Derived Ecosite Phase Ecological Classification for Alberta

Derived Ecosite Phase v1.0 is a spatial ecological dataset for Alberta, produced by the Government of Alberta. It digitally represents ecological sites and phases by integrating Alberta Vegetation Inventory imagery and LiDAR data, specifically in areas where both sources are available. This version has been superseded by v2.0.

Use Cases

• Analyze spatial patterns of ecological phases using integrated AVI and LiDAR-derived slope position data.
• Cross-reference classified ecological sites with Natural Subregion guides for land management planning.
• Model vegetation type and condition changes by leveraging the AVI's digital inventory of vegetation extent.

Strengths

• Integrates two distinct data sources: Alberta Vegetation Inventory imagery and LiDAR-derived slope position.
• Classification rules were developed by the Range Resource Stewardship Section, Land Policy Branch.
• Spatial coverage is defined for areas of Alberta with concurrent AVI and LiDAR availability.

Limitations

• This is a deprecated version (v1.0) that has been superseded by a newer release.
• Coverage is limited to specific areas of Alberta, mainly the Green Area, not the entire province.

Provenance

Source

Government of Alberta, Forest Resource Analysis Section and Range Resource Stewardship Section.

Collection Method

Digital classification using rules applied to integrated Alberta Vegetation Inventory and LiDAR data.

Time Range

null

Freshness

Last updated March 2026, but dataset is a deprecated version.

Geography

Areas of Alberta with both AVI and LiDAR coverage, mainly the Green Area.