Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

USDA Logo U.S. Department of Agriculture

Publication Details

Title:
High resolution land cover for Boston, MA (2016) Data publication contains GIS data
Author(s):
University of Vermont Spatial Analysis Laboratory
Publication Year:
2020
How to Cite:
If you use these data in a publication, presentation, or other research product please use the following citation:
University of Vermont Spatial Analysis Laboratory. 2020. High resolution land cover for Boston, MA (2016). Burlington, VT: University of Vermont Spatial Analysis Laboratory. https://gis.w3.uvm.edu/utc/Landcover/Boston_2016.zip
Abstract:
High resolution land cover dataset for City of Boston, MA. Seven land cover classes were mapped: (1) tree canopy, (2) grass/shrub, (3) bare earth, (4) water, (5) buildings, (6) roads, and (7) other paved surfaces. The primary sources used to derive this land cover layer were 2013 LiDAR data, 2014 Orthoimagery, and 2016 NAIP imagery. Ancillary data sources included GIS data provided by City of Boston, MA or created by the UVM Spatial Analysis Laboratory. Object-based image analysis techniques (OBIA) were employed to extract land cover information using the best available remotely sensed and vector GIS datasets. OBIA systems work by grouping pixels into meaningful objects based on their spectral and spatial properties, while taking into account boundaries imposed by existing vector datasets. Within the OBIA environment a rule-based expert system was designed to effectively mimic the process of manual image analysis by incorporating the elements of image interpretation (color/tone, texture, pattern, location, size, and shape) into the classification process. A series of morphological procedures were employed to insure that the end product is both accurate and cartographically pleasing. Following the automated OBIA mapping a detailed manual review of the dataset was carried out at a scale of 1:2500 and all observable errors were corrected.

Keywords:
environment; imageryBaseMapsEarthCover; planningCadastre; Environment and People; Urban natural resources management; Natural Resource Management & Use; urban tree canopy; UTC; land cover; Massachusetts; Boston
Metrics:
Visit count : 111
Access count: 12
More details
Data Access:
World symbol which represents External data
  • View metadata (XML)
  • Access data (available via external archive)

Need information about Using our Formats?