49 
is paving 
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ype of 
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JCtS 
INTEGRATING GIS INFORMATION AND REMOTELY SENSED DATA 
FOR PRODUCING EUROPEAN FOREST AND LAND COVER DATA SETS* 
C.G. Hoffmann and D.P. Roy 
European Commission 
Joint Research Centre (JRC) 
)n the 
processes 
of expert 
Space Applications Institute (SAI) 
Environmental Mapping and Modelling Unit, T.P. 442, 
1-21020 Ispra (VA), Italy 
ABSTRACT 
Jig and 
The Environmental Mapping and Modelling Unit (EMAP) has initialised 
projects to produce European forest and land cover digital maps using 
NOAA-AVHRR data at an approximate scale of 1:2 Million. This paper 
illustrates the complementary usage of high and low spatial resolution 
remotely sensed data and geographical information system (GIS) information. 
narks for 
iational 
ger- 
Régionalisation, stratification, pixel class labelling, and classification 
validation procedures are performed at a variety of spatial scales using 
ancillary remotely sensed preclassified data and spatial and aspatial 
information held in a GIS. Preliminary mapping results are presented. The 
processing procedures described in the study could not be implemented in an 
)bject 
94. 
efficient and reliable manner without using GIS techniques. 
for 
X. 
INTRODUCTION 
icture for 
Remotely sensed data may be analysed to infer spatio-temporal information on surface 
processes at regional to global scales and consequently are an important source of information 
for GIS. The current user situation is characterised by a dramatic increase in the availability 
r of 
*Presented at the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing "Workshop 
on New Developments in Geographic Information Systems. Milan, Italy, 6-8 March 1996. 
s,