Detection of Shelterbelt Density Change Using Historic APFO and NAIP Aerial Imagery
Grand Forks County, North Dakota, boasts the highest concentration of shelterbelts in the World. As trees age and reach their lifespan limits, renovations should have taken place with new trees being planted. However, in recent years, the rate of tree removal is thought to exceed the rate of replant...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2019-01-01
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| Series: | Remote Sensing |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/11/3/218 |
| _version_ | 1798030788808146944 |
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| author | Morgen W.V. Burke Bradley C. Rundquist Haochi Zheng |
| author_facet | Morgen W.V. Burke Bradley C. Rundquist Haochi Zheng |
| author_sort | Morgen W.V. Burke |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Grand Forks County, North Dakota, boasts the highest concentration of shelterbelts in the World. As trees age and reach their lifespan limits, renovations should have taken place with new trees being planted. However, in recent years, the rate of tree removal is thought to exceed the rate of replanting, which can result in a net loss of shelterbelts. Through manual digitization and geographic object-based image analysis (GEOBIA), we mapped shelterbelt densities in the Grand Forks County using historical and contemporary aerial photography, and estimated actual changes in density over 54 years. Our results showed a doubling in shelterbelt densities from 1962 to 2014, with an increase of 6402 m<sup>2</sup>/km<sup>2</sup> over the 52 years (or 123 m<sup>2</sup>/km<sup>2</sup>/year). From 2014 to 2016, we measured 1,040,178 m<sup>2</sup> of shelterbelt areas removed from the county, creating a density loss of −157 m<sup>2</sup>/km<sup>2</sup>/year. The total change over two years was relatively small compared with that seen over the previous 52 years. However, the fact that the rate of shelterbelt planting has slowed, and more removal is occurring, should be of concern for an increased risk of wind erosion, similar to that experienced in Midwestern U.S. during the 1930s. The reduction of shelterbelt density is likely related to changes in farming practices and a decline in the Conservation Reserve Program, resulting from the increased returns of growing other row crops. To encourage shelterbelt planting as a conservation practice, additional guidelines and financial support should be considered to balance the tradeoff between soil erosion and agricultural intensification. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T19:47:00Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5b6fa45ec0bf4c28b922c928ae48f51a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-4292 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T19:47:00Z |
| publishDate | 2019-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Remote Sensing |
| spelling | doaj.art-5b6fa45ec0bf4c28b922c928ae48f51a2022-12-22T04:06:27ZengMDPI AGRemote Sensing2072-42922019-01-0111321810.3390/rs11030218rs11030218Detection of Shelterbelt Density Change Using Historic APFO and NAIP Aerial ImageryMorgen W.V. Burke0Bradley C. Rundquist1Haochi Zheng2Department of Earth System Science and Policy, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND 58202, USADepartment of Geography and GISc, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND 58202, USADepartment of Earth System Science and Policy, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND 58202, USAGrand Forks County, North Dakota, boasts the highest concentration of shelterbelts in the World. As trees age and reach their lifespan limits, renovations should have taken place with new trees being planted. However, in recent years, the rate of tree removal is thought to exceed the rate of replanting, which can result in a net loss of shelterbelts. Through manual digitization and geographic object-based image analysis (GEOBIA), we mapped shelterbelt densities in the Grand Forks County using historical and contemporary aerial photography, and estimated actual changes in density over 54 years. Our results showed a doubling in shelterbelt densities from 1962 to 2014, with an increase of 6402 m<sup>2</sup>/km<sup>2</sup> over the 52 years (or 123 m<sup>2</sup>/km<sup>2</sup>/year). From 2014 to 2016, we measured 1,040,178 m<sup>2</sup> of shelterbelt areas removed from the county, creating a density loss of −157 m<sup>2</sup>/km<sup>2</sup>/year. The total change over two years was relatively small compared with that seen over the previous 52 years. However, the fact that the rate of shelterbelt planting has slowed, and more removal is occurring, should be of concern for an increased risk of wind erosion, similar to that experienced in Midwestern U.S. during the 1930s. The reduction of shelterbelt density is likely related to changes in farming practices and a decline in the Conservation Reserve Program, resulting from the increased returns of growing other row crops. To encourage shelterbelt planting as a conservation practice, additional guidelines and financial support should be considered to balance the tradeoff between soil erosion and agricultural intensification.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/11/3/218geographic object-based image analysisshelterbeltsConservation Reserve Program |
| spellingShingle | Morgen W.V. Burke Bradley C. Rundquist Haochi Zheng Detection of Shelterbelt Density Change Using Historic APFO and NAIP Aerial Imagery Remote Sensing geographic object-based image analysis shelterbelts Conservation Reserve Program |
| title | Detection of Shelterbelt Density Change Using Historic APFO and NAIP Aerial Imagery |
| title_full | Detection of Shelterbelt Density Change Using Historic APFO and NAIP Aerial Imagery |
| title_fullStr | Detection of Shelterbelt Density Change Using Historic APFO and NAIP Aerial Imagery |
| title_full_unstemmed | Detection of Shelterbelt Density Change Using Historic APFO and NAIP Aerial Imagery |
| title_short | Detection of Shelterbelt Density Change Using Historic APFO and NAIP Aerial Imagery |
| title_sort | detection of shelterbelt density change using historic apfo and naip aerial imagery |
| topic | geographic object-based image analysis shelterbelts Conservation Reserve Program |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/11/3/218 |
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