

ck p

ine,

bla

ck

spru

ce, w

hite

sp

ruce

.

Con

ifero

us s

wam

p, m

ixed

tre

ed —

co

nife

rous

sw

amp

oft

en c

ont

ains

den

se b

lack

sp

ruce

co

mm

uniti

es t

hat

app

ear

sim

ilar

to c

oni

fero

us

fore

st o

n sa

telli

te im

ager

y. L

imita

tions

in t

he

OR

DSM

tha

t is

use

d t

o h

elp

sep

arat

e th

ese

feat

ures

can

cau

se c

onf

usio

n. A

dd

itio

nally

, p

erce

ntag

es o

f dec

iduo

us a

nd c

oni

fero

us fo

rest

es

timat

ed u

sing

sat

ellit

e im

ager

y m

ay n

ot

alig

n w

ith fi

eld

-bas

ed e

stim

ates

resu

lting

in a

so

urce

o

f fiel

d –

rem

ote

map

pin

g d

iscr

epan

cy.

Sate

llite

imag

ery,

O

RD

SM a

nd

geo

log

y la

yer

Disturbance – Non and Sparse Woody

19Th

e re

sult

of n

atur

al a

nd/o

r an

thro

po

gen

ic d

istu

rban

ce

occ

urrin

g s

om

e tim

e o

ver

the

last

20

year

s. V

eget

atio

n co

ver

incl

udes

her

bac

eous

(fo

rbs

and

gra

min

oid

s g

reat

er

than

25%

), sp

arse

her

bac

eous

(bet

wee

n tw

o a

nd 2

5%) a

nd

non

vasc

ular

(lic

hen

and

or

mo

ss g

reat

er t

han

10%

). S

par

se

tall

and

low

tre

es a

long

with

tal

l and

low

shr

ub m

ay a

lso

be

pre

sent

at

cano

py

clo

sure

s o

f les

s th

an 2

5%.

Dea

d t

rees

ca

n ex

ist

at g

reat

er t

han

25%

co

ver

and

can

be

eith

er u

p

roo

ted

and

ho

rizo

ntal

on

the

gro

und

or

stan

din

g.

Site

s ar

e m

ost

oft

en d

rier

upla

nd s

ites

with

var

ying

so

il d

epth

s.

This

cla

ss is

map

ped

by

taki

ng a

dva

ntag

e o

f the

sp

atia

l co

ntex

t p

rovi

ded

by

dis

turb

ance

map

pin

g a

nd t

he u

niq

ue

imag

e to

nes

asso

ciat

ed w

ith la

rgel

y d

ead

and

/or

sene

sced

ve

get

atio

n.

Op

en f

en, s

par

se t

reed

— t

hese

feat

ures

can

ha

ve a

den

se m

at o

f gra

min

oid

veg

etat

ion

app

earin

g s

enes

ced

and

dry

in s

atel

lite

imag

ery.

Mul

ti-d

ate

sate

llite

imag

ery

and

sin

gle

- d

ate

imag

e cl

assi

ficat

ion

Anc

illar

y d

ata

(e.g

., in

sect

, d

isea

se a

nd

fire

dat

a) w

here

av

aila

ble

is

used

to

sup

po

rt

clas

sific

atio

n


Uni

t na

me

CO

DE

#

Des

crip

tion

Poss

ible

con

fusi

onIn

put

sou

rce

Disturbance – Treed and / or Shrub

20Th

e re

sult

of

natu

ral a

nd/o

r an

thro

pog

enic

dis

turb

ance

oc

curr

ing

som

etim

e ov

er t

he la

st 2

0 ye

ars.

Veg

etat

ion

cove

r is

pre

dom

inat

ely

low

tre

ed (l

ess

than

10

met

res

in

heig

ht a

nd g

reat

er t

han

60%

cov

er) a

nd t

all s

hrub

(gre

ater

th

an 2

met

res

in h

eig

ht a

nd 6

0% c

losu

re).

Pat

ches

of

clos

ed t

all t

ree

cove

r (g

reat

er t

han

10 m

etre

s he

ight

and

60

% c

over

) may

als

o b

e p

rese

nt.

Dea

d o

r d

ying

tre

es

can

exis

t at

less

tha

n 20

% c

over

and

can

be

eith

er u

p

root

ed a

nd h

oriz

onta

l on

the

gro

und

or

stan

din

g.

Site

s ar

e m

ost

ofte

n d

rier

up

land

sit

es w

ith

vary

ing

soi

l dep

ths.

Th

is c

lass

is m

app

ed b

y ta

king

ad

vant

age

of t

he s

pat

ial

cont

ext

pro

vid

ed b

y d

istu

rban

ce m

app

ing

and

the

uni

que

im

age

tone

s as

soci

ated

wit

h liv

ing

, dea

d a

nd/o

r se

nesc

ed

veg

etat

ion.

