Leading Tree Species Distribution Map of Canada's Forested Ecosystems (2019)

A high-resolution map of leading tree species distribution for Canada's forested ecosystems in 2019. The map was produced from a 2019 Landsat image composite, climate data, elevation derivatives, and remote sensing phenology using Random Forests classification models based on Canada's National Forest Inventory. The science and methods were led by the Canadian Forest Service of Natural Resources Canada, developed within the National Terrestrial Ecosystem Monitoring System framework, with partners including the University of British Columbia.

Use Cases

• Forest management planning based on the high-resolution species distribution map.
• Ecological modeling and climate change impact studies based on the integration of Landsat imagery, climate, and elevation data.
• Land cover classification validation and improvement based on the Random Forests classification framework.
• Monitoring forest health and composition changes over time based on the 2019 snapshot and established methodology.

Strengths

• High-resolution map derived from a 2019 Landsat image composite and multiple data sources.
• Classification models were generated based on Canada's National Forest Inventory using a 150x150 km tiling system.
• Methodology is documented in a peer-reviewed publication (Hermosilla et al., 2022).

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count and dataset size are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data may reflect geographic bias inherent to the open_canada platform and the specific 2019 compositing window.

Provenance

Source

Natural Resources Canada | Ressources naturelles Canada, Canadian Forest Service.

Collection Method

Produced from a 2019 Landsat image composite, geographic and climate data, elevation derivatives, and remote sensing derived phenology using Random Forests classification models.

Time Range

2019

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-16 16:03:29.389243; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Canada's forested ecosystems.