Paul Cote Lecturer in Landscape Architecture / Urban Planning

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

Exploring 30 Years of Land Use Change:

Landsat Time Series Images and Simple

Image Classification Techniques

Paul CoteLecturer in Landscape Architecture / Urban Planning

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

250 Architecture 50 Urban Planning

100 Urban Design 100 Landscape

500 Design Students

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

GSD Studio Culture:

Focus on representing, understanding, modifying and evaluating places:

• Appearance

• Performance

Intense interest in Spatial Information and Spatial Analysis

A Representation Engine

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

GSD’s Collection of GIS Tutorials

• http://www.gsd.harvard.edu/gis/manual• Or Google “GIS Manual”

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

GSD’s Collection of GIS Tutorials

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

Image Classification Tutorial

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

Free Data: NASA’s Mission to Earth

North American Landscape Characterization • Orthorectified, Georeferenced • Selected Cloud free Images from 1975,

1985, 1995• $20 from NASA

http://eros.usgs.gov/products/satellite/nalc.html

• Free for download from University of Maryland Global Land Cover Facilityhttp://glcf.umiacs.umd.edu

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

Free Tools:

Multispec Image Classifier

• From Purdue University• Runs on Macintosh or Windows• Many different classification algorithms• Exchanges data with ArcGIS

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

Classification Procedure:

• Composite Image bands: – Green, – Red – Infrared

• Cluster pixels statistically (Iso Cluster)• Manually inspect and group clusters into

land cover classes for sample of image• Reclassify• Bring to ArcGIS to find areas of change

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

Cape Cod 1977

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

Cape Cod 1999

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

Unsupervised Clustering 1977

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

Grouped Clusters 1977

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

Unsupervised Clustering 1999

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

Grouped Clusters 1999

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

Reclassified Clusters 1977

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

Reclassified Clusters 1977

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

Change 1977-1999

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

Change 1977-1999

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

Caveats:

• This analysis is far from scientific

• The method is strictly exploratory

• It is useful for highlighting areas for closer inspection

• Intended primarily to introduce data resources, tools and classification techniques.

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

On-Line Tutorial with Cape Cod Images:

www.gsd.harvard.edu/gis/manual/image_class

Paul CoteLecturer in Landscape Architecture / Urban Planning

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

Exploring 20 Years of Land Use Change:Free Data: Landsat Time Series Images Free Tools: Multispec Image Classifier

1999 Image

1977 Image Clustered Reclassified:Forested / Not

ClusteredReclassified:Forested / Not

Indicated Change: Deforested Reforested