A Model For Defining and Predicting The Urban-Wildland Interface For The Piedmont of South Carolina

Abstract

Resource managers continue to experience a deluge of management conflicts as urban population centers expand into areas that were formerly wildland settings. Traditional forest management practices, fire suppression, recreational opportunities and wildlife management are activities that have become contentious in many locales. A better understanding of the interface zones between these two types of land use is important if managers are to successfully maintain the values of such lands. A model for defining the urban-wildland interface for the Piedmont of South Carolina (Anderson, Oconee, and Pickens Counties) was developed, allowing identification of these transitional zones. Landsat TM and SPOT images provided a description of the current land cover and land use of the study area. Census data were used to obtain information on housing densities, population densities, and other social and cultural activities. Additional data (such as digital road maps) were processed and added to the ArcView-based GIS structure. On-site ground truthing was also conducted. This procedure created a snapshot view of current interface zones and provides a foundation for developing a dynamic model designed to predict future change.

Citation

Marek, Mary L. Webb; Gering, Lawrence R. 2002. A Model For Defining and Predicting The Urban-Wildland Interface For The Piedmont of South Carolina. In: Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-48. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station. pg. 460-462