Spar

se, D

ecid

uous

, Mix

ed a

nd C

onife

rous

Fo

rest

- P

erce

ntag

es o

f d

ecid

uous

and

co

nife

rous

for

est

esti

mat

ed u

sing

sat

ellit

e im

ager

y m

ay n

ot a

lign

wit

h fie

ld b

ased

es

tim

ates

res

ulti

ng in

a s

ourc

e of

fiel

d -

rem

ote

map

pin

g d

iscr

epan

cy.

Mul

ti-d

ate

sate

llite

imag

ery

and

sin

gle

d

ate

imag

e cl

assi

ficat

ion.

A

ncill

ary

dat

a (e

.g.,

inse

ct,

dis

ease

and

fire

d

ata)

whe

re

avai

lab

le is

us

ed t

o su

pp

ort

clas

sific

atio

n.

Sand / Gravel / Mine Tailings

21Th

ese

area

s ar

e d

omin

ated

by

exp

osed

soi

l hav

ing

less

th

an 2

5% v

eget

atio

n co

ver.

Bea

ch d

epos

its,

san

d d

unes

, ag

gre

gat

e q

uarr

ies,

min

es a

nd m

ine

taili

ngs

are

all

incl

uded

. Als

o in

clud

ed a

re s

and

isla

nds

in la

rger

riv

ers,

un

-veg

etat

ed b

each

rid

ges

, dri

er c

oast

al m

udfla

ts a

nd

very

sha

llow

or

dry

mar

l lak

es.

Bed

rock

– Im

age

tone

s fo

r ex

pos

ed s

oil a

nd

bed

rock

a s

imila

r. T

houg

h p

aren

t m

ater

ial a

nd

land

for

m f

eatu

res

map

ped

in a

geo

log

y la

yer

are

used

to

help

map

thi

s cl

ass

the

smal

ler

scal

e g

eolo

gy

laye

r om

its

som

e fe

atur

es

iden

tifia

ble

on

imag

ery.

Whe

n d

epen

din

g

sole

ly o

n im

ager

y th

ese

feat

ures

can

be

conf

used

.

Sate

llite

imag

ery

and

geo

log

y la

yer

Bedrock

22E

xpos

ed b

edro

ck w

ith

less

tha

n 25

% v

eget

atio

n co

ver.

Sand

/Gra

vel/

Min

e Ta

iling

s –

Imag

e to

nes

for

exp

osed

soi

l and

bed

rock

a s

imila

r. T

houg

h p

aren

t m

ater

ial a

nd la

nd f

orm

fea

ture

s m

app

ed in

a g

eolo

gy

laye

r ar

e us

ed t

o he

lp

map

thi

s cl

ass

the

smal

ler

scal

e g

eolo

gy

laye

r om

its

som

e fe

atur

es id

enti

fiab

le o

n im

ager

y.

Whe

n d

epen

din

g s

olel

y on

imag

ery

thes

e fe

atur

es c

an b

e co

nfus

ed.

Sate

llite

imag

ery

and

geo

log

y la

yer

Communi ty/ Infrastructure

23C

lear

ing

s fo

r hu

man

set

tlem

ent

and

eco

nom

ic a

ctiv

ity;

m

ajor

tra

nsp

orta

tion

rou

tes

Rel

ativ

ely

few

set

tlem

ent

feat

ures

exi

st in

the

fa

r no

rth.

A m

anua

l int

erp

reti

ve a

pp

roac

h ha

s b

een

used

whi

ch li

mit

s cl

assi

ficat

ion

erro

r.

Sate

llite

imag

ery

and

far

nor

th

com

mun

itie

s la

yer


Uni

t na

me

CO

DE

#

Des

crip

tion

Poss

ible

con

fusi

onIn

put

sou

rce

Ag

ricu

ltur

e24

Land

cle

ared

for

ag

ricu

ltur

al u

se t

hat

may

or

may

not

be

curr

entl

y ac

tive

.A

gri

cult

ural

fea

ture

s ha

ve b

een

clas

sifie

d u

sing

a co

mb

inat

ion

of c

onte

xtua

l For

est

Res

ourc

eIn

vent

ory

dat

a an

d L

and

sat

chan

ge

det

ecti

onim

ager

y.

Sate

llite

imag

ery,

FR

Id

ata

Clo

ud /

Sh

adow

-9A

reas

of

clou

d o

r sh

adow

on

the

sate

llite

imag

e.C

lear

Op

en W

ater

, Tre

e Sh

adow

- Th

e d

ark

imag

e to

nes

of c

loud

and

tre

e sh

adow

s as

wel

l as

wat

er c

an b

e co

nfus

ed.

