Pennsylvania Statewide High-Resolution Tree Canopy
Identification_Information:
Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator:University of Vermont Spatial Analysis Laboratory
Publication_Date:2015
Title:
Pennsylvania Statewide High-Resolution Tree Canopy
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form:remote-sensing image
Online_Linkage: https://www.pasda.psu.edu
Description:
Abstract: 
Pennsylvania Statewide High-Resolution Tree Canopy

We are thrilled to announce the first public release of the Pennsylvania statewide high-resolution tree canopy dataset (data download link - 2.3GB!).  (Technically this is the second version as the first one was for internal review).  This dataset maps tree canopy for the entirety of Pennsylvania at a resolution of 1m, making it 900 times more detailed than the National Land Cover Dataset (NLCD)!  With our landscapes becoming increasingly fragmented and heterogeneous high-resolution datasets add precision and accuracy to any analysis.

We primarily relied upon Pennsylvania’s publicly available LiDAR data, which was acquired in 2006, 2007, and 2008.  We supplemented the LiDAR data with leaf-on imagery acquired in 2010 through the National Agricultural Imagery Program (NAIP).

Needless to say, the project was a massive undertaking, with the raster dataset containing close to 200 billion pixels.  To extract tree canopy from the LiDAR and imagery we used Object-Based Image Analysis (OBIA) techniques.   A rule-based expert system was developed that made use of segmentation, classification, and morphology algorithms to extract tree canopy features based on their height, spectral, and spatial properties.  This process allowed us to resolve some rather tricky issues with the data, the chief of which was the spotty LiDAR returns in the deciduous treed areas due to the leaf-off nature of the LiDAR (see graphic below).  The data then underwent a manual review.  If you are interested in more about our methodology we recommend this paper from the 2014 ASPRS conference.

There is no charge for this dataset, but we would be grateful if you would give us credit in any publications, reports, derivative datasets, etc.  We will be making additional revisions to the data to improve its quality, and thus any feedback is certainly welcome.  Please note that this dataset is independent from those areas we have mapped forUrban Tree Canopy (UTC) assessments.  Future releases will integrate these two projects.

If you are a state with LiDAR and are interested in a similar product please let us know.  Our techniques are efficient, accurate and effective, enabling high-resolution tree canopy to be mapped statewide at a very reasonable cost.  We will be releasing statewide tree canopy for Delaware and Maryland in the coming months.  In addition we are working with multiple partners to develop comprehensive high-resolution land cover for the Delaware River Basin and the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

