Spatial Analysis for the Environmental Mapping of the Šumava National Park

Current presentation details methodology and principles of the zoning and ranging of the nature reserve area of Šumava National Park (Czech Republic) aimed at the effective planning and monitoring special nature areas. Methodology includes complex geoecological assessment of the territory, GIS application and processing of statristical data. The specific case study includes unique nature area of the Šumava National Park located on the border terrotory Czech Republic-Germany. The study area is Šumava National Par, the largest of the four national parks (68,064 hectares) is located in the south-west of Czech Republic, on the border with Germany. Since 1990 it has been the protected Biospherical Reserve of UNESCO. Presentation details an overview of the environmental research problem and biogeographical characteristics of Šumava National Park and possible consequences of the anthropogenic and climatic impacts on the land cover patterns. Detailed technical description of the workflow includes following parts: GIS project, remote sensing data capture, pre-processing, algorithm processing, image classification and spatial analysis. Remote sensing part of the research includes following steps: 1) Data capture, unpacking and storage. 2) Organizing GIS project. 3) Geo-referencing and re-projection. 4) Activating GDAL and GRASS remote sensing plugins. 5) Preliminary data processing. 6) Generating contour layers from DEM 7) Color composition from 3 Landsat TM bands 8) Defining Region of Interest: raster mosaicing and clipping 9) False color composites (bands 4-3-2) 10) Setting up parameters for classification 11) Image classification using K-Means algorithm 12)Pattern recognition 13) Spatial analysis The research was performed using Quantum GIS (QGIS) software using Landsat TM images for 1991 and 2009 (18- year time span). The landscapes in study area at both Landsat TM images were classified into different land cover types The area covered by each land cover class is compared and dynamics is analyzed for respecting years. The changes in the selected land cover types were analyzed and the environmental modifications within landscapes detected. Finally, classified land cover types across study area were compared at both maps of land cover types for the years 1991 and 2009, respectively. The methodology used in this case study can be applied for the similar research aimed at nature conservation and environmental audit.