Sate

llite

imag

ery

Oth

er-9

9La

nd c

over

fea

ture

s th

at w

ere

not

clas

sifie

d f

or a

var

iety

of

rea

sons

All

Cla

sses

Sate

llite

imag

ery


2.6 Chart 1: Class aggregation hierarchy

The classes designated in the Provincial Land Cover represent the finest precision possible using the medium resolution data and methods discussed. In the event that summaries based on less detailed classes are desired, aggregation is required. The following flow chart illustrates a recommended aggregation offering two less detailed tiers of class groupings. All suggested aggregations are mutually exclusive with the exception of those involving the sand/gravel/mine tailings class. Since the majority of these features will be natural, non-treed areas, aggregation to non-treed is suggested. In the event users desire separation and aggregation into non-treed and anthropogenic land cover sections, a simple GIS overlay should be employed through using land cover data in combination with spatial extraction and/or mining data.


Cha

rt 1

: Lan

d c

over

cla

ss a

gg

reg

atio

n


3.0 Far North Land Cover to PLC 2000 correspondence

The remote sensing analysts and specialists that produced the Far North Land Cover mapping do not advocate performing a post hoc comparison between the group, section or class versions of Far North Land Cover and previous products such as the PLC 2000. Reasons for not performing a comparison include: dramatically differing mapping methods, low accuracies reported for the PLC 2000, subjectivity associated with the land cover mapping process and class definition differences between a few classes.

Over the last 20 years there has been a remarkable increase in available spatial digital data in Ontario. This combined with our enhanced understanding of how to use these data to aid land cover mapping has led to major changes in how the land cover is produced. For example, in their summary of medium spatial resolution satellite data classification, Franklin and Wulder (2002) noted compelling supporting evidence in the literature for the incorporation of critical data resources such as spatial context, texture and elevation data to increase classification accuracy. These types of data have been incorporated into the Far North Land Cover mapping method.

The Far North Provincial Satellite Derived Disturbance Mapping, as described by OMNR (2013), has also been incorporated into the Far North Land Cover. While all previous Ontario land cover products depended on single date identification of areas impacted by disturbance, the method used for the Far North project employed multi-date change detection, which is well known to produce more accurate results. This new product maps disturbances occurring prior to 1990, up to and including 2011. Additionally, the Far North Land Cover has further separated disturbance features into open and treed. Therefore, although a comparison of disturbance mapping between products is possible it is not necessary or desirable, given Far North mapping identifies disturbance features captured by all land cover products with higher accuracy and class precision.

At the onset of the Far North Planning Initiative an accuracy assessment was performed on the PLC 2000. This was done to better understand this product and help gauge the need for producing a new land cover product. A report was produced by the Inventory, Monitoring and Assessment Section (2009) summarizing this effort which revealed an overall mapping accuracy of 51%. Although an accuracy assessment has yet to be completed for the new Far North Land Cover mapping, the incorporation of new methods and data are expected to dramatically improve mapping accuracies.

The mapping processes employed to create the Far North Land Cover product are primarily automated. That said, considerable analyst input is still required, some of which involves subjective interpretation and matching of image tone to perceived land cover feature. It is this subjectivity that makes comparison between different land cover products undesirable. This is especially true in this case as older PLC products were created by a different group of analysts with differing perceptions of the image tone to class relationship.

Many of the classes in the Far North Land Cover product are conceptually a direct match to classes created through older land cover products like the PLC 2000. However, a few differences make inter land cover comparison difficult. For example, percentages used to define all upland treed classes are quite different. While PLC 2000 defines sparse forest as having 30 to 60% canopy closure, the Far North Land Cover defines sparse treed (in this case treed is analogous to forest) as having 10 to 25% closure. Additionally, dense forest classes in the PLC 2000 include areas with 60 to 100% closure while the Far North Land Cover considers any upland canopy closure greater than 25% as deciduous, coniferous or mixed treed. These changes were made primarily to conform to percentages outlined in the Ecosites of Ontario (Ecological Land Classification Work Group, 2009) and the national land cover product created for Earth Observation for Sustainable Development of Forests (EOSD) (Wulder & Nelson, 2003).


As outlined above there are numerous reasons why post hoc comparison between the Far North Land Cover and previous products such as the PLC 2000 is undesirable. Such a comparison would yield results containing differences due to actual change, change in methodology, poor accuracy of previous products, subjectivity and class definition discrepancy. Therefore determining the amount of discrepancy each product accounted for would be inherently challenging. However, there are methods of determining change in land cover; most major changes have been identified and mapped through the Far North Provincial Satellite Derived Disturbance Mapping (OMNR, 2013). This mapping could be overlain with past land cover products to produce a rough estimate. In the event the inaccuracies of the PLC 2000 are not acceptable, a more complex change back casting method could be employed.


