IMIS - Marine Research Groups

Coastal defence and nature conservation authorities need detailed vegetation maps of the Belgian coast for policy planning and evaluation. For several decades, vegetation and topographical maps of the mobile dunes, mud flats and salt marshes have been produced for the Belgian coast by means of visual interpretation of aerial photographs. This technique however, does not provide enough detail about the vegetation classes in comparison to the effort needed, and the technique is not as precise as it should be. By using sensors with a higher information content (hyperspectral sensors or digital camera’s) a better ratio between cost and effectiveness can be achieved. For this purpose, these datasets have been developped, containing hyperspectral images for 2005 and 2006 for a part of the Belgian Coast. Since 1997 the complete coast is pictured. more