Module 3 - Land Use/Land Cover (LULC) Classification
This week we learned how to delineate different types of land use and land cover (LULC) from aerial photography by applying the recognition elements we learned last week: shape and size, shadow, pattern/texture, and association. For our lab assignment, we were tasked to identify various features in an aerial photograph of Pascaguola, Mississippi. We used the USGS Standard Land Use/Land Cover Classification System as a guide. My particular map depicts levels 1, 2, and 3 classification LULCs.
Below I've listed a description of each classification code, features that are included in it, and how I came about delineating them as so:
11 – Residential
Residential land use makes up the majority of this study area classification. This was the last part I sectioned off as I focused on the smaller mapping units first (using Clip in Editor). The residential land use is mixed with trees, but there are multiple patterns of housing buildings and curvy roads, similar to those in a subdivision.
115 – Mobile Home Parks
I used a level 3 classification for mobile home parks, since they are still a residence. From above, these mobile homes have the size and shape of a vehicle, but they are lined up very closely together in their lots, and roads exist, denoting a small residential neighborhood.
12 – Commercial and Services
The majority of commercial and services areas are off the major road (which makes sense, and is common in urban planning). I was able to distinguish commercial land uses by the size and shape of structural buildings, as well as the size of parking lots, and proximity to the main road (these are the features they contain).
121 – School
Although I wasn’t completely sure about the three school properties I classified, I was able to separate them from the other classifications by the size of their buildings in accordance to size of adjacent fields, which could possibly be recreational fields, and proximity to residential land use density.
122 – Religious
Religious buildings are interesting to pick out because they tend to be those large/long buildings in the middle of highly-dense residential areas, with large parking lots.
13 – Industrial
The industrial areas I classified are similar to commercial and services. However, their main difference is that they contain larger vehicles in their parking lots (semi-trucks), and less parking space availability for public customers. Additionally, they almost seem like construction sites because of the amount of dirt.
14 – Transportation Road
One main road makes up this land use/cover classification. I chose to classify this road because it is the widest, and thickest transportation road that is noticed in this study area. It is most likely a state road or county road, and/or major highway in Pascaguola, Mississippi.
23 – Confined Feeding Operation
This land code contains a type of agricultural land that I decided to classify as a confined feeding operation because the structure looks like an indoor-food growing area. There is also a lot of land in this feature that is possibly used for other agricultural purposes.
24 – Other Agricultural Land
These areas are denoted by open, vacant-looking land. It is uncertain whether they are vacant, and thus have been classified as other agricultural land because of their proximity to the confined feeding operation as mentioned above.
43 – Mixed Forest Land
Mixed forest land areas are basically any dark, heavily-dense forest-looking areas that were sectioned off to imply that some type of conservation efforts are in place since residential homes haven’t taken over them. Since we know the aerial is of a region in Mississippi, choosing a mixed forest land area was the best choice in comparison to a deciduous or evergreen forest, which I believe would only be appropriate in other places of the world.
52 – Lakes There are a few, very noticeable lake areas within this study boundary. They are completely surrounded by mixed forest land and residential land use. They are dark in color, like ponds, but large enough to be considered lakes.
54 – Bays and Estuaries
The bay and estuaries land codes in this study area are nothing short of obvious. A large portion is comprised and includes an intricate relationship with the forested wetlands below. The shape, texture, pattern, and association of these features are very distinct.
61 – Forested Wetland
Similarly, the forested wetlands have a very unique color, texture, pattern, and association to their adjacent and intertwined bays/estuaries. From afar, they look brown and mottled, and include multiple undefined island outlines, which is an attribute of a ‘wet’ area.
Below I've listed a description of each classification code, features that are included in it, and how I came about delineating them as so:
11 – Residential
Residential land use makes up the majority of this study area classification. This was the last part I sectioned off as I focused on the smaller mapping units first (using Clip in Editor). The residential land use is mixed with trees, but there are multiple patterns of housing buildings and curvy roads, similar to those in a subdivision.
115 – Mobile Home Parks
I used a level 3 classification for mobile home parks, since they are still a residence. From above, these mobile homes have the size and shape of a vehicle, but they are lined up very closely together in their lots, and roads exist, denoting a small residential neighborhood.
12 – Commercial and Services
The majority of commercial and services areas are off the major road (which makes sense, and is common in urban planning). I was able to distinguish commercial land uses by the size and shape of structural buildings, as well as the size of parking lots, and proximity to the main road (these are the features they contain).
121 – School
Although I wasn’t completely sure about the three school properties I classified, I was able to separate them from the other classifications by the size of their buildings in accordance to size of adjacent fields, which could possibly be recreational fields, and proximity to residential land use density.
122 – Religious
Religious buildings are interesting to pick out because they tend to be those large/long buildings in the middle of highly-dense residential areas, with large parking lots.
13 – Industrial
The industrial areas I classified are similar to commercial and services. However, their main difference is that they contain larger vehicles in their parking lots (semi-trucks), and less parking space availability for public customers. Additionally, they almost seem like construction sites because of the amount of dirt.
14 – Transportation Road
One main road makes up this land use/cover classification. I chose to classify this road because it is the widest, and thickest transportation road that is noticed in this study area. It is most likely a state road or county road, and/or major highway in Pascaguola, Mississippi.
23 – Confined Feeding Operation
This land code contains a type of agricultural land that I decided to classify as a confined feeding operation because the structure looks like an indoor-food growing area. There is also a lot of land in this feature that is possibly used for other agricultural purposes.
24 – Other Agricultural Land
These areas are denoted by open, vacant-looking land. It is uncertain whether they are vacant, and thus have been classified as other agricultural land because of their proximity to the confined feeding operation as mentioned above.
43 – Mixed Forest Land
Mixed forest land areas are basically any dark, heavily-dense forest-looking areas that were sectioned off to imply that some type of conservation efforts are in place since residential homes haven’t taken over them. Since we know the aerial is of a region in Mississippi, choosing a mixed forest land area was the best choice in comparison to a deciduous or evergreen forest, which I believe would only be appropriate in other places of the world.
52 – Lakes There are a few, very noticeable lake areas within this study boundary. They are completely surrounded by mixed forest land and residential land use. They are dark in color, like ponds, but large enough to be considered lakes.
54 – Bays and Estuaries
The bay and estuaries land codes in this study area are nothing short of obvious. A large portion is comprised and includes an intricate relationship with the forested wetlands below. The shape, texture, pattern, and association of these features are very distinct.
61 – Forested Wetland
Similarly, the forested wetlands have a very unique color, texture, pattern, and association to their adjacent and intertwined bays/estuaries. From afar, they look brown and mottled, and include multiple undefined island outlines, which is an attribute of a ‘wet’ area.
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