Imagery Sharing- NOAA’s Land Cover Atlas

For several years, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has used Esri’s ArcGIS technology to process, analyze, and fuse different types of geospatial imagery to integrate information and help conservation efforts. One great example of their effort is the Land Cover Atlas, which is produced every five years using data extracted from the Coastal Change Analysis Program
(C-CAP) to determine how U.S. habitats are changing over time. Information on what is changing, where, and how quickly is essential to improving our understanding of impacts from past practices. Moreover, it is important to identify early places that are vulnerable to inundation or sea level rise to mitigate damage and change behavior.

While having accurate and up-to-date data is important, it is often not enough to enact real change. Organizations need helpful tools to turn cumbersome data into consumable information that can be used quickly and effectively to make decisions. This is where ArcGIS and mapping comes in. According to the website, the C-CAP products are “developed using multiple dates of remotely sensed imagery and consist of raster-based [image based] land cover maps for each date of analysis.” The Land Cover Atlas eliminates the need for GIS software on a computer or advanced technical expertise, by providing easy access to C-CAP information. It summarizes general trends (forest losses or new development) and can highlight specific changes of interest (evergreen forest losses to development). These maps are online, public and user-friendly so anyone can use them. You can check out the interactive Land Cover Atlas to see how your area has changed between 1996 and 2006.

NOAA’s Land Cover Atlas is only one example of how organizations are using ArcGIS technology to effectively deliver raster imagery to the public or across their own departments. For this reason, Esri is hosting the session, “Imagery Management and Sharing” at its annual Federal GIS Conference. In this session, presenters form the US Air Force and NOAA will discuss how they’ve used ArcGIS technology to analyze and share large amounts of raster imagery. Plus, they will share current best practices and functionality, as well as their plans to improve the user experience by going mobile.

The Esri Federal GIS Conference is the place to learn valuable skills and expertise to leverage GIS technology in your agency. The best part? Federal employees attend for free. It’s taking place February 25-27 in Washington, D.C. Check out more information below:

• Sessions include: technical sessions led by experts, user sessions focused on case studies and best practices, and Federal DevGeo sessions just for developers
• New ArcGIS for National Government sessions showcasing Esri’s comprehensive government solutions
• The Federal GIS Solutions EXPO featuring products and services from over 70 government solution providers
• Social events where you can collaborate with federal leaders, GIS professionals, and Esri staff

You can learn more and register here.

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