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MONITORING RESTORATION EFFORTS THROUGH REMOTE SENSING.
Author
Epaloose, Kenneth
Ellwood, Allen
Apache, Nathan
Publisher
Society for Range Management
Publication Year
2016
Body

This project is using aerial photography data to measure the amount of vegetation cover and compare it to traditional rangeland methods. With the help of photo processing software technology, we can take a large number of photos and create an orthophoto of the monitored landscape. The purpose of doing this study is to help rangeland managers with small natural resource departments such as Tribes to reduce the amount of labor and time when doing rangeland projects and implement the use of new available technology. However, the accuracy of this type of data needs to be tested. The hypothesis of this project is that measurements from high resolution aerial photographs will correlate to traditional canopy gap measurements. Currently, the team is testing different methods of collecting data by using a pole mapping method. The team will graduate to a balloon method and eventually to using a drone. Once the methodology is tested, we will use this methodology at the Pottery Mound at the Pueblo of Isleta to help in a rangeland restoration project. By using a drone, the Pueblo of Isleta can fly over the restoration project and get rapid rangeland monitoring photos for use by their Natural Resource Department. The Pottery Mound has historic value to Southwest Tribes of New Mexico and Arizona and contains a large amount of artifacts including pottery shards, human bone fragments, and different tools used by Native Americans from 1100-1400 AD.

Language
English
Resource Type
Text
Document Type
Conference Proceedings
Conference Name
SRM Corpus Christi, TX
Collection
SRM Annual Meeting Abstracts