4.0

Tab

le 2

: Lan

d c

over

cla

ss t

o p

rovi

ncia

l eco

site

cor

resp

ond

ence

Land

cov

er

clas

sLa

nd

cove

r co

de

Eco

site

nam

e(s)

, cor

resp

ond

ence

and

rat

iona

leC

orre

spon

din

g e

cosi

te c

ode(

s)

Incl

udin

g b

oth

Bor

eal (

B) a

nd S

ub

Arc

tic

(A) z

ones

Cle

ar O

pen

W

ater

1Th

e m

ajo

rity

of t

his

clas

s ha

s w

ater

dep

ths

gre

ater

tha

n tw

o m

etre

s fo

r w

hich

th

ere

is c

urre

ntly

no

ELC

eq

uiva

lent

. Whe

n o

ccur

ring

in c

oas

tal o

r fr

esh

wat

er

lake

sho

re e

nviro

nmen

ts w

ith le

ss t

han

two

met

res

of w

ater

the

se a

re o

pen

sa

lt o

r o

pen

wat

er m

arsh

es re

spec

tivel

y.

Op

en w

ater

mar

sh c

oul

d h

ave

eith

er m

iner

al o

r o

rgan

ic s

ubst

rate

s.

221N

, 151

N, 1

52N

Turb

id W

ater

2M

uch

of t

his

clas

s w

ill in

clud

e o

pen

sal

t m

arsh

and

op

en w

ater

mar

sh.

Fres

h w

ater

mar

sh c

oul

d h

ave

eith

er m

iner

al o

r o

rgan

ic s

ubst

rate

s. W

ill a

lso

in

clud

e w

ater

dep

ths

gre

ater

tha

n tw

o m

etre

s fo

r w

hich

no

cur

rent

ELC

eq

uiva

lent

exi

sts.

221N

, 151

N, 1

52N

Inte

rtid

al

Mud

flat

3M

ost

of t

his

clas

s w

ill in

clud

e ac

tive

cost

al m

iner

al s

hore

line.

213X

Inte

rtid

al

Mar

sh4

Incl

udes

prim

arily

sal

t m

arsh

and

op

en s

alt

mar

sh.

Dis

tinct

ion

bet

wee

n th

ese

two

eco

site

s is

dep

end

ant

upo

n th

e %

em

erg

ent

veg

etat

ion

whi

ch c

an

not

be

estim

ated

co

nsis

tent

ly u

sing

med

ium

reso

lutio

n sa

telli

te im

ager

y. I

n th

ese

case

s o

ther

info

rmat

ion

is u

sed

(e.g

. am

oun

t o

f vis

ible

wat

er, d

ista

nce

fro

m c

oas

t).

220N

, 221

N

Sup

ertid

al

Mar

sh5

Incl

udes

prim

arily

sal

t m

ead

ow

mar

sh w

hich

is d

epen

dan

t up

on

%

herb

aceo

us c

ove

r. E

stim

atin

g %

of h

erb

aceo

us v

eget

atio

n ca

nno

t b

e d

one

us

ing

med

ium

reso

lutio

n sa

telli

te im

ager

y so

oth

er in

form

atio

n is

use

d (e

.g.

amo

unt

of v

isib

le w

ater

, dis

tanc

e fr

om

co

ast)

. T

here

fore

, thi

s cl

ass

may

als

o

incl

ude

salt

mar

sh.

219N

, 220

N

Fres

hwat

er

Mar

sh6

Incl

udes

org

anic

and

min

eral

sha

llow

mar

shes

with

per

man

ently

flo

od

ed

cond

itio

ns a

nd g

reat

er t

han

25 %

em

erg

ent

veg

etat

ion.

Will

als

o in

clud

e o

rgan

ic, m

iner

al a

nd ro

ck m

ead

ow

mar

sh w

ith w

ater

typ

ical

ly b

elo

w t

he

sub

stra

te, t

ree

cove

r le

ss t

han

10%

, tal

l shr

ub le

ss t

han

25%

and

her

bac

eous

co

ver

gre

ater

tha

n 50

%.

148N

, 149

N, 1

42N

, 143

N, 1

44N

Hea

th7

Gre

ater

tha

n 25

% v

eget

atio

n co

ver

and

tre

e co

ver

of l

ess

than

10%

. A

ran

ge

of e

cosi

tes

are

incl

uded

in t

his

clas

s in

clud

ing

: dry

san

dy

mea

do

w, s

par

se

shru

b a

nd s

hrub

co

mm

uniti

es a

nd d

ry t

o fr

esh

coar

se m

ead

ow

, sp

arse

shr

ub

and

shr

ub c

om

mun

ities

.

