ANALYSIS OF CONIFER FOREST REGENERATION USING LANDSAT THEMATIC MAPPERDATA

Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) data were used to evaluate young conifer stands in the western Cascade Mountains of Oregon. Regression and corr elation analyses were used to describe the relationships between Tm ba nd values and age of young Douglas-fir stands (2 to 35 years old). Spe ctral data from well regenerated Douglas-fir stands were compared to t hose of poorly regenerated conifer stands. TM bands 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7 were inversely correlated with the age (r greater-than-or-equal-to - 0. 80) of well regenerated Douglas-fir stands. Overall, the ''struct ural index'' (Tm 415 ratio) had the highest correlation to age of Doug las-fir stands (r = 0.96). Poorly regenerated stands were spectrally d istinct from well regenerated Douglas-fir stands after the stands reac hed an age of approximately 15 years.