USFS Landscape Change Monitoring System v2020.6 (Puerto Rico - US Virgin Islands only) [deprecated]

Final thematic LCMS change product. A total of three change classes (slow loss, fast loss, and gain) are mapped for each year. Each class is predicted using a separate Random Forest model, which outputs a probability (proportion of the trees within the Random Forest model) that the pixel belongs to that class. Because of this, individual pixels have three different model outputs for each year. Final classes are assigned to the change class with the highest probability that is also above a specified threshold. Any pixel that does not have any value above each class's respective threshold is assigned to the Stable class.

Final thematic LCMS land cover product. A total of 14 land cover classes are mapped on an annual basis using TimeSync reference data and spectral information derived from Landsat imagery. Each class is predicted using a separate Random Forest model, which outputs a probability (proportion of the trees within the Random Forest model) that the pixel belongs to that class. Because of this, individual pixels have 14 different model outputs for each year, and final classes are assigned to the land cover with the highest probability. Seven of the 14 land cover classes indicate a single land cover, where that land cover type covers most of the pixel's area and no other class covers more than 10% of the pixel. There are also seven mixed classes. These represent pixels in which an additional land cover class covers at least 10% of the pixel.

Final thematic LCMS land use product. A total of 6 land use classes are mapped on an annual basis using TimeSync reference data and spectral information derived from Landsat imagery. Each class is predicted using a separate Random Forest model, which outputs a probability (proportion of the trees within the Random Forest model) that the pixel belongs to that class. Because of this, individual pixels have 6 different model outputs for each year, and final classes are assigned to the land use with the highest probability.

Raw LCMS modeled probability of Slow Loss. Defined as: Slow Loss includes the following classes from the TimeSync change process interpretation-

• Structural Decline - Land where trees or other woody vegetation is physically altered by unfavorable growing conditions brought on by non-anthropogenic or non-mechanical factors. This type of loss should generally create a trend in the spectral signal(s) (e.g. NDVI decreasing, Wetness decreasing; SWIR increasing; etc.) however the trend can be subtle. Structural decline occurs in woody vegetation environments, most likely from insects, disease, drought, acid rain, etc. Structural decline can include defoliation events that do not result in mortality such as in Gypsy moth and spruce budworm infestations which may recover within 1 or 2 years.

• Spectral Decline - A plot where the spectral signal shows a trend in one or more of the spectral bands or indices (e.g. NDVI decreasing, Wetness decreasing; SWIR increasing; etc.). Examples include cases where: a) non-forest/non-woody vegetation shows a trend suggestive of decline (e.g. NDVI decreasing, Wetness decreasing; SWIR increasing; etc.), or b) where woody vegetation shows a decline trend which is not related to the loss of woody vegetation, such as when mature tree canopies close resulting in increased shadowing, when species composition changes from conifer to hardwood, or when a dry period (as opposed to stronger, more acute drought) causes an apparent decline in vigor, but no loss of woody material or leaf area.

Raw LCMS modeled probability of Fast Loss. Defined as: Fast Loss includes the following classes from the TimeSync change process interpretation-

• Fire - Land altered by fire, regardless of the cause of the ignition (natural or anthropogenic), severity, or land use.

• Harvest - Forest land where trees, shrubs or other vegetation have been severed or removed by anthropogenic means. Examples include clearcutting, salvage logging after fire or insect outbreaks, thinning and other forest management prescriptions (e.g. shelterwood/seedtree harvest).

• Mechanical - Non-forest land where trees, shrubs or other vegetation has been mechanically severed or removed by chaining, scraping, brush sawing, bulldozing, or any other methods of non-forest vegetation removal.

• Wind/ice - Land (regardless of use) where vegetation is altered by wind from hurricanes, tornados, storms and other severe weather events including freezing rain from ice storms.

• Hydrology - Land where flooding has significantly altered woody cover or other Land cover elements regardless of land use (e.g. new mixtures of gravel and vegetation in and around streambeds after a flood).

• Debris - Land (regardless of use) altered by natural material movement associated with landslides, avalanches, volcanos, debris flows, etc.

• Other - Land (regardless of use) where the spectral trend or other supporting evidence suggests a disturbance or change event has occurred but the definitive cause cannot be determined or the type of change fails to meet any of the change process categories defined above.

Raw LCMS modeled probability of Gain. Defined as: Land exhibiting an increase in vegetation cover due to growth and succession over one or more years. Applicable to any areas that may express spectral change associated with vegetation regrowth. In developed areas, growth can result from maturing vegetation and/or newly installed lawns and landscaping. In forests, growth includes vegetation growth from bare ground, as well as the over topping of intermediate and co-dominate trees and/or lower-lying grasses and shrubs. Growth/Recovery segments recorded following forest harvest will likely transition through different land cover classes as the forest regenerates. For these changes to be considered growth/recovery, spectral values should closely adhere to an increasing trend line (e.g. a positive slope that would, if extended to ~20 years, be on the order of .10 units of NDVI) which persists for several years.

Raw LCMS modeled probability of Trees. Defined as: The majority of the pixel is comprised of live or standing dead trees.

Raw LCMS modeled probability of Tall Shrubs and Trees Mix (SEAK Only). Defined as: The majority of the pixel is comprised of shrubs greater than 1m in height and is also comprised of at least 10% live or standing dead trees.

Raw LCMS modeled probability of Shrubs and Trees Mix. Defined as: The majority of the pixel is comprised of shrubs and is also comprised of at least 10% live or standing dead trees.

