Using remotely sensed data and gGIS to map vegetation distribution spatially of Jilin Province, Northeast China

Remote sensing (RS) has many priorities in collecting the landcover informations in a big area on earth, which could greatly help to survey or monitor the natural resources and environment including vegetation aspect and further understand those environment resource problems. With the collaboration of RS and GIS, mapping works about natural environment and resources could be made conviniently. Using satellite remotely sensed data of Thermatic Mapper (TM and ETM) imagery from LANDSAT satellite, coupled with the image processing system of PCI Geornatics, and ARC View GIS, spatial vegetation distribution of Jilin province in Northeast China was studied. And finally, the correspondent vegetation maps at the landuse level were made based on the RS image recognition and interpretation expertise, RS image processing technologies and GIS-based mapping technology. Results show that the mapping method with the co-work of RS and GIS is a consummate approach for regional vegetation mapping with high efficiency and its own features.