Mountain Pine Beetle Red-Attack Forest Damage Classification Using Stratified Landsat TM Data in British Columbia, Canada

Abstract

ply of suitable pines is exhausted. Effective management of the The identification and classification of mountain pine beetle, mountain pine beetle is dependent upon rapid and accurate Dentroctonus ponderosa (Hopkins), red-attack damage patterns detection of population stage and trend (i.e., increasing or in a mature lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) forest located in decreasing). Control or suppression is only feasible for the Fort St. James Forest District, British Columbia, was endemic or incipient populations (e.g., Carroll and Linton, accomplished using 1999 Landsat TM satellite imagery, 1999 2002). Most beetle detection programs involve a traditional mountain pine beetle field and aerial survey point data, and approach based on aerial surveys. In this approach, an observer GIS forest inventory data. Unrelated variance in the observed views the forest canopy in a fixed-wing aircraft and looks for spectral response at mountain pine beetle field and aerial signs of attacked trees, that is, dying trees whose foliage is turnsurvey points was reduced following image stratification with ing from green to red. The boundaries of foliage reddening are the GIS forest inventory data and removal of other factors then mentally averaged and delineated onto a sketch map. uncharacteristic of red-attack damage. Locations of known Ground surveyors are often used to verify the cause of the dismountain pine beetle infestation were used to train a maxi- turbance and assess the severity of forest damage. The drawmum-likelihood algorithm; overall classification accuracy was backs of using these surveying methods are the high operation 73 percent, based on an assessment of 360 independent val- costs and many hours of manpower required. Also, mountain idation points. If local stand variability is reduced prior to pine beetles often spread and colonize new areas before an signature generation, accuracies and map products can be infested area has been completely surveyed by ground or air. useful for those involved in active forest management decision- Mountain pine beetle attacks may first create a pre-visual making regarding mountain pine beetle infestations.