Title: A statistically valid method for using FIA plots to guide spectral class rejection in producing stratification maps

Author: Hoppus, Michael L.; Lister, Andrew J.

Year: 2002

Publication: In: McRoberts, Ronald E.; Reams, Gregory A.; Van Deusen, Paul C.; Moser, John W., eds. Proceedings of the Thrid Annual Forest Inventory and Analysis Symposium; Gen. Tech. Rep. NC-230. St. Paul, MN: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, North Central Research Station: 44-49

Abstract: A Landsat TM classification method (iterative guided spectral class rejection) produced a forest cover map of southern West Virginia that provided the stratification layer for producing estimates of timberland area from Forest Service FIA ground plots using a stratified sampling technique. These same high quality and expensive FIA ground plots provided ground reference data for the classification method. Dividing the counties in the southern portion of the state into two groups, and using the FIA plots in each county group to make the strata for the other, avoids the potential bias incurred by having the plots stratify themselves. This procedure achieved the required precision of 3 percent sampling error per million acres of timberland.