Raw LCMS modeled probability of Grass/Forb/Herb and Trees Mix. Defined as: The majority of the pixel is comprised of perennial grasses, forbs, or other forms of herbaceous vegetation and is also comprised of at least 10% live or standing dead trees.

Raw LCMS modeled probability of Barren and Trees Mix. Defined as: The majority of the pixel is comprised of bare soil exposed by disturbance (e.g., soil uncovered by mechanical clearing or forest harvest), as well as perennially barren areas such as deserts, playas, rock outcroppings (including minerals and other geologic materials exposed by surface mining activities), sand dunes, salt flats, and beaches. Roads made of dirt and gravel are also considered barren and is also comprised of at least 10% live or standing dead trees.

Raw LCMS modeled probability of Tall Shrubs (SEAK Only). Defined as: The majority of the pixel is comprised of shrubs greater than 1m in height.

Raw LCMS modeled probability of Shrubs. Defined as: The majority of the pixel is comprised of shrubs.

Raw LCMS modeled probability of Grass/Forb/Herb and Shrubs Mix. Defined as: The majority of the pixel is comprised of perennial grasses, forbs, or other forms of herbaceous vegetation and is also comprised of at least 10% shrubs.

Raw LCMS modeled probability of Barren and Shrubs Mix. Defined as: The majority of the pixel is comprised of bare soil exposed by disturbance (e.g., soil uncovered by mechanical clearing or forest harvest), as well as perennially barren areas such as deserts, playas, rock outcroppings (including minerals and other geologic materials exposed by surface mining activities), sand dunes, salt flats, and beaches. Roads made of dirt and gravel are also considered barren and is also comprised of at least 10% shrubs.

Raw LCMS modeled probability of Grass/Forb/Herb. Defined as: The majority of the pixel is comprised of perennial grasses, forbs, or other forms of herbaceous vegetation.

Raw LCMS modeled probability of Barren and Grass/Forb/Herb Mix. Defined as: The majority of the pixel is comprised of bare soil exposed by disturbance (e.g., soil uncovered by mechanical clearing or forest harvest), as well as perennially barren areas such as deserts, playas, rock outcroppings (including minerals and other geologic materials exposed by surface mining activities), sand dunes, salt flats, and beaches. Roads made of dirt and gravel are also considered barren and is also comprised of at least 10% perennial grasses, forbs, or other forms of herbaceous vegetation.

Raw LCMS modeled probability of Barren or Impervious. Defined as: The majority of the pixel is comprised of 1) bare soil exposed by disturbance (e.g., soil uncovered by mechanical clearing or forest harvest), as well as perennially barren areas such as deserts, playas, rock outcroppings (including minerals and other geologic materials exposed by surface mining activities), sand dunes, salt flats, and beaches. Roads made of dirt and gravel are also considered barren or 2) man-made materials that water cannot penetrate, such as paved roads, rooftops, and parking lots.

Raw LCMS modeled probability of Snow or Ice. Defined as: The majority of the pixel is comprised of snow or ice.

Raw LCMS modeled probability of Water. Defined as: The majority of the pixel is comprised of water.

Raw LCMS modeled probability of Agriculture. Defined as: Land used for the production of food, fiber and fuels which is in either a vegetated or non-vegetated state. This includes but is not limited to cultivated and uncultivated croplands, hay lands, orchards, vineyards, confined livestock operations, and areas planted for production of fruits, nuts or berries. Roads used primarily for agricultural use (i.e. not used for public transport from town to town) are considered agriculture land use.

Raw LCMS modeled probability of Developed. Defined as: Land covered by man-made structures (e.g. high density residential, commercial, industrial, mining or transportation), or a mixture of both vegetation (including trees) and structures (e.g., low density residential, lawns, recreational facilities, cemeteries, transportation and utility corridors, etc.), including any land functionally altered by human activity.

Raw LCMS modeled probability of Forest. Defined as: Land that is planted or naturally vegetated and which contains (or is likely to contain) 10% or greater tree cover at some time during a near-term successional sequence. This may include deciduous, evergreen and/or mixed categories of natural forest, forest plantations, and woody wetlands.

Raw LCMS modeled probability of Non-Forest Wetland. Defined as: Lands adjacent to or within a visible water table (either permanently or seasonally saturated) dominated by shrubs or persistent emergents. These wetlands may be situated shoreward of lakes, river channels, or estuaries; on river floodplains; in isolated catchments; or on slopes. They may also occur as prairie potholes, drainage ditches and stock ponds in agricultural landscapes and may also appear as islands in the middle of lakes or rivers. Other examples also include marshes, bogs, swamps, quagmires, muskegs, sloughs, fens, and bayous.

Raw LCMS modeled probability of Other. Defined as: Land (regardless of use) where the spectral trend or other supporting evidence suggests a disturbance or change event has occurred but the definitive cause cannot be determined or the type of change fails to meet any of the change process categories defined above.

Raw LCMS modeled probability of Rangeland or Pasture. Defined as: This class includes any area that is either a.) Rangeland, where vegetation is a mix of native grasses, shrubs, forbs and grass-like plants largely arising from natural factors and processes such as rainfall, temperature, elevation and fire, although limited management may include prescribed burning as well as grazing by domestic and wild herbivores; or b.) Pasture, where vegetation may range from mixed, largely natural grasses, forbs and herbs to more managed vegetation dominated by grass species that have been seeded and managed to maintain near monoculture.

Ancillary information on the origin of the annual LCMS product output values.

LCMS currently covers CONUS, Southeastern Alaska, and Puerto Rico-US Virgin Islands. This version contains outputs across Puerto Rico-US Virgin Islands.

Possible value: 'PRUSVI'