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Summary:
This data set is the Former Soviet Union (FSU) portion of the Generalized World Forest Map (WCMC 1998), a 1-km-resolution generalized forest cover map for the land area of the FSU. There are five forest classes in the original global generalized map. Only two of those classes were distinguished in the geographical portion comprising the FSU.
The data are offered in several formats including binary raster data in Idrisi format, ASCIIGRID raster data in ASCII format (easily imported into ArcInfo), vector data in ArcView shapefile format, and a graphic map in JPEG format (see Figure 1). Please read all documentation before using these files.
Figure 1. Generalized forest cover map, 1-km resolution, for the land area of the Former Soviet Union.
Data Citation:
Cite this data set as follows:
Stone, T. A., and P. Schlesinger. 2003. RLC Generalized Forest Map of the Former Soviet Union, 1-km. Data set. Available on-line [http://www.daac.ornl.gov] from Oak Ridge National Laboratory Distributed Active Archive Center, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A. doi:10.3334/ORNLDAAC/697.
Table of Contents:
- 1 Data Set Overview
- 2 Data Characteristics
- 3 Applications and Derivation
- 4 Quality Assessment
- 5 Acquisition Materials and Methods
- 6 Data Description and Access
- 7 References
- 8 Glossary and Acronyms
- 9 Document Information
1. Data Set Overview:
Data Set Contents:
This data set is the FSU portion of the Generalized World Forest Map (WCMC 1998), a 1-km-resolution generalized forest cover map for the land area of the FSU. There are five classes in the original global generalized map. Only two of those classes were distinguished in the geographical portion comprising the FSU.
The purpose of the generation of the original map was to create the best possible map of forest cover for the world using the most recent digital maps of regional and national forested and protected areas. The following text is from the source web site (previously http://www.wcmc.org.uk/forest/data/wfm.htm; now http://www.unep-wcmc.org):
In collaboration with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), WCMC has compiled a World Forest Map - the first digital global forest map showing actual forest extent and protected areas with forested land. The digital map is being maintained at WCMC for use in promoting forest conservation. It has been used to produce a poster, which is being made widely available to people in the conservation and environmental community. The global Geographic Information System (GIS) data in the poster map are based on more detailed maps and digital files from national and international sources compiled mainly between the early 1980s and early 1990s. The digital information was used to estimate the amount of each major forest type in the world under protection and to provide a baseline for future monitoring of forests.
Related Data Sets:
See other Russian Land Cover data sets.
Title of Investigation:
Measuring Changes to Russian Forest Over the Last 25 Years
Investigator(s) Name and E-mail:
Name Stone, T.A. tstone@whrc.org Schlesinger, P. pschles@whrc.org
Technical Contact(s) Name, Telephone, and E-mail:
Name Phone Schlesinger, P. pschles@whrc.org (508)540-9900
Future Modifications and Plans:
Not available.
2. Data Characteristics:
Study Area:
Spatial Coverage:
Min. X: -4649071
Max. X: 3289929
Min. Y: -1496226
Max. Y: 2944775
In meters from 104.5 degrees E, 56.5 degrees N
Spatial Resolution:
1-km resolution
Projection:
Lambert Azimuthal Equal Area
Grid Description:
Cols: 7939
Rows: 4441
Resolution: 1000 meters
Temporal Coverage:
The map bears a very strong resemblance to the 1973 Forest Atlas (Anon. 1973). Therefore, there is a real concern that this map is based on a 1973 Atlas that was likely based on forestry data from the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. See Section 4, Limitations of the Data.
Parameter or Variable:
Table for: wfmap.img
Variable Description Units Instrument Range LANDCOVER Generalized Forest Cover Classes Unitless Generalized World Forest Map (WCMC, 1998) Not applicable
LANDCOVER footnote: The 2 generalized forest cover classes distinguished in this dataset are listed below. They include:
5) Temperate Broadleafed/Temperate Mixed
6) Temperate Needleleaved
Table for: wfmap.dat.gz
Variable Description Units Instrument Range LANDCOVER Generalized Forest Cover Classes Unitless Generalized World Forest Map (WCMC, 1998) Not applicable
LANDCOVER footnote: See forest cover classes listed above.
Table for: wfmap.zip
Variable Description Units Instrument Range LANDCOVER Generalized Forest Cover Classes Unitless Generalized World Forest Map (WCMC, 1998) Not applicable
LANDCOVER footnote: See forest cover classes listed above.
Data Organization:
Granule Name or Description:
wfmap.img
Data Format:
A binary raster image depicting forest cover in Idrisi format. Note: must be converted to an *rst file when using version 3.2 of Idrisi. Use the Idrisi File Conversion (16/32) utility available in the file pulldown menu to convert to the new format. Also note that the Idrisi v. 2 image documentation file, wfmap.doc, MUST be present for the binary data to be read by Idrisi.
Sample Data Record:
Not applicable
Granule Name or Description:
wfmap.dat.gz
Data Format:
A compressed ASCIIGRID version of the binary raster data (wfmap.img). This data file was created by converting the Idrisi binary file (wfmap.img) using Idrisi export utilities. The ASCII file was compressed using the gzip utility available in UNIX.
Sample Data Record:
Not Applicable.
