We developed a cost-effective monitoring tool to quantify forage production across landscapes,that are driven with satellite remote sensing data and calibrated with a statewide point dataset of peak forage production measurements. Our results showed that the satellite-derived annual forage production correlated well with contemporaneous in-situ forage measurements; it also captured spatial and temporal productivity patterns. This remote sensing algorithm can be further improved as new field measurements become available. The validated remote sensing tool will be implemented over all rangeland areas across the state, allowing for real time forage mapping at the spatial and temporal resolution required by ranchers, and to facilitate adoption of the system by end users as a managerial support tool.
['Yufang Jin']
Monitoring forage production in rangeland using remote sensing observations