2013 Louisiana Coastal Marsh Vegetative Type Map

This data set contains vector line information. The original data set was collected through visual field observation by Charles Sasser (LSU) and Jenneke Visser (ULL). The observations were made while flying over the study area (Louisiana Coastal Zone) in a Bell 206 Jet Ranger helicopter. Flight was along north/south transects spaced 1.87 miles apart from the Texas State line to the Mississippi State line. Vegetative data was obtained at pre-determined stations spaced at 0.5 miles along each transect. The stations were located using a Trimble Ag 122 Global Positioning System (GPS) and a computer running ArcGIS. This information was recorded manually into field tally sheets and later this information was entered into a Microsoft Excel database. At this point, this information was brought into a GIS application by joining the field data and point locations based on the transect and station numbers. The marsh type delineation lines were produced by freehanding contours through on-screen interpretation. The flight line data was used as a guide for drawing the lines. The new data set resulted in a line coverage delineating vegetative marsh types. Coverage is of the coastal region of the State of Louisiana.