| Abstract: |
Appalachian National Scenic Trail (A.T.) is 2,175 miles long and crosses 14 states in the eastern United States, while intersecting 8 National Forests, 6 units of the National Parks, more than 70 State Park, Forest, and Game Management units, and 287 local jurisdictions. The A.T. and its surrounding 250,000 acres of protected lands harbor forests with some of the greatest biological diversity. The high elevation setting of the A.T. and its protected corridor provide an ideal barometer for early detection of undesirable changes in the natural resources of the eastern U.S., from development encroachment to recreational misuse, acid precipitation, invasions of exotic species, and climate change. This presentation will introduce a study that integrates NASA multiplatform remote sensing data, Terrestrial Observation and Prediction System (TOPS) modeling, in situ measurements from A.T. MEGA-Transect partners and geospatial data from different sources for the development of a decision support system in monitoring, reporting and forecasting of the ecological conditions of the A.T. and the surrounding land. |