Citation: Helmer, E. H., T. A. Kennaway, D. H. Pedreros, M. L. Clark, H. Marcano-Vega, L. L. Tieszen, T. R. Ruzycki, S. Schill, and C. M. S. Carrington. 2008. Land cover and forest formation distributions for St. Kitts, Nevis, St. Eustatius, Grenada and Barbados from decision tree classification of cloud-cleared satellite imagery. Caribbean Journal of Science 44(2):175-198.
All data users are expected to appropriately cite the data. Citation: Helmer, E. H., T. A. Kennaway, D. H. Pedreros, M. L. Clark, H. Marcano-Vega, L. L. Tieszen, T. R. Ruzycki, S. Schill, and C. M. S. Carrington. 2008. Land cover and forest formation distributions for St. Kitts, Nevis, St. Eustatius, Grenada and Barbados from decision tree classification of cloud-cleared satellite imagery. Caribbean Journal of Science 44(2):175-198.
Distributions of land cover and forest formations for St. Kitts, Nevis, St. Eustatius, Grenada and Barbados were mapped from satellite imagery. Products for Grenada include a manuscript, a printable map, and a raster dataset. The raster dataset includes the digital map and the Landsat image mosaics. This file is the raster map developed for Grenada. For details on the image dates and mosaics, see the manuscript referenced below and included with this dataset. The image mosaics for Grenada are of Landsat ETM+ satellite imagery dated November 2001 and September 2000, and Landsat 5 TM magery dated March 1986. The most cloud-free image, which is the basis for most of the map, was dated November 2001.
Citation: Helmer, E. H., T. A. Kennaway, D. H. Pedreros, M. L. Clark, H. Marcano-Vega, L. L. Tieszen, T. R. Ruzycki, S. Schill, and C. M. S. Carrington. 2008. Land cover and forest formation distributions for St. Kitts, Nevis, St. Eustatius, Grenada and Barbados from decision tree classification of cloud-cleared satellite imagery. Caribbean Journal of Science 44(2):175-198.
Data are posted at the FSGeodata Clearinghouse (<https://data.fs.usda.gov/geodata/>).
Purpose:
Satellite image-based mapping of tropical forests is vital to conservation planning. Standard methods for automated image classification, however, limit classification detail in complex tropical landscapes. In this study, we first test an approach to image interpretation for mapping forest formations and land-cover on four islands of the Lesser Antilles. Secondly, we estimate the extents of land cover and protected forest by formation for five islands and examine whether cultivated areas or forest cover changed over the second half of the 20th century. The image interpretation approach stacks image mosaics with ancillary geographic data, classifying the resulting stack of raster data with decision tree software. Cloud-free image mosaics for one or two seasons were created by applying regression tree normalization to alternate scene dates to fill cloudy areas in a base scene. The approach accurately distinguished several classes that would be confused with more standard methods; the seamless mosaics aided reference data collection; and the multiseason imagery allowed us to separate drought deciduous forests and woodlands from semi-deciduous ones.
Cultivated land areas declined 60 to 100 percent from about 1945 to 2000 on several islands. Meanwhile, forest cover has increased 50 to 950%. Unless sugar cane cultivation becomes more profitable and competitive on the islands where it previously dominated agriculture, this trend will likely continue. Like the island of Puerto Rico, most higher-elevation forest formations are protected in formal or informal reserves. Lowland forests, however, which are drier forest types on these islands, are not well represented in reserves. Former cultivated lands in lowland areas could provide lands for new forest conservation reserves of drier forest types. The land-use history of these islands may provide insight for planners in countries currently considering lowland forest clearing for agriculture.
Supplemental_Information:
USAID and the International Institute of Tropical Forestry provided funding for this work. Other contributors included the USGS Center for EROS, The Nature Conservancy, and CEMML of Colorado State University. The NASA Global Observation of Forest Cover program funded most of the Landsat ETM+ imagery. Cooperating institutions included the Grenada Ministry of Agriculture, including the Forestry and National Parks Department and the Land Use Division. Michael Mason, Anthony Jeremiah, Alan Joseph and Augustus Thomas provided invaluable assistance. The contributions of these agencies, institutions and individuals do not imply any specific endorsement of these products.
Class number Class name
1 High-Medium Density Urban or Built-up Land
2 Low Density Built-up Land (Rural or Residential)
3 Herbaceous Agriculture - Cultivated Lands
4 Nutmeg and Mixed Woody Agriculture
5 Coconut Palm and Mixed Woody Agriculture (Cacao, Banana, other)
6 Pasture, Hay or Inactive Agriculture
7 Golf Course
8 Drought Deciduous Open Woodland
9 Deciduous, Evergreen Coastal and Mixed Forest or Shrubland, with or without succulents
10 Semi-Deciduous Forest (includes Semi-Evergreen Forest)
11 Seasonal Evergreen and Evergreen Forest
12 Sierra Palm, Transitional and Tall Cloud Forest
13 Elfin and Sierra Palm Cloud Forest
14 Emergent Wetland
15 Mangrove
16 Quarries
17 Coastal Sand and Rock
18 Water - Permanent
Time_Period_of_Content:
Time_Period_Information:
Single_Date/Time:
Calendar_Date: November 2001
Currentness_Reference: ground condition
Status:
Progress: Complete
Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: None planned
Spatial_Domain:
Bounding_Coordinates:
West_Bounding_Coordinate: -61.822956
East_Bounding_Coordinate: -61.526726
North_Bounding_Coordinate: 12.335774
South_Bounding_Coordinate: 11.967397
Keywords:
Theme:
Theme_Keyword: land cover
Theme_Keyword: land use
Theme_Keyword: forest formation
Theme_Keyword: forest type
Place:
Place_Keyword: Grenada
Place_Keyword: Ronde Island
Place_Keyword: Lesser Antilles
Place_Keyword: Caribbean
Temporal:
Temporal_Keyword: 2000
Temporal_Keyword: 2001
Access_Constraints:
No access constraints after peer review is completed. Contact E. Helmer for updates on the peer review process.
Use_Constraints:
Low density urban lands have as little as 10-15% urban/built-up land.
Point_of_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Person_Primary:
Contact_Person: E. H. Helmer
Contact_Organization:
International Institute of Tropical Forestry, USDA Forest Service
The dataset should be cited by referencing the manuscript listed in the abstract, including in web displays and web-based map servers.
Native_Data_Set_Environment:
Microsoft Windows XP Version 5.1 (Build 2600) Service Pack 2; ESRI ArcCatalog 9.2.6.1500
Cross_Reference:
Citation_Information:
Publication_Date: Unknown
Title:
Helmer, E.H., Kennaway, T., Pedreros, D., Clark, M., Tieszen, L., Ruzycki, T., Marcano, H., Schill, S., Carrington, S. 2007. Distributions of land cover and forest formations for St. Kitts, Nevis, St. Eustatius, Grenada and Barbados from satellite imagery. Manuscript in Review. (after June 2007, Please contact E. Helmer for an updated reference)
Under no circumstances shall the USDA Forest Service or the International Institute of Tropical Forestry be liable for direct, indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damages resulting from the use, misuse, or inability to use this software, even if IITF has been advised of the possibility of such damages.
