Welcome to the EROS User Experience webinar series, where we talk to staff at EROS to learn more about the data, tools and services coming out of the USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science, or EROS Center.

Today's webinar is entitled Visualizing Land Cover with MRLC tools. I'm your host, Danielle Golon.

The remote sensing and user services lead here at EROS in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The time is currently 12 p.m. central, so let's go ahead and get started.

Today's speaker is Kenadie Martinsen, a remote sensing user services specialist contractor here at the USGS EROS, a graduate of South Dakota State University.

Kenadie holds a Bachelor of Science degree in geography and geospatial Sciences, with minors in sustainability and geospatial intelligence. Kenadie has been a remote sensing User services specialist, contractor for the USGS EROS Center for the past year.

Kenadie's presentation will provide an overview on annual and key data, as well as demonstrations of two tools to access the data.

With that, it's my pleasure to introduce today's speaker, Kenadie Martinsen.

Take it away, Kennedy.

Thank you, Danielle, for that introduction.

Hello, everyone, and welcome.

We really appreciate you joining today's webinar titled Visualizing Land Cover with MRLC tools.

Today's session will start with a brief overview of NLCD data, followed by an introduction to the tools available on the MRLC website.

I'll then walk you through a live demonstration of two of those tools, and we'll finish with closing remarks and a question and answer session.

Before we dive into the tools, it's helpful to understand what an NLCD data are and what they include.

The National Land Cover Database, NLCD, provides land cover information for the United States.

With nearly 40 years of data spanning from 1985 through 2024. A key component of NLCD is annual NLCD, which is produced every year to deliver the most current and relevant land cover and land cover change information for the nation.

To date, there have been two annual NLCD releases collection 1.0 and the most recent collection, 1.1 annual NLCD includes six core products. Land cover depicting the predominant thematic land cover class within a given year.

Distinguishing broad categories of natural or artificial surfaces.

Land cover change showing land cover change between consecutive years, with changes represented in the latter year. Land cover confidence depicting the probability value associated with classified land cover.

Fractional impervious surface showing the fraction of each pixel covered by artificial surfaces or structures.

Impervious descriptor, showing categorical data distinguishing roads from other developed non road urban areas and spectral change.

Day of year showing the day of year
when a significant change in Landsat surface reflectance was detected. It's important to note that spectral change represents a spectral disturbance, and that disturbance does not always result in land cover change.

For a more detailed explanation of these products and how that can be used, please refer to our previous 2024 NLCD webinar referenced at the bottom of this slide.

In addition to annual NLCD, legacy NLCD products are available for areas outside of the United States or Hawaii. These data are available for 2001, 2006, and 2011 for Alaska.

These data are available for 2001, 2006, 2011, and 2016, and for Puerto Rico, Legacy NLCD data is available for 2001.

Please note that data for Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico should not be directly compared with annual NLCD data as they are processed using different methods.

Now that we understand what the data are, let's talk about why NLCD data are important.

These data sets support a wide range of applications, and users have applied them in many different ways to support informed decision making.

For example, NLCD data have been used for urban planning, emergency response, transportation, and resource management, helping users better understand what is on the landscape and how it is changing.

NLCD has also been used for resource monitoring, where users examine changes in land cover and land use over time.

This includes observing shifts in forested areas, built environments, and agricultural activity across different regions. In addition, NLCD serves as a foundational resource for scientific research.

The data are freely available, which makes them accessible to students, educators, and researchers for a wide variety of resource and ecological studies.

Finally, NLCD provides standardized coverage, offering consistent and comparable data across the United States.

This consistency has enabled users to conduct analyzes across regions and years.

These examples illustrate just some of the many ways NLCD data can be applied. We will now move into how to access the data.

There are several ways to access NLCD data depending on your needs and how you plan to use it.

First the direct download page.

This is ideal if you want all the data for the United States or a larger region.

You can download the entire time series from 1985 through 2020 for a zipped files, which is great for large scale analysis.

Next Earth Explorer manual NLCD collection 1.1 is available under the Land Cover category.

These time bundle data sets make it easy to download multiple years at once, which is especially useful if you are focusing on a smaller area.

Another option is Science Base, where you can access annual NLCD data, as well as previous versions. Science base provides a straightforward way to download individual products or pass collections for those interested in cloud based access.

The data are also available through AWS Cloud Storage.

This uses the USGS Land Cover Production bucket on Amazon

Web Services and operates on a requester page basis.

The files are organized in a nested directory structure by product, making it easier to find exactly what you need.

Finally, there are three additional unique interactive MRLC tools which we will cover on the next slide.

First, the MRLC, NLCD viewer. This is a dynamic platform for visualizing NLCD products.

It allows users to define custom areas, subset data sets, custom time series animations, and download selected data.

Next, the MRLC NLCD EVA tool. The even tool provides county level land cover change statistics and allows users to easily compare two specific years.

Finally, the RCMAP Rangeland viewer enables visualization of time series, rangeland and ecological potential data.

