Abstract:
The USGS Land Cover Visualization and Analysis Tool is a web-based system that
provides an intuitive interface able to selectively view and analyze land cover
data from any web browser.
Land cover data has been a largely untapped information resource. With
increasing population and the challenging prospect of climate change,
comprehensive information about the
... condition of our land, and how it is
changing, becomes more and more vital, said Barbara Ryan, USGS Associate
Director for Geography. An easy-to-use Web-based application that delivers
national land information assets to a wider audience and clearly demonstrates
how our environment is changing broadens opportunities to incorporate land
cover data in decision making.
Land cover, the pattern of natural vegetation, agriculture, and urban areas, is
shaped by both natural processes and human influences. Information about land
cover is needed by managers of public and private lands, urban planners,
agricultural experts, and scientists for studying such issues as climate change
or invasive species.
The newly released application allows users to:
-Access land cover data for any area of the United States from any web
browser without the need for specialized GIS software.
-Filter specific land cover classes for specific time periods (e.g. view
all urban or forest areas in 1990).
-Clip selected areas by political, natural, or user-defined boundaries
(i.e. user drawn areas, watersheds, or city, county and state boundaries).
-Calculate land cover statistics within selected areas and print out
simple reports.
[Summary provided by the USGS.] 
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