Using Repeat Landscape Photography to Assess Vegetation Changes in Rural Communities of the Appalachian Mountains

Event Website

http://www.nafew2009.org/

Start Date

6-24-2009 9:00 AM

End Date

6-24-2009 9:20 AM

Description

Repeat photography is a useful tool for evaluating landscape change and patterns over a long period of time in areas that lack scientific landscape information. The objective of this study was to use ground based repeat photography to quantify and identify landscape vegetation changes over the period 1880 to 2008 and to identify strengths and weaknesses in repeat photography techniques. The historical photograph collection used for this study contained 237 landscape photographs taken in 1880. Fifty-five photographs were successfully relocated and the photograph pairs were analyzed for changes in cover classes and changes by topographic position. From 1880 to 2008, forest land was the most stable cover type (98% of forested land in 1880 remained forested in 2008). Some of the main patterns of land conversion over this time period were (1) agricultural land converted to forest (19%), (2) residential and commercial land converted to forest (18%), (3) transportation systems converted to forest or agricultural land (57%), and (3) lands covered with water in 1880 converted to agriculture or forest lands (15%). Repeat photography when combined with other historical land-use methods can yield a detailed reconstruction of the historical profile of an area; however, if the original locations of the photographs are unknown repeat photography is a very time-intensive technique.

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Jun 24th, 9:00 AM Jun 24th, 9:20 AM

Using Repeat Landscape Photography to Assess Vegetation Changes in Rural Communities of the Appalachian Mountains

Repeat photography is a useful tool for evaluating landscape change and patterns over a long period of time in areas that lack scientific landscape information. The objective of this study was to use ground based repeat photography to quantify and identify landscape vegetation changes over the period 1880 to 2008 and to identify strengths and weaknesses in repeat photography techniques. The historical photograph collection used for this study contained 237 landscape photographs taken in 1880. Fifty-five photographs were successfully relocated and the photograph pairs were analyzed for changes in cover classes and changes by topographic position. From 1880 to 2008, forest land was the most stable cover type (98% of forested land in 1880 remained forested in 2008). Some of the main patterns of land conversion over this time period were (1) agricultural land converted to forest (19%), (2) residential and commercial land converted to forest (18%), (3) transportation systems converted to forest or agricultural land (57%), and (3) lands covered with water in 1880 converted to agriculture or forest lands (15%). Repeat photography when combined with other historical land-use methods can yield a detailed reconstruction of the historical profile of an area; however, if the original locations of the photographs are unknown repeat photography is a very time-intensive technique.

https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/nafecology/sessions/recovery/5