The tool also includes the recently added exotic in your grass layer, and provides options for user defined subsetting and downloads.

Like the NLCD viewer, it allows users to explore data over time and retrieve all the information you are interested in for your area of interest.

For today's webinar, we will focus on using the MRLC/NLCD viewer in MRLC/NLCD virtual.

These tools let you explore, visualize and analyze data directly in your browser without the need to download the full data set.

They are designed for easy access and quick interpretation, which makes them perfect for most users.

We will now transition to the live demonstration portion of today's webinar.

We will first begin with the MRC NLCD viewer.

In this demonstration, we will walk through three key areas navigating to the viewer, understanding how the data are displayed, and creating a download for our area of interest.

You can access the viewer anytime at MRLC.gov/viewer.

By the end of this section, you will have a clear sense of how to explore NLCD products.

View multiple data sets and retrieve data for your own analysis.

When you first open the MRLC NLCD viewer, a pop up window appears in the center of the screen, highlighting recent updates and new features.

I'll go ahead and close this window by selecting the close button in the upper right corner of the window.

This brings us to the main viewer interface.

You'll notice that the viewer opens with a land cover map already displayed, giving you an immediate view of NICD data.

From here, you can add additional products as needed.

Along the left hand side of our screen.

You'll see a vertical panel listing all available NLCD products, including annual NLCD, annual NLCD summary products

NLCD tree canopy and legacy NLCD.

Below this data set panel, we find our layers panel, which allows us to turn on and off overlays, boundaries, and base layers for ease of viewing.

At the top of this left pane, you can filter products by region, including the continental US, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and Alaska.

Just above that are tabs to open the legend for the current map display.

And the help page where you can access additional guidance on the viewers.

Many features.

We will return to our contents tab. This left panel is where you'll spend most of your time selecting and exploring data sets.

Double clicking on any product opens it in a new map frame in the center of my screen.

Each product I open increases the number of map frames, allowing me to view and compare multiple data sets at the same time.

On the right hand side of our screen, you will use the Arrange Windows panel to organize the open map frames.

We are able to open and arrange up to nine map frames at a time.

As you'll see when I pan or zoom in on any one map frame.

All other map frames are spatially linked and move in tandem, allowing for easy side by side comparison.

This setup is especially useful for exploring different areas before downloading data, and for comparing multiple products or different time periods.

Within each map window, there are several key tools and features to note.

For ease of demonstration, I will keep only one map frame open and I will use the Arrange Windows tool to center my map frame into the center of my screen.

In the upper right corner of the open map frame.

You'll find the Select Date button, which appears as a small calendar icon.

This allows you to change the year being displayed.

This tool is especially useful when comparing two years of the same product side by side.

Right next to it is the toggle Map Legend button, which opens the legend for the current product you are viewing, so you can see the classification of land cover types at any time.

Along the same toolbar, you will find the identified tool marked with a bold icon.

When this tool is selected, you can click anywhere on the map to retrieve pixel level information, including pixel values associated with the Land Cover class for that location.

This is a quick, easy way to understand the characteristics of a specific area without downloading the data.

The viewer also includes a zonal histogram plot by county, which can be found on the toolbar above the map as a bar chart icon.

When you select this tool, county boundaries appear on the map.

Clicking on a county generates a chart summarizing the land cover composition for that area.

These results can be displayed in two ways.

In the upper left hand corner, you are able to select area percentage, which shows the proportion of each land cover type within the county or square kilometers, which shows the actual area for each class.

By default, the chart generates the land cover information for all years, but you can adjust the time range using the sliding time bar located just below the county name.

The resulting charts can be downloaded as either CSV files or PNG images, making it easy to save or share your results.

Now we will move into creating a region of interest and downloading data.

First, I will zoom the map to my area of interest. At the top of the active map frame, I will select the Open Data Download Tool button.

This button is a part of the Map Frame toolbar and opens the download panel.

On the right hand side of the screen.

In the download panel, you'll see a dropdown with four options for defining your download area.

These include rectangle, polygon, GeoJSON, and shapefile.

For this demonstration, I'll be using a shapefile.

When you select the shapefile option, a pop up window appears with the requirements for your shapefile.

It reminds you that only single part shapefiles are supported and it provides guidance on the correct format, so your upload will be accepted.

I will close this pop up and upload a single part shapefile from my computer.

To do so, I will select choose file.

Navigate to my shapefile and select it.

Once I upload a single part shapefile, another pop up appears saying that the shapefile has been loaded to the map.

This is letting me know that the upload was successful, and reminds me to select my polygons and enter an email.

Before submitting the request, after closing this pop up, I will select the shapefile boundary on the map.

I will then use the download panel to select the products I am interested in, and adjust my years as needed.

In the Download Content section, you'll see format options including Geotab and GIF.

Note that GIF is not available for all products.

If you select GIF, the viewer will create a time series animation of the years you've selected.