Granule Name or Description:
wfmap.zip
Data Format:
A vector map version of data (same info as raster data wfmap.img and wfmap.asc.gz) in ArcView shapefile format (compressed).
Sample Data Record:
Not applicable
3. Application and Derivation:
Typical Application of Data:
Regional-, national-, and sub-national-level forest and land use change assessments.
Theory of Measurements:
Not available
Derivation Techniques and Algorithms:
Formulae:
Not available
Processing Steps:
The source data for the FSU portion of the Generalized World Forest Map (being distributed here) were obtained from the WCMC as an ArcInfo Export format file from their World Wide Web site ( ftp://www.wcmc.org.uk/services/forest/wfm.e00.Z). These data were reprojected from Robinson projection to Lambert Azimuthal Equal Area using Arc Info for UNIX using the PROJECT command. The subsequent coverage was also gridded to a 1000 meter resolution surface using this software's POLYGRID command. The resulting gridded data set was exported to a generic binary format suitable to Idrisi v. 2.0 for Windows.
Processing Changes:
Datum : Undefined
Delta WGS84 : 0 0 0
Ellipsoid : Sphere
Radius of sphere: 6370997.0000
Origin long : 104.5
Origin lat : 56.5
Special Corrections/Adjustments:
Not applicable
Calculated Variables:
Not applicable
Graphs and Plots Used in Analysis:
4. Quality Assessment:
Data Usage Guidance:
Errors and Limitations:
Error Sources:
Not available
Limitations of the Data:
To the best of our knowledge, the source map data used to create the original World Forest Map (from which this Generalized World Forest Map subset is derived) consists solely of the Forests of the USSR map (Garsia 1990). (Distributed by the ORNL DAAC as the RLC Forest Cover Map of the Former Soviet Union, 1990. See the Limitations section for that data set). A comparison between the two data sets shows, for example, that all sparse forest categories from map of Forests of the USSR (Garsia 1990) are binned in the "nodata" category on the Generalized World Forest Map. Thus, one should not assume that the "nodata" regions of this map do not contain forest.
Latitude of True Scale: 0.0
False Easting: 0.0
False Northing: 0.0
Pixel Dimension: 1000 meters
Known Problems with the Data:
Not available
Quality Assessment Activities:
Validation by Submitter of Data:
Not available
Confidence Level or Accuracy Judgment:
Not available
Measurement Error for Parameters:
Not available
Additional Quality Assessments:
Not available
Verification by Data Center:
Not available
Other Relevant Information about the Study:
Not available
5. Acquisition Materials and Methods:
Source or Platform Collection Environment:
Not available
Source or Platform Program Management:
Not available
Source or Platform Mission Objectives:
Coverage Information:
Not available
Attitude Characteristics:
Not available
Data Collection System:
Not available
Communication Links:
Not available
List of Sensors or Instruments:
Analysis
Ground Segment Information:
Data Acquisition and Processing:
Not available
Latitude Crossing Times:
Not available
Sensor or Instrument Descriptions
Key Variables:
Not available
Principles of Operation:
Not available
Sensor or Instrument Measurement Geometry:
Not available
Manufacturer of Sensor or Instrument:
Not available
Calibration:
Specifications:
Not applicable
Tolerance:
Not applicable
Frequency of Calibration:
Not applicable
Other Calibration Information:
Not applicable
Data Acquisition Methods:
The source data were acquired from WCMC. See World Wide Web address: (formerly http://www.wcmc.org.uk/forest/data/wfm.htm; now http://www.unep-wcmc.org).
Observations:
Data Notes:
Not available
6. Data Description and Access:
Data Access:
This data set is available from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC).
Data Archive Center:
Contact for Data Center Access Information:
E-mail: uso@daac.ornl.gov
Telephone: +1 (865) 241-3952
FAX: +1 (865) 574-4665
Product Availability:
Data can be accessed electronically in the ORNL DAAC's data pool or from the DAAC's search and order system. Data files are also available by request from uso@daac.ornl.gov.
Reading the Media:
Not available
Software and Analyses Tools:
Not available
7. References:
Anon. 1973. Atlas of Forests for the Soviet Union, Main Geodetic and Cartographic Organization for the Ministries of the USSR, Moscow, 222 pp.
Garsia, M. G. (ed.). 1990. Forests of the USSR, Scale 1: 2,500,000, Forest Cartography Department of All-Union State Planning - Research Institute Sojuzgiprolezhoz. GUGK, Moscow, USSR.
World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC), 219 Huntingdon Road, Cambridge, CB3 0DL United Kingdom. Telephone: +44-1223 277314 Fax: +44-1223 277136. Email: info@wcmc.org.uk
8. Glossary and Acronyms:
Glossary:
Acronyms:
| Acronym | Definition |
| ASCII | American Standard Code for Information Interchange |
| FSU | Former Soviet Union |
| GIS | Geographic Information System |
| JPEG | Joint Photographic Experts Group |
| RMS | Root Mean Square |
| WCMC | World Conservation Monitoring Centre |
| WWF | World Wide Fund for Nature |
9. Document Information:
2003/11/27
Document Review Date:
2003/11/27
Document Curator:
webmaster@www.daac.ornl.gov