030N

, 031

S, 0

32S,

045

N, 0

46S,

047

S

Thic

ket S

wam

p8

Tall

shru

b c

om

mun

ities

mak

ing

up

gre

ater

tha

n 25

% o

f the

co

ver

and

ty

pic

ally

hig

her

than

tw

o m

etre

s. B

oth

min

eral

and

org

anic

thi

cket

sw

amp

s ca

n o

ccur

.

134S

, 135

S


Co

nife

rous

Sw

amp

9M

any

swam

ps

in t

he F

ar N

ort

h ar

e co

mp

ose

d p

rimar

ily o

f tal

l or

low

tre

ed

bla

ck s

pru

ce, a

nd t

amar

ack

with

ald

er.

To a

less

er e

xten

t b

alsa

m fi

r an

d

bal

sam

po

pla

r ca

n al

so b

e p

rese

nt.

Eas

tern

whi

te c

edar

can

gro

w a

s fa

r no

rth

as t

he s

out

hern

tip

of J

ames

Bay

but

is n

ot

com

mo

n in

the

Far

No

rth

area

. Si

nce

this

is a

key

ind

icat

or

of r

ich

coni

fero

us s

wam

p it

is a

ssum

ed

thes

e ec

osi

tes

are

not

com

mo

n. B

oth

org

anic

and

min

eral

po

or

and

in

term

edia

te c

oni

fer

swam

ps

mak

e up

the

maj

orit

y o

f thi

s cl

ass.

127T

l/Tt

, 128

Tl/T

t, 2

22Tl

/Tt,

223

Tl/T

t

Dec

iduo

us

Swam

p10

Into

lera

nt h

ard

wo

od

sw

amp

s an

d h

ard

wo

od

sw

amp

s m

ake

the

maj

orit

y o

f thi

s cl

ass.

Bo

th c

lass

es a

re w

ides

pre

ad a

cro

ss t

he b

ore

al r

ang

e. G

reat

er

than

50%

co

ver

of t

he h

ard

wo

od

sp

ices

. Can

op

y cl

osu

re is

gre

ater

tha

n 25

%. I

nto

lera

nt H

ard

wo

od

Sw

amp

s ar

e co

mp

ose

d m

ainl

y o

f po

pla

r an

d/o

r as

h o

ften

mix

ed w

ith b

alsa

m fi

r, w

hite

birc

h, b

lack

sp

ruce

, and

whi

te s

pru

ce.

Har

dw

oo

d s

wam

ps

cano

py

cons

ist

of w

hite

birc

h an

d/o

r m

ixtu

re o

f oth

er

hard

wo

od

sp

ecie

s. S

ubst

rate

is m

iner

al o

r p

eaty

pha

se.

130T

l/Tt

, 133

Tl/T

t,

Op

en F

en11

Prim

arily

fens

with

less

tha

n 10

% a

nd 2

5% t

ree

and

tal

l shr

ub c

ove

r re

spec

tivel

y. L

ow

shr

ub c

ove

r ca

n b

e b

etw

een

zero

and

100

%.

Her

bac

eous

co

ver

is le

ss t

han

50%

. Ve

get

ativ

e an

d w

ater

pat

tern

ing

(i.e

. str

ing

s an

d

flark

s) c

an e

xist

. Eco

site

s in

clud

ed a

re: p

oo

r fe

n, o

pen

mo

der

atel

y ric

h fe

n,

op

en e

xtre

mel

y ric

h fe

n an

d o

pen

sho

re fe

n.

139N

, 139

S, 1

40N

, 140

S, 1

41N

, 141

S, 1

46N

, 14

6S

Tree

d F

en12

Gre

ater

tha

n 10

% t

ree

cove

r w

ith t

amar

ack,

less

tha

n 25

% t

all s

hrub

co

ver

and

zer

o t

o 1

00%

low

shr

ub c

ove

r.

136T

l/Tt

Op

en b

og

13H

ydro

log

ical

ly is

ola

ted

and

hav

e le

ss t

han

10%

and

25%

tre

e an

d t

all

shru

b c

ove

r re

spec

tivel

y. L

ow

shr

ub c

ove

r ca

n b

e b

etw

een

zero

and

100

%.

Her

bac

eous

co

ver

is le

ss t

han

50%

and

the

re a

re n

o fe

n in

dic

ato

rs.

138N

, 138

S

Tree

d b

og

14H

ydro

log

ical

ly is

ola

ted

, gre

ater

tha

n 10

% t

ree

cove

r (p

rimar

ily b

lack

sp

ruce

w

ith n

o t

amar

ack)

, les

s th

an 2

5% t

all s

hrub

co

ver

and

zer

o t

o 1

00%

low

shr

ub

cove

r.

126T

l/Tt

, 137

Tl/T

t

Spar

se T

reed

15A

co

llect

ion

of m

ainl

y ve

ry s

hallo

w a

nd d

ry s

and

y ec

osi

tes.

