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Home / Photogrammetric Engineering & Remote Sensing, Number 9 / September 2012

Open Access Objects-based Image Analysis for Mapping Natura 2000 Habitats to Improve Forest Management

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Natura 2000 is a European network of protected areas established under the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC). According to the Habitats Directive, habitat maps must be periodically updated, which requires the development of cost- and time-efficient mapping practices. In this study, we propose a methodology for habitat mapping using very high spatial resolution (QuickBird) images with Object-Based Image Analysis (OBIA). We classified five segmentation levels: level 5 incorporated the prior knowledge of the study area into the analysis; level 4 and 1 were used to identify arable areas and land covers, respectively. The information contained in levels 1, 4, and 5 was then combined to classify plant species in level 2. Finally, habitats were classified in level 3 using level 2 class-related features. The habitat map obtained had an overall accuracy of 86.3 percent. Classification accuracies were higher for tree-and pasture-dominated habitats than for shrub-dominated habitats.

Document Type: Research Article

Publication date: 01 September 2012

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  • The official journal of the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing - the Imaging and Geospatial Information Society (ASPRS). This highly respected publication covers all facets of photogrammetry and remote sensing methods and technologies.

    Founded in 1934, the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS) is a scientific association serving over 7,000 professional members around the world. Our mission is to advance knowledge and improve understanding of mapping sciences to promote the responsible applications of photogrammetry, remote sensing, geographic information systems (GIS), and supporting technologies.
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