Instructor:   Charles M. Ruffner
Office: 194C Agriculture Building   Phone:  453-7469 (Office)
Office Hours: Tues. 1300-1600; Thurs. 1300-1445
Lecture: Tues. & Thurs. 0900-0950  AG 225
Labratory: Tues. 1500-1650  AG 195 (Section 03)
  Thurs. 1500-1650  AG 195 (Section 02)
  Friday 1300-1450  AG 195 (Section 01)

Natural resource managers extract valuable descriptive and metric information about the environment from utilizing aerial photographs and basic photogrammetric principles.  Applications emphasize resource characteristics such as stand area, vegetation type and condition, stand boundaries, site conditions, and interpretation of physical and cultural landscapes.  In this course, we will discuss the basic photogrammetric principles and explore the exciting field of aerial photo interpretation so that when we are finished each student will have developed the skills needed to assess many different forms of natural resources with the aid of aerial photographs.  Some of our explorations and exercises will include measurement of land cover and land-use, assessing natural vegetation, physical geography and landscape ecology patterns, and developing a land-use map of the region.

I.  Course Objectives:
A.  To create a relaxed learning environment
B.  To learn how to obtain reliable natural resource measurements from remotely sensed   data emphasizing aerial photographs
C.  To develop skill in interpreting aerial photographs
D.  To make a land-use and vegetation map from aerial photographs of a large land area   including the University and adjacent lands
E.  To gain some beginner skills in cartography, drafting, and area measurement using a   variety of techniques

II.  Textbooks:
Required:  Paine, D.P.  1981.  Aerial Photography.  John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
(Available University Bookstore $90)
Required:  Wanless, H. R.  1998.  Aerial Stereo Photographs.  Hubbard Scientific.  (Available University Bookstore $12)

III.  Equipment:
Required:   1. Aerial Photographs- NAPP 5801-179/180
       BGQ-1FF-189/190
   2. Michigan Interpreters Scale
   3. Map- USGS Carbondale 7' Quadrangle (710 Discount Bookstore $4.95)
   4. Engineers Scale, Triangular, 12" in length, with graduations in 1/10,    1/20, 1/30, 1/40, 1/50, 1/60.
Note:  Items 1 & 2 come as a set at the University Bookstore, ask at the Glass Desk area, $22.50.

III.  Grading:

Quizzes  5-10 random quizzes given at beginning of lecture periods
2 Midterm exams standard 100 point exams
Final exam  standard 100 point exam; cumulative
* Laboratory Reports standard lab report write-up
Labratory Practicum 100 point lab exam

* Note:  Your laboratory grade is based on the quality of the photo-interpretation, cartography, drafting, and accuracy of measurement work done on the lab projects.

IV.  Attendance Policy:

Obviously your satisfactory completion of this class is based primarily on our understanding that I will try my best to be an active mentor and instructor while you try your best to be an active learner and participant in lectures and labs.  While I will not take attendance at each lecture, there will be random quizzes given at the beginning of classes to both keep your minds active and your bodies in class.  If you miss a quiz because of sleeping in, or just "spacing," sorry, you missed it and will receive a Zero for that quiz.  If you know beforehand that you will miss a laboratory exercise or exam see me and we will have you sit in on one of the other lab sections or take a make-up exam.  Lab attendance is mandatory!!  If you miss a lab or exam because of "spacing," sorry, you missed it and will receive a Zero for that event.  I will not accept lab reports from individuals who did not attend that particular lab exercise, unless prior arrangements are made.

Lecture Topic       Reading/*Assignment
Overview of Land Measurements
Introduction to Remote Sensing and Aerial Photography 
Geometry of Aerial Photographs    Chap 4
Midterm I Exam  Thursday 16 September
Angles, distances      Chap 5
Vertical and Area Measurements    Chap 7
Principles of Aerial Photo Interpretation   Chap 13
Midterm II Exam  Thursday 28 October
Physical Geography      Chap 14-15
Land-Use Planning      Chap 16
Natural Resources      Chap 17-18
Forest Inventory/ Sampling     Chap 19
Aerial Photo Mensuration     Chap 20
Photo Timber Cruising     Chap 21
Final Exam As Scheduled By SIU

Lab Topic       Assignment

1 Basic Map Reading      Answer Lab Questions
2 Stereoscopic Vision (Photo Interpretation)   Hand-in Lab Test
3 Preparation of Aerial Photos (Transfer PP,etc)  Hand-in overlays
4 Outline Ownership on Photo     Hand-in overlays
5 Determining Photo Scale     Report
6 Area Measurement      Report
7 Physical Geography/Stream Length    Stream Map
No lab, week of 25 October, Midterm Exam and Fall Recess
8 Height Measurement      Report
9 Identifying Ground Locations on Photo
10 Land-Use Classification     Land-Use Map
11 Forest Stand Mapping     Stand Map Overlay
12 Timber Cruise Set-up     
13 Lab Practicum