Tre

e co

ver

is

com

po

sed

of p

rimar

ily b

lack

sp

ruce

bet

wee

n te

n an

d 2

5%.

Poss

ible

eco

site

s in

clud

e: v

ery

shal

low

, dry

to

fres

h p

ine

– b

lack

sp

ruce

co

nife

r, d

ry s

and

y ja

ck

pin

e -

bla

ck s

pru

ce d

om

inat

ed, d

ry s

and

y p

ine

- b

lack

sp

ruce

co

nife

r an

d d

ry

sand

y sp

ruce

– fi

r co

nife

r. T

hese

eco

site

s ha

ve t

he “

spar

se”

(s) v

eget

atio

n co

ver

des

igna

tion.

012s

Tl/s

Tt, 0

34sT

l/sT

t, 0

35sT

l/sT

t, 0

38sT

l/sT

t

Dec

iduo

us

Tree

d16

Co

mp

ose

d p

rimar

ily o

f po

pla

r an

d b

irch

spec

ies

but

may

hav

e as

muc

h as

25

% c

oni

fero

us s

pec

ies.

Tre

es a

re b

oth

tal

l and

low

bet

wee

n 25

and

100

%

cove

r, w

ith b

oth

clo

sed

(c) a

nd o

pen

(o) d

esig

natio

ns.

Occ

urrin

g o

n m

ost

up

land

so

il su

bst

rate

dep

ths

and

typ

es a

var

iety

of e

cosi

tes

are

po

ssib

le

incl

udin

g: v

ery

shal

low

hum

id m

ixed

wo

od

and

asp

en-b

irch

hard

wo

od

o

ccur

ring

on

mo

st d

eep

sub

stra

tes

(dry

to

fres

h, d

ry s

and

y, d

ry t

o fr

esh

coar

se, m

ois

t co

arse

, fre

sh c

laye

y, fr

esh

silty

to

fine

loam

y an

d m

ois

t fin

e).

016c

Tl/c

Tt/o

Tl/o

Tt, 0

28cT

l/cT

t/o

Tl/o

Tt,

040c

Tl/c

Tt/o

Tl/o

Tt, 0

55cT

l/cT

t/o

Tl/o

Tt,

070c

Tl/c

Tt/o

Tl/o

Tt, 0

88cT

l/cT

t/o

Tl/o

Tt,

104c

Tl/c

Tt/o

Tl/o

Tt, 1

19cT

l/cT

t/o

Tl/o

Tt


Mix

ed T

reed

17N

o t

rue

mix

ed fo

rest

co

nditi

on

defi

ned

by

per

cen

t co

ver

is re

cog

nize

d a

s an

eco

site

. B

y d

efau

lt, if

an

eco

site

is n

ot

mo

stly

one

of t

he t

ree

spec

ies

des

igna

ted

at

dec

isio

n p

oin

ts o

n th

e ke

ys it

is c

ons

ider

ed m

ixed

wo

od

. M

ixed

wo

od

eco

site

s re

pre

sent

ativ

e o

f thi

s cl

ass

cove

r al

l up

land

sub

stra

te

typ

es a

nd d

epth

s w

ith b

oth

clo

sed

(c) a

nd o

pen

(o) d

esig

natio

ns.

019c

Tl/c

Tt/o

Tl/o

Tt, 0

28cT

l/cT

t/o

Tl/o

Tt,

043c

Tl/c

Tt/o

Tl/o

Tt, 0

76cT

l/cT

t/o

Tl/o

Tt,

092c

Tl/c

Tt/o

Tl/o

Tt, 0

108c

Tl/c

Tt/o

Tl/o

Tt,

0125

cTl/

cTt/

oTl

/oTt

,

Co

nife

rous

Tr

eed

18C

om

po

sed

prim

arily

of j

ack

pin

e, b

lack

sp

ruce

and

whi

te s

pru

ce.

Whi

te a

nd

red

pin

e m

ay a

lso

be

pre

sent

in s

out

hern

po

rtio

ns o

f the

Ont

ario

shi

eld

. W

hile

co

nife

rous

sp

ecie

s ar

e d

om

inan

t, d

ecid

uous

may

be

pre

sent

at

cove

rs

as h

igh

as 2

5%.

Tree

s ar

e b

oth

tal

l and

low

bet

wee

n 25

and

100

% c

ove

r, w

ith

bo

th c

lose

d (c

) and

op

en (o

) des

igna

tions

. O

ccur

ring

on

mo

st u

pla

nd s

oil

sub

stra

te d

epth

s an

d t

ypes

, a v

arie

ty o

f eco

site

s ar

e p

oss

ible

incl

udin

g: v

ery

shal

low

whi

te p

ine

- re

d p

ine

coni

fer

and

pin

e -

bla

ck s

pru

ce c

oni

fer;

and

ve

ry s

hallo

w, d

ry fr

esh

coar

se, f

resh

cla

yey

and

fres

h si

lty fi

ne lo

amy

pin

e -

bla

ck s

pru

ce c

oni

fer

and

jack

pin

e –

bla

ck s

pru

ce c

oni

fer.

