lack of economic incentives to promote 
fertility maintenance, has been responsible for 
increasing severe environmental degradation. 
Remote sensing methods are fundamental 
and essential to land cover and mapping, in 
which landscapes are stratified into 
enumeration units. 
The present study is being executed over a 
physiographic region" Litoral Paraibano" in 
order to know the realistic assessment of the 
extent to which SPOT data can be used for 
the survey of the study area, and to provide 
the basic information about the nature of 
digital multispectral remote sensing data and 
how they can be used in different 
applications. 
Considering the needs for planning and 
managing the land for regional planning in the 
Coastal parts of the state of Paraiba to derive 
Optical and Digital land use and land cover 
information using processing and GIS 
procedures and the latest classification 
systems and Image Processing systems 
ERDAS 7.5 and ERDAS Imagine Ver. 8.1 
MATERIALS AND METHODS 
Study Area: 
The present investigation was conducted 
for a Coastal Region  "LITORAL 
PARAIBANO" of the Paraiban State of NE 
brazil. The surface area represents nearly 
levelled to undulating topography. It covers 
17 municipalities and an area of 431,600 Ha. 
The municipalities of the region are: 
Alhandra, Baia da Traiçäo, Bayeux, Caaporn, 
Cabedelo, Conde, Cruz do Espírito Santo, 
Itaporroca, Jacarau, Jono Pessoa, Lucena, 
Mamanguape, Mataraca, Pedras de Fogo, 
Pitimbu, Rio Tinto and Santa Rita. 
Equipments: 
Hardware: 
-Micro-Computer, PC/486AT with all the 
accessories 
-SVGA Color Monitor 
-Image Processing Board (Number Nine) 
-RGB 20" Monitor 
-Digitizing Table 
-Color Printer 
Softwares: 
-ERDAS 7.5 and ERDAS Imagine Ver. 8.1 
Field Materials: 
For visual as well as digital interpretation, the 
field work was very necessary. The following 
survey materials was used for detailed field survey 
and checking the mapping units. 
-Abney level 
-Color Chart 
-Hammer 
-Binocular 
-Camera 
-Augers etc. 
Topographical and other materials: 
-Topographic Maps received from SUDENE 
-Soil Maps 
-Geological Map 
-Climatic map 
-Technical reports. 
-SPOT images (B/W Color 
CCT Tapes). 
Composites and 
IMAGE ANALYSIS: 
This research work was conducted by visual and 
digital analysis. The outlines and flow charts of 
both types of interpretations are shown as 
follows: 
Visual Interpretation: 
Visual interpretation is divided into three phases: 
preinterpretation, field survey and 
post/interpretation. All the steps taken in this 
interpretation are shown in the following flow 
scheme: 
1. Pre-Interpretation: 
-Acquisition of Images 
-Map-Base Preparation 
-Specific Identification 
-Preparation of Identification Key 
-Optical Interpretation 
-Systematic Interpretation 
-Selection of the Sample Strips 
700 
International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXI, Part B7. Vienna 1996