Grading

Important University Policies

Class Time and Place

This page is the general description of the course and suggested expectations for both the student and the expectations of the teacher.

Objective

This course is designed to introduce you to the techniques of aerial photo interpretation, ground truth that data, forest inventory, and then use that information in a GIS context. The focus is to develop the specific skills needed in forest land resource management. The course will consist of a set of exercises designed to introduce a variety of photo interpretation skills, field reconnaissance, and basic GIS topics. These skills will be applied to a specific study area near the University.

Class Time and Place:

Lecture:

M 1:00-1:50 123 Anheuser-Busch Natural Resources Building

Lab:

M 2:00-4:50 123 Anheuser-Busch Natural Resources Building

Final: December 14, 8:00 am -10:00 am

In this course, you will implement a forest information project, creating a forest type map for a forested area (the Baskett Wildlife Area is the default area but other areas may be proposed) and then inventory the various types. The project includes three steps.

Create a Forest Type Map

This map will be used to create strata for a two-stage stratified forest inventory. The type delineation will be done on a digitized rectified aerial photograph.

Select both photosample point and ground sample points.

Sample point will be taken both on the photograph and on the ground to illustrate the process of two-stage stratified forest inventory.

Calculate the inventory and create a spatially link database.

This exercise increases the usefulness of the information collected.

Perform a query on the developed database.

This will allow you to use the data as you would for planning and management.

Assignments

Project outline - PDF

Photo Inventory Project

Students in the class will learn specific photogrammetry skills that will help in the project. These include:

1. Basic understanding of Aerial Photography.
2. Determining scale of an unknown map or photograph.
3. Understanding stereo photogrammetry.
4. Identifying common features in aerial photographs.
5. Interpertation of forest type-size-density classes.
6. Deterimining randomsample points within an area.

Inventory Project

1. The students in the class will select a subset of plots to sample in the field. On these plots we will collect species, diameter at breast height, crown ratio for each tree on the plot and site index for each stand.
2. Develop a sample design compatiable with previous inventories.
3. Select sample locations.
4. Determine the navigation instructions to the sample locations.
5. Develop forms to record the data.
6. Data entry and calculation.
7. Import data into other software.

Analysis Project

1. The class will process the data calculating several plotand stand average statistics. These will be imported into GIS layers to allow a spatial analysis of the data.

Report:

Reports must be written using the report format.

Assignment scoring

Mid-term Test 30%

Written part - 50% of test

Laboratory part - 50% of test

Inventory Report - 20%

Project Report - 25%

Project Presentation - 25%

Important University Policies

Your instructor will make all important announcements such as canceled class sessions, delayed due dates, and clarifications to assignments during class time. Usually the course assignments page  will also repeat this information.

No course changes will be sent by e-mail!

Email to the Instructor.  For matters related to this course, please send email to LarsenDR@missouri.edu.

Special Needs (ADA) Statement - If you have special needs as addressed by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and need assistance, please notify the Office of Disability Services, A048 Brady Commons, 882-4696, or the course instructor immediately. Reasonable efforts will be made to accommodate your special needs.

To request academic accommodations (for example, a notetaker), students must also register with Disability Services, AO38 Brady Commons, 882-4696. It is the campus office responsible for reviewing documentation provided by students requesting academic accommodations, and for accommodations planning in cooperation with students and instructors, as needed and consistent with course requirements. Another resource, MU's Adaptive Computing Technology Center, 884-2828, is available to provide computing assistance to students with disabilities. For more information about the rights of people with disabilities, please see ada.missouri.edu or call 884-7278.

Academic Dishonesty Policy - Academic honesty is fundamental to the activities and principles of a university. All members of the academic community must be confident that each person's work has been responsibly and honorably acquired, developed, and presented. Any effort to gain an advantage not given to all students is dishonest whether or not the effort is successful. The academic community regards academic dishonesty as an extremely serious matter, with serious consequences that range from probation to expulsion. When in doubt about plagiarism, paraphrasing, quoting, or collaboration, consult the course instructor.