Ad

diti

ona

lly, m

ois

t co

arse

and

mo

ist

fine

pin

e-b

lack

sp

ruce

co

nife

r ca

n o

ccur

.

011c

Tl/c

Tt/o

Tl/o

Tt,

012c

Tl/c

Tt/o

Tl/o

Tt,

024c

Tl/c

Tt/o

Tl/o

Tt,

034c

Tl/c

Tt/o

Tl/o

Tt, 0

49cT

l/cT

t/o

Tl/o

Tt,

050c

Tl/c

Tt/o

Tl/o

Tt,

065c

Tl/c

Tt/o

Tl/o

Tt, 0

82cT

l/cT

t/o

Tl/o

Tt,

083c

Tl/c

Tt/o

Tl/o

Tt, 0

98cT

l/cT

t/o

Tl/o

Tt,

99cT

l/cT

t/o

Tl/o

Tt11

4cTl

/cTt

/oTl

/oTt

Dis

turb

ance

–

No

n an

d

Spar

se W

oo

dy

19In

clud

es n

on

veg

etat

ed a

reas

alo

ng w

ith h

erb

aceo

us, n

on-

vasc

ular

and

sp

arse

shr

ub a

nd t

reed

co

mm

uniti

es.

Poss

ible

eco

site

s in

clud

e al

l no

n-ca

lcar

eous

rock

bar

ren,

mea

do

w a

nd s

par

se s

hrub

prim

arily

on

non-

hyd

ric

sub

stra

tes.

All

tree

d e

cosi

tes

note

d in

the

tre

ed c

lass

es m

ay a

lso

be

pre

sent

w

ith t

he s

par

se v

eget

atio

n co

ver

clas

s m

od

ifier

(e.g

., 01

1sTt

/sTl

).

163X

, 164

S/Tl

/Tt,

164

S/Tl

/Tt,

008

H/s

H/N

v,

009s

St/s

Sl, 0

20H

/sH

/Nv,

021

sSt/

sSl,

045H

/sH

/Nv,

046

sSt/

sSl,

061H

/sH

/Nv,

062

sSt/

sSl,

078H

/sH

/Nv,

079

sSt/

sSl,

094H

/sH

/Nv,

09

5sSt

/sSl

Dis

turb

ance

–

Tree

d a

nd /

or

Shru

b

20In

clud

es lo

w a

nd t

all s

hrub

and

, due

to

the

tem

po

ral r

ang

e o

f dis

turb

ance

(i.

e., 2

0 ye

ars)

, prim

arily

low

tre

ed c

om

mun

ities

occ

urrin

g o

n al

l sub

stra

te

dep

ths

and

typ

es.

All

tree

d e

cosi

tes

note

d in

the

tre

ed c

lass

es m

ay b

e p

rese

nt w

ith t

he lo

w t

reed

co

ver

clas

s m

od

ifier

(e.g

., 01

1cTl

/oTl

).

010s

St/s

Sl, 0

22sS

t/sS

l, 04

7sSt

/sSl

, 063

sSt/

sSl,

080s

St/s

Sl, 0

96sS

t/sS

l

Sand

/ G

rave

l /

Min

e Ta

iling

s21

Incl

udes

prim

arily

un-

veg

etat

ed fe

atur

es s

uch

as a

ctiv

e sa

nd d

une,

min

eral

sh

ore

line

and

min

eral

bar

ren.

Act

ive

and

op

en c

oas

tal c

oar

se s

hore

line

and

b

luffs

are

als

o in

clud

ed.

Feat

ures

ass

oci

ated

with

ext

ract

ion

are

cons

ider

ed

exca

vate

d b

luff.

006X

, 005

X, 0

07X

, 207

X, 2

08X

, 209

X, 0

02X

, 00

3X, 0

01X

Bed

rock

22Pr

imar

ily n

on-

calc

areo

us b

edro

ck fe

atur

es w

ith le

ss t

han

25%

veg

etat

ion.

E

cosi

tes

incl

uded

are

: op

en a

nd a

ctiv

e b

edro

ck s

hore

line,

rock

bar

ren

and

co

asta

l bed

rock

sho

relin

e.

160X

, 161

X, 1

62X

, 163

X, 1

64X

, 165

X, 2

04X

, 20

5X, 2

06X

Co

mm

unity

/

Infr

a-st

ruct

ure

23Se

ttle

men

t an

d in

fras

truc

ture

eco

site

s in

clud

ing

: act

ive

was

te d

isp

osa

l/la

ndfil

l, p

avem

ent/

conc

rete

, co

mp

acte

d g

rave

l sur

face

and

co

mp

acte

d

min

eral

sur

face

.

