DIGITAL ANALYSIS OF LANDSAT DATA 
FOR SELECTIVE FOREST STAND TYPING 
— AN INITIAL FEASIBILITY STUDY 
Victor Zsilinszky 
Associate Director 
Ontario Centre for Remote Sensing 
Ministry of Natural Resources 
Toronto, Ontario, Canada 
and 
Dr. Simsek Pala 
Head of Research and Training 
Ontario Centre for Remote Sensing 
ABSTRACT 
To establish a methodology and system for supplementary forest 
inventory from spaceborne data and to determine the parameters accept- 
able to the inventory standards for the boreal forests of the Province 
of Ontario, Canada, Landsat digital tapes were analysed applying the 
supervised classification method, 
Twenty-five 4-ha. test sites in the boreal forests were selected 
so as to include the widest possible variety of species and combinations 
of species, and of crown density. A 100% tally was done on these plots 
of tree species, height, d.b.h., age, and crown density. These plots 
were then used as training areas for computer analysis. The results 
from one area containing three such plots are described. 
The delineated boundaries of the extrapolated forest inventory 
data derived from the tapes were analysed and compared with the bound- 
aries as interpreted from panchromatic aerial photographs presently used 
as the data base for forest inventory in Ontario. 
; The correlations are analysed and problems and limitations that are 
inherent in the methodology are discussed.