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Elk Island National Park uses land cover classification to determine spatial changes of forest vegetation throughout the park. This measure relies on a supervised classification of remotely-sensed multispectral satellite imagery (Landsat). Analysis is performed roughly every five years, using images from mid-July.

Elk Island National Park monitors spatial changes to open water features throughout the park. This measure relies on an unsupervised classification of remotely-sensed multispectral satellite imagery (Landsat). Analysis is performed roughly every five years, using images from mid-July.

Elk Island National Park monitors primary productivity to determine the health of grassland vegetation throughout the park. This measure relies on remotely-sensed multispectral satellite imagery, specifically, the Landsat Shortwave Infrared (SWIR2) and Near Infrared (NIR) bands. Analysis is performed roughly every five years, using images from mid-July. Grassland and Forest primary productivity is in the same database.

Elk Island National Park monitors primary productivity to determine the health of forest vegetation throughout the park. This measure relies on remotely-sensed multispectral satellite imagery, specifically, the Landsat Shortwave Infrared (SWIR2) and Near Infrared (NIR) bands. Analysis is performed roughly every five years, using images from mid-July. Forest and grassland primary productivity is in the same database.

The data represents the density of wetland habitat in the agricultural region of Alberta in 2002. Wetlands are depressional areas that are wet for a long enough period that the plant and animals living in them are adapted to, and often dependent on, living in wet conditions for at least part of their life cycle. In drier areas of the province, wetlands tend to be more intermittent, while in wetter areas, wetlands tend to be more persistent. Topography also affects the occurrence of wetlands.

An estimated 65% reduction in Lake Erie Sand Spit Savannas (LESSS) has occurred over the last 72 years. A land cover mapping standard is used to classify the types of landscape cover in the park and assess change over time. Both remote sensing and ground data are utilised to complete this inventory work using established protocols. Using this method, changes in LESSS area over time can be detected and evaluated.

Elk Island National Park uses the Area Burned Condition Class (ABCC) method to evaluate the ecological impact of fire on the landscape and the success of utilizing fire to maintain a mosaic of vegetative composition and structure for healthier populations of native species. Area burned is derived from Landsat imagery, and is updated as needed. This measure uses the same database as forest area burned.

From the point of view of ecological integrity and the responsibility of the park to protect and maintain a biotic community naturally associated with the ecoregion, we are primarily interested in the extent of two land cover classes, the old-growth forest, which should not decrease in the park, and the artificially cleared areas or the anthropogenic footprint, which should not increase. This program measures the extent of old-growth forest and tracks changes in the land cover class (measured in 30x30m grid cells) to the baseline year (1990). We use land cover datasets derived from remotely-sensed satellite imagery of the park to capture forest-stand replacement events, which in our case are due to construction-related clearing or natural stand-replacing events (e.g. windthrow from storms).

Elk Island National Park measures beaver abundance and distribution every three years in the fall using aerial surveys to count beaver food caches.

Elk Island National Park conducts an ungulate aerial surveys of the entire park, to census the elk and moose populations. The surveys are carried out in the late fall or winter annually. Park staff also conducts opportunistic counts of elk and moose over the summer and obtain demographic information during elk handling. Elk and moose population is in the same database as bison populations.