191X

, 197

X, 1

98X

, 199

X, 2

00X


Ag

ricul

ture

24

No

t ap

plic

able

.N

ot

app

licab

le.

Clo

ud /

Sh

ado

w-9

No

t ap

plic

able

.N

ot

app

licab

le.

Oth

er-9

9N

ot

app

licab

le.

No

t ap

plic

able

.


5.0 Listing of terms adopted from Ecosites of Ontario

A number of ecological terms are used throughout this document that are descried in detail in the Ecosites of Ontario (Ecological Land Classification Work Group, 2009). Below is a list of these terms for reference purposes.

active moisture regime very shallowbedrock non-vascular wetbog not vegetatedbryophyte not woodycalcareous open tall treedcanopy closure organic materialclosed tall treed patterningconifer peatcover permanently floodeddeep (soils) rockdepth salinediversity salt water shorelinedry saturatedecosite shallowemergent shorelinefen shoreline processfloating-leaved shrubfloating mat sparse herbaceousfresh sparse low shrubgraminoid sparse low treedground cover sparse tall shrubhardwood sparse tall treedherbaceous stuntedhumid substratehydric substrate typehydrologically isolated swampindicator species tall shrublichens tall treedlow shrub texturelow treed treemarsh vascular plantsmixed wood very moistmoderate vegetation cover classmoderately deep vegetation covermoist vegetation type


6.0 Acknowledgments

The land cover analysts would like to extend their gratitude to the Far North Branch for their continued support. Analysts would also like to extend thanks to Monique Wester and Peter Uhlig for their continued guidance and support. Their understanding of remote classification and input regarding the ecosites of Ontario significantly aided the development of this document and the land cover mapping product.


7.0 References

Crins, W.J., Gray, P.A., Uhlig, P.W.C., and M.C. Wester. 2009. The Ecosystems of Ontario, Part 1: Ecozones and Ecoregions. Ont Min. Natur. Resour., Inventory, Monitoring and Assessment Technical Report SI TER IMA TR-01. 71 pp.

Ecological Land Classification Working Group (In alphabetical order): Banton, E., Johnson, J., Lee, H., Racey, G., Uhlig, P. and M. Wester. 2009. Ecosites of Ontario: Operational Draft.

Franklin, S.E. and M.A. Wulder. 2002. Remote Sensing Methods in Medium Spatial Resolution Satellite Data Land Cover Classification of Large Areas. Progress in Physical Geography, 26, 2. pp. 173-205.

Inventory Monitoring And Assessment. 2009. Accuracy Assessment Report: Far North Land Cover 2000 (Version 1.0).

Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. November 2009. Forest Information Manual 2009 Forest Resources Inventory Technical Specifications 2009. Sault Ste. Marie: Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. 94 pp1

Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, 2013. Provincial Satellite Derived Disturbance Mapping Data Specifications. Inventory, Monitoring and Assessment Section Technical Report (Unpubl.) 20p.2

Riley, J.L. 2011. Wetlands of the Ontario Hudson Bay Lowland: A Regional Overview. Nature Conservancy of Canada, Toronto, ON. 156 pp, app.

Spectranalysis, Inc.. 1997. User Manual on the Provincial Land Cover Database with Recommendations for Database Management. To obtain a copy contact [email protected].

Spectranalysis, Inc.. 2004. Introduction to the Ontario Land Cover Database, Second Edition (2000): Outline of Production Methodology and Description of 27 Land Cover Classes. http://lioapp.lrc.gov.on.ca/edwin/EDWINCGI.exe?IHID=4711&AgencyID=1&Theme=All_Themes

Wulder, M., and T. Nelson. 2003. EOSD Land Cover Classification Legend Report, Version 2. http://cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/subsite/eosd/legend-report.

1 To obtain the data: Land Information Ontario Warehouse Data Set: Forest Resources Inventories - Planning Composite Inventory or Base Model Inventory. Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/LIO/index.html

2 To obtain the data: Land Information Ontario Warehouse Data Class: Provincial Satellite Derived Disturbance Mapping. Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/LIO/index.html

http://lioapp.lrc.gov.on.ca/edwin/EDWINCGI.exe?IHID=4711&AgencyID=1&Theme=All_Themes

http://lioapp.lrc.gov.on.ca/edwin/EDWINCGI.exe?IHID=4711&AgencyID=1&Theme=All_Themes

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Far North Land Cover Data Specifications Version 1 - … North...Far North Land Cover Data Specifications Version 1.4 ... CODE Land cover code ... Landsat satellite imagery was used