This geographic reference system shows the mapping of land occupancy in Quebec. Land use is defined as physical and biological land cover. It includes artificial surfaces, agricultural areas, forests, forests, semi-natural areas, wetlands, and water bodies. This map covers the territory of southern Quebec and will be extended to northern regions in a later version. The data is generated by a semi-automated classification of high-resolution satellite images, which makes it possible to more accurately identify types of land use. Mapping is available in a unified matrix format. A metadata index as well as a user guide presenting the data structure and land use classes are available to users.**This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

The link: Access the data directory is available in the section*Dataset Description Sheets; Additional Information*. The updated ecoforest map (formerly “with disturbances”) is the result of the interpretation of aerial photographs and control points in the field as part of the ecoforest inventory of southern Quebec. This mapping presents the various forest and ecological characteristics of the forest territory and corresponds to the portrait of the forest up to the year in which the aerial photograph was taken (mapping cycle of about 10 years). Next, the outlines and nature of recent disturbances (forest interventions, fires and other disturbances) are then integrated annually. The fifth mapping cycle has been under way since 2015. This map covers almost all of the territory south of the 52nd parallel of Quebec's public and private forest. It is distributed by map sheet at a scale of 1/250,000. The minimum mapping area is 4 ha for stands and 0.1 ha for disturbances. Note 1: The disturbance maps used to update the updated ecoforest map are also distributed separately on Data Quebec. Here is the list of these maps: + Forest fires + Harvesting and other silvicultural interventions + Epidemics, windfalls and ice storms + Forest infrastructures () Note 2: Disturbances are prioritized according to the nature of the layer and respect for the chronology of events. Only the last original or partial disturbance is kept in the updated ecoforest map. You should refer to the annual update layers, listed in Note 1, to have access to the full history of disturbances.**This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

The link: Access the data directory is available in the section*Dataset Description Sheets; Additional Information*. The LiDAR dendrometric map presents various dendrometric characteristics that are useful in particular in forest planning. It is a product in vector format that is complementary to the results of forest compilations found in the Original Ecoforest Map and Inventory Results and in the Results of forest compilations by forel. The geometric entities defined from the LiDAR data are at a finer scale than those in the ecoforest map. The main variables predicted and accessible in the product are as follows: • Usable volume per hectare by species, species group and certain diameter groups • Volume per hectare distributed by product for certain species groups • Basal area and number of stems per hectare for certain species groups for certain species groups • Average usable volume per stem and average diameter for certain species groups • Average usable volume per stem and average diameter for certain species groups The volumes compiled in the LiDAR dendrometric map are variables distinct from the gross volume market on Predicted foot in others results of forest compilations, in the Cubage Tariff and for the stems counted in the sample plots of the ecoforestry inventory of southern Quebec, for example in the Temporary sample plots of the fifth inventory. This distinct volume is here qualified as “usable” and it excludes woody material between 9.1 cm in diameter without bark and 9.1 cm with bark. The published literature clarifies the differences between volume variables. This product is available for territories (planning unit, private forest development agency or residual forest territory) with a LiDAR acquisition and affecting the bioclimatic domains of fir to yellow birch, fir to white birch and spruce moss. Product coverage is not complete and will evolve over the years based on the LiDAR acquisition. Note: It is possible to use the LiDAR dendrometric data preparation tool to study one or more sectors at a finer scale than that of the ecoforest map. The LiDAR dendrometric tool user guide presents the methodology for its application to meet the needs of operational forest harvest planning.**This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

The link: Access the data directory is available in the section*Dataset Description Sheets; Additional Information*. The updated ecoforest map (formerly “with disturbances”) is the result of the interpretation of aerial photographs and control points in the field as part of the ecoforest inventory of southern Quebec. This mapping presