Mapping the density of woody vegetative cover using Landsat MSS digital data

Abstract

Woody vegetation is an important environmental component in most landscapes. The occurrence of some forms of woody cover is indicative of resource degradation whereas degradation is indicated by lack of cover in other situations. A capacity to measure cover, and hence change, to an acceptable levelof accuracy is thus an important indicator of resource degradation under most conditions. A means of estimating the percentage cover within individual resolution elements of scanner data has been developed and evaluated, with the results achieved being reported in this article. These results are sufficient for the technique to be included as an operational component in a rangelands monitor in New South Wales.