Remote Sensing and Image Interpretation

September, 1985

Environmental Monitoring, Sunshine Meadow, Banff National Park

In response to public demands for increased access to the outstanding alpine environment of Sunshine Meadow, Parks Canada has undertaken a program upgrading a network of trails to and on the meadow and implementation of environmental monitoring program to asses the impacts on vegetation and soils resulting from increased visitor usage. the first stage of the monitoring program was the acquisition of large scale colour and colour infrared aerial photographs for selected areas to establish a baseline of morphological and physiological conditions for alpine vegetation. Hunter and Associates were retained by Parks Canada to assist in the design of aerial photography specifications and to image the photography. Because of the large scales (1:500 and 1:2,000) involved and the requirements for high quality (limited ground image motion) metric stereophotography, a helicopter platform (Bell Jetranger 206B) utilizing a dual camera cylinder (pod), with a single Hasselblad MK 70 and soild state video camera were used. Sequential photography (approximately 70% forward overlap) was completed for about 30 kms of selected flight lines in the meadow. It was recommended that photography for the flight lines be repeated at 3 to 5 year intervals for the monitoring of visitor impacts.

© 2001, Hunter GIS