1. Multi-Resolution Land Characteristics (MRLC) Consortium Great Lakes Regional Data Exchange Land Cover / Land Use Chicago, IL April 27, 2005 Steve Raber NOAA Coastal Services Center

2. Outline MRLC Overview The National Land Cover Database (NLCD) Partners and contributions NOAA Coastal Change Analysis Program (C- CAP) Future plans

3. MRLC Consortium Formed in 1993 Multi-agency (federal) Original members: USGS, EPA, NOAA, USFS Administered by USGS EROS Data Center History Original objective: To leverage resources toward the purchase of Landsat 5 imagery for the conterminous U.S. … for use in the development of land cover products.

4. MRLC Consortium National LC mapping programs of the 1990’s –Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP); NOAA Coastal Services Center; focus on critical coastal habitats –Gap Analysis Program (GAP); National Biological Survey (NBS), later USGS; focused on maintaining bio-diversity –National Land Cover Data (NLCD); directed by USGS and EPA; focused on comprehensive (wall-to-wall) mapping of the US Minimal cross-agency collaboration except for purchase of imagery NLCD 1992 mapping (aka “MRLC ’92”) kicked-off MRLC members added in mid-1990’s: NASA, BLM Background 1990’s

5. MRLC Consortium USGS / EPA focused –wall-to-wall land cover mapping of conterminous U.S. Minimal participation by other agencies Circa 1992 imagery – best available (single scenes) Mapping based on EPA regions Traditional image processing methods –Significant subjectivity Some contracts awarded Work completed circa 2000 NLCD 1992

6. MRLC Consortium Successful mapping effort –Proved wall-to-wall mapping could be accomplished –Image archive developed –Pre-processing refined –Partnerships with industry fostered –National awareness built –Broad-based user community fostered Accuracy assessment conducted by EPA –Decent results at Anderson Level 1 (~70 % accurate) Mixed reviews from users Consistency and repeatability issues and concerns –Need for better approach in future identified NLCD 1992 Lessons Learned

7. NLCD 2001 Circa 2001 C-CAP, GAP, and NLCD all utilizing similar classification schemes, yet doing their own thing MRLC Consortium presents opportunities –Vision to bring mapping programs into alignment –Landsat costs at all-time low (unprecedented) –Promising new semi-automated techniques Improve repeatability, consistency, and accuracy USGS EROS Data Center (EDC) –Promotes vision for National Land Cover “Database” –Partnership model to accomplish all mapping –Other mapping programs contribute while maintain own identity True MRLC Collaboration

8. MRLC / NLCD 2001 Leverage each agency’s strengths Slight modifications to each classification scheme (C- CAP, GAP, NLCD) Work toward own objectives, while developing the NLCD Improved quality –Adoption of new semi-automated techniques - maintains consistency / repeatability –Mapping zones based on eco-regions –Three-season imagery New Purpose = Win / Win

9. NLCD 2001 Classification Scheme Water –Open Water –Perennial Ice/Snow Developed –Developed, Open Space –Low Intensity –Medium Intensity –High Intensity Forests –Deciduous –Evergreen –Mixed Barren (Rock/Sand/Clay) Non-Vascular –Lichens* –Moss* Shrubland –Dwarf Shrub* –Shrub Grasslands/Herbaceous –Herbaceous –Sedge Herbaceous* Agriculture – Pasture/Hay – Cultivated Crops Wetlands –Woody Wetlands –Emergent Herbaceous Wetlands

10. MRLC Expanded US Geological Survey (USGS) –EDC; Collin Homer, MRLC Chair –GAP –NAWQA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) US Forest Service (USFS) Bureau of Land Management (BLM) National Park Service (NPS) US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFW) National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) US Office of Surface Mining (OSM) Partners Meeting, March 2005

11. NLCD 2001 - Status

12. Capturing Coastal Changes Conceived in the late 1980’s Implemented as a NOAA program in the mid 1990’s via grants and cooperative agreements Project-based mapping until 2000 Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP) Original objective: To improve scientific understanding of the linkages between coastal wetland habitats, adjacent uplands, and living marine resources

13. C-CAP Re-tooling 1999 -- C-CAP review identified the need to: Leverage other national efforts Focus on applications – customer orientation Standardize, create consistency, timely delivery 2000 -- collaborative discussions with USGS and MRLC Classification and techniques modified to accommodate NLCD Aligning with MRLC / NLCD

14. C-CAP Geography

15. C-CAP Classification Scheme Water –Open Water –Perennial Ice / Snow Developed, –Open Space –Developed, Low Intensity –Developed, Medium Intensity –Developed, High Intensity Forest –Deciduous –Evergreen –Mixed Bare Land Shrubland –Dwarf Shrub –Scrub / Shrub Grassland Wetlands –Palustrine Forested –Palustrine Scrub / Shrub –Palustrine Emergent –Estuarine Forested –Estuarine Scrub / Shrub –Estuarine Emergent Unconsolidated Shore Aquatic Bed –Estuarine Aquatic Bed –Palustrine Aquatic Bed Agriculture –Cultivated land –Pasture / Hay Alaska Only –Sedge / Herbaceous –Lichens –Moss Focus on the Coast

16. C-CAP Philosophy Focus on: –Coastal habitats and resources –Change detection and analysis –Accuracy and quality Minimize duplication of effort Guided by user input and interactions Target audience: resource managers and decision- makers Partnerships are critical Work with private industry –Day-to-day technical mapping –Faster, better, and more consistent Focus on the Coast

17. 2004 Contracts 2005-2006 Contracts NLCD Zones C-CAP Status “Coastal NLCD”

18. Looking Forward First priority –Complete national baseline of land cover and change data, in collaboration with MRLC –Focus on the user community / constituency – outreach and coordination Develop high-resolution solutions Pursue regional updates every five years (with caveats …) Continue integrating into broader NOAA and National Map initiatives

19. For more information … Steve.Raber@noaa.gov Nate.Herold@noaa.gov Homer@usgs.gov C-CAP: www.csc.noaa.gov/landcover MRLC: www.mrlc.gov EPA (MRLC): www.epa.gov/mrlc/about