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Project ID: 05-4-1-12

Year: 2005

Date Started: 06/03/2005

Date Completed: 10/03/2007

Title: Innovative, 3-D, Interactive, and Immersive Techniques for Visualizing, Querying, and Understanding Regional Maps of Forest Vegetation, Fuels, and Fire Risk

Project Proposal Abstract: The Gradient Nearest Neighbor (GNN) method is a novel approach to regional-scale mapping of forest vegetation and fuels that has been applied to three study areas in the Western US under current JFSP funding (project number 1-1-4-09, to be completed 9/30/05). The GNN method uses multivariate gradient analysis and nearest-neighbor imputation to link regional inventory plots with satellite imagery and GIS maps of environmental and disturbance data. Each pixel in the resulting map is attributed with the nearest-neighbor plot's fine-scale vegetation and fuels data, allowing simultaneous and consistent prediction of a wide range of vegetation and fuels attributes, including input variables for most stand, landscape, fire risk and fire behavior models. Final GNN maps are available for two study areas and a review draft for the third. Transfer of map products has been through meetings with fuel specialists and forest managers in the three study areas, presentations at workshops and conferences, and through a manuscript and basic website to be developed by September 2005. However, communication with users during both development and technology transfer phases of our research has been hampered by the physical distance between investigators and users, by the complexity and novelty of the GNN map products, and by time limitations. We propose to develop and apply two innovative tools that will improve capabilities for communication between researchers and managers, and substantially enhance delivery and use of our own and similar research products: (1) a framework for interactive virtual tours of GNN vegetation and fuel maps using gaming technology and tree visualization software; and (2) an interactive web-based query, display, overlay, and analysis tool for GNN maps and underlying inventory data, using map server technology embedded within the virtual environment. The proposed technologies will enable forest and fuel managers and GNN researchers to work collaboratively to improve and understand fuel mapping products through a realistic, immersive visualization. All products (map data integrated within the visualization environment, as well as software) will be documented and made available to users in our study areas and to other interested researchers.

Principal Investigator: Janet L. Ohmann

Agency/Organization: Forest Service

Branch or Dept: PNW-Forestry Sciences Lab-Corvallis

Other Project Collaborators

Type	Name	Agency/Organization	Branch or Dept
Co-Principal Investigator	Matthew J. Gregory	Oregon State University	Forestry
Co-Principal Investigator	Tim Holt	Oregon State University	Department of Forest Ecosystems & Society
Collaborator/Contributor	Kenneth B. Pierce	Forest Service	PNW-Forestry Sciences Lab-Corvallis
Federal Cooperator	Janet L. Ohmann	Forest Service	PNW-Forestry Sciences Lab-Corvallis

Project Locations

Consortium

California

Northwest

There are no project locations identified for this project.

Project Deliverables

Final Report ("Results presented in JFSP Final Reports may not have been peer-reviewed and should be interpreted as tentative until published in a peer-reviewed source.")

	ID	Type	Title
	6462	NonRefereed Publication	GNNViz User Guide

Supporting Documents

The following supporting documents are available for this project.

Brief

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