Funding for this project came from the NASA Carbon Monitoring System program and it was developed in collaboration with our outstanding colleagues from the University of Maryland. The techniques used stem from collaborative research carried out with the USDA Forest Service.
Purpose: 
Urban Tree Canopy (UTC) Assessment for Pennsylvania.
Supplemental_Information: 
Funding for this project came from the NASA Carbon Monitoring System program and it was developed in collaboration with our outstanding colleagues from the University of Maryland. The techniques used stem from collaborative research carried out with the USDA Forest Service.
Time_Period_of_Content:
Time_Period_Information:
Range_of_Dates/Times:
Beginning_Date:2006
Ending_Date:2008
Currentness_Reference: 
ground condition
Status:
Progress:Complete
Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency:None planned
Spatial_Domain:
Bounding_Coordinates:
West_Bounding_Coordinate: -80.519349
East_Bounding_Coordinate:-74.689583
North_Bounding_Coordinate:42.269479
South_Bounding_Coordinate:39.719860
Keywords:
Theme:
Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus:ISO 19115 Topic Categories
Theme_Keyword:Land cover
Theme_Keyword:Urban
Theme_Keyword:tree canopy
Theme_Keyword:imageryBaseMapsEarthCover
Place:
Place_Keyword_Thesaurus:None
Place_Keyword:Pennsylvania
Temporal:
Temporal_Keyword_Thesaurus:None
Temporal_Keyword:2004
Access_Constraints:None
Use_Constraints: 
None
Point_of_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Person_Primary:
Contact_Person:Jarlath O'Neil-Dunne
Contact_Organization:University of Vermont Spatial Analysis Laboratory
Contact_Position:Geospatial Analyst
Contact_Address:
Address_Type:mailing and physical address
Address: 
81 Carrigan Drive
Address: 
Aiken Room 220
City:Burlington
State_or_Province:VT
Postal_Code:05405
Country:USA
Contact_Voice_Telephone:802-656-3324
Contact_Facsimile_Telephone:802-656-8683
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address:joneildu@uvm.edu
Data_Set_Credit: 
University of Vermont Spatial Analysis Laboratory
Native_Data_Set_Environment:
Microsoft Windows Vista Version 6.0 (Build 6001) Service Pack 1; ESRI ArcCatalog 9.3.1.1850
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Data_Quality_Information:
Attribute_Accuracy:
Logical_Consistency_Report: 
Valid raster dataset.
Positional_Accuracy:
Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy:
Lineage:
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Spatial_Data_Organization_Information:
Direct_Spatial_Reference_Method:Raster
Raster_Object_Information:
Raster_Object_Type:Pixel
Row_Count:4162
Column_Count:5462
Vertical_Count:1
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Spatial_Reference_Information:
Horizontal_Coordinate_System_Definition:
Planar:
Planar_Coordinate_Information:
Planar_Coordinate_Encoding_Method:row and column
Coordinate_Representation:
Abscissa_Resolution:3.403389
Ordinate_Resolution:3.403389
Planar_Distance_Units:survey feet
Geodetic_Model:
Horizontal_Datum_Name:North American Datum of 1983
Ellipsoid_Name:Geodetic Reference System 80
Semi-major_Axis:6378137.000000
Denominator_of_Flattening_Ratio:298.257222
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Entity_and_Attribute_Information:
Detailed_Description:
Entity_Type:
Entity_Type_Label:Pennsylvania Statewide High-Resolution Tree Canopy
Overview_Description:
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Distribution_Information:
Distributor:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Person_Primary:
Contact_Organization:Pennsylvania Spatial Data Access (PASDA)
Contact_Address:
Address_Type:mailing and physical address
Address: 
115 Land & Water Research Building
City:University Park
State_or_Province:Pennsylvania
Postal_Code:16802
Country:United States
Contact_Voice_Telephone:(814) 865 - 8792
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address:pasda@psu.edu
Distribution_Liability: 
The USER shall indemnify, save harmless, and, if requested, defend those parties involved with the development and distribution of this data, their officers, agents, and employees from and against any suits, claims, or actions for injury, death, or property damage arising out of the use of or any defect in the FILES or any accompanying documentation. Those parties involved with the development and distribution excluded any and all implied warranties, including warranties or merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose and makes no warranty or representation, either express or implied, with respect to the FILES or accompanying documentation, including its quality, performance, merchantability, or fitness for a particular purpose. The FILES and documentation are provided "as is" and the USER assumes the entire risk as to its quality and performance. Those parties involved with the development and distribution of this data will not be liable for any direct, indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of the use or inability to use the FILES or any accompanying documentation.
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Metadata_Reference_Information:
Metadata_Date:2015
Metadata_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Person_Primary:
Contact_Person:Jarlath O'Neil-Dunne
Contact_Organization:University of Vermont Spatial Analysis Laboratory
Contact_Position:Geospatial Analyst
Contact_Address:
Address_Type:mailing and physical address
Address: 
81 Carrigan Drive
Address: 
Aiken Center Room 220
City:Burlington
State_or_Province:VT
Postal_Code:05405
Country:USA
Contact_Voice_Telephone:802-656-3324
Contact_Facsimile_Telephone:802-656-8683
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address:joneildu@uvm.edu
Metadata_Standard_Name:FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata
Metadata_Standard_Version:FGDC-STD-001-1998
Metadata_Time_Convention:local time
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