Spatial Sciences Laboratory

The forest cover maps used by the Texas Forest Service (TFS) were developed in the late 1960's using aerial photography. In 1994, TFS contracted the Spatial Sciences Laboratory to develop a digital database of the forest cover conditions in East Texas using satellite imagery. LANDSAT TM imagery obtained in 1992-1994 was used to derive the forest cover information. Digital data about the roads, streams, power transmission lines, pipe lines, county boundaries, location of cities, townships, and other points of interest were also integrated in the database.