Vermont Tree Canopy Cover at 0.5-Meter Resolution, 2016

NASA's dataset provides high-resolution (0.5m) estimates of tree canopy cover across the entire state of Vermont for the year 2016. The data was created using Object-Based Image Analysis (OBIA) techniques on remotely sensed imagery, followed by a detailed manual review at a 1:3000 scale to correct errors. This mapping was part of the Vermont High-Resolution Land Cover project.

Use Cases

• Urban forestry planning to establish and track tree canopy goals using pixel-level canopy presence data.
• Environmental impact assessment by analyzing changes in forest cover over time when combined with other years.
• Ecosystem service modeling, using canopy cover as an input for calculating carbon sequestration or stormwater runoff reduction.
• Habitat connectivity studies by mapping forest patches and corridors across the Vermont landscape.
• Land use and zoning analysis to correlate canopy cover with parcel-level data for policy development.

Strengths

• High 0.5-meter spatial resolution allows for detailed analysis at the individual tree or property level.
• Classification combined automated Object-Based Image Analysis (OBIA) with manual review at a 1:3000 scale for accuracy.
• Dataset covers the entire state of Vermont, providing consistent statewide coverage for 2016.

Limitations

• Exact row/pixel count, file size, and specific license terms are not provided across the sources.
• Sources conflict on the last updated date: Data.gov lists 2026-03 13, while NASA Earthdata lists 2016-09-13.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

Derived from 2016 high-resolution remotely sensed data using Object-Based Image Analysis (OBIA) and expert rule systems, followed by manual correction.

Time Range

2016

Freshness

2026-03-13 03:27:32.136781

Geography

State of Vermont, USA