This is an easy way to generate a shareable visualization showing land cover change over time.

Once all parameters are set, I will enter a valid email address.

I will select download in the bottom of the download pane.

At this point, another message appears confirming that the order was submitted and that your request is being processed.

On the right hand side of our screen.

I am able to open the data download tracker which shows the status of the order.

The status will first appear as pending and then move to processing. When the data are ready, you will receive an email notification or you can download the data directly from the tracker.

There are a few important limitations to keep in mind when using the viewer.

Regions larger than 250,000km² cannot be downloaded directly through the viewer.

In those cases, you'll need to download the correct mosaic, which is available from the data download page on the MRLC website.

Additionally, delivery of your data request can take up to a few hours, depending on how many users are using the viewer at the same time.

That concludes our overview of the MRLC NLCD viewer.

We will now shift our focus to the MRLC/NLCD EVA tool.

In this demonstration, we will focus on three key tasks.

Selecting counties in years, viewing land cover change summaries and generating a report of the results.

You can access the EVA tool any time at MRLC together.

By the end of this section, you'll see how quickly you can analyze land cover change over time, interpret the results, and create a shareable report.

While the NLCD viewer is designed primarily for data access and spatial exploration, the tools focused on analysis and interpretation even allows you to summarize land cover change compared to a specific year and conduct county level analysis, making it ideal for quick, easy to understand results without GIS software. When you first open either, the selection controls are located in the center of the page.

This is where you will choose your state County.

In two years, you wish to compare.

For today's example, I will be choosing Texas as my state, Dallas as my county.

In 1985 through 2024, as my two years, I wish to compare.

Once those selections are made, I select Get Started and the tool automatically generates the first set of results.

After the results are generated, the layout of the page updates.

The map appears on the right hand side of the screen, showing where land cover changes occurred within the selected county.

All the supporting information, including summary tables, charts and statistics appear on the left hand side of my screen.

You'll notice that the selection controls moved to the top left of the screen.

This allows you to easily change the state, county, or comparison years without returning to the initial start. Page.

As soon as you make a new selection, the tool automatically refreshes the table, maps and charts.

The charts on the left summarize gain losses and net change for different land cover categories.

Gains represent areas where land cover type increased between the two selected years, whereas loss shows where classes decreased.

The net change reflects the overall difference between those two years.

These summaries are provided for overall land cover, as well as specific categories such as urban development, forests, wetlands, and agriculture.

In addition to the charts and tables, even includes detailed legends which are accessed through the separate legends tab.

Selecting this tab provides context and explains exactly what the gain and loss categories mean.

For example, when viewing forest gain and forest loss, the legend clarifies how forest is defined in NLCD.

Forest refers to the presence of trees on the landscape based on ground cover, not land use.

Only areas mapped as tree cover are considered forest, including tree cover outside of traditionally designated forest areas.

The legend also highlights why forest cover is important, including its role in water quality, stormwater management, and overall watershed health.

It also outlines how forest gain is represented.

Forest gain represents areas that changed from non forest class to forest between the two years.

While forest loss represents areas that changed from forest to non forest class, these definitions help ensure that the charts and maps are interpreted consistently and accurately. As you review these results, you can also adjust the base maps on the top right hand corner of your screen.

Switching between imagery and reference based maps can provide additional context and help you better interpret land cover patterns and change. In addition to exploring results on screen, Evo also includes the ability to generate a report.

You can download a summary report that captures the maps, statistics, and charts from your analysis.

These reports are useful for documentation, sharing results, and incorporating findings into presentations or planning documents.

Together, these features make EVA a powerful tool for analyzing land cover change and communicating results clearly all without the need for specialized GIS software.

That brings us to the end of our overview of the annual MRLC viewer and NLCD Eva tool.

To wrap up the MRLC NLCD viewer support spatial exploration, custom downloads and visualization.

While the Eva tool provides fast, interpretable summaries of land cover change between two specific years.Before we close, let's take a quick
look at the summary of what we've covered today. We have provided an overview of the National Land Cover Database, reviewed the available tools in data access options, and conducted two live demonstrations of key MRLC tools for visualization and analysis. If you have any questions after today's webinar for native assistance using the MRLC tools, here's how you can reach us.

With that, I'll turn it back over to Danielle. Excellent.

Thank you for a great presentation and for showing us those really cool demos, Kenadie. If you have any additional questions later on about the MRLC viewer, EVA tool, annual NLCD data or any of the data tools or services the USGS EROS provides.

You can always email our team at custserv@usgs.gov email address is shown on the screen.

I'd like to once again thank our Speaker Kenadie for her time and great presentation, and I'd like to thank all of you again for joining us today.

We hope to see you again in a future webinar.

If you'd like to be notified of when the next webinar will occur, please sign up for our EROS User group by email. In that custserv@usgs.gov email address.

And again, I want to thank you all for taking the time to join us today. We hope you all have a wonderful rest of the day. And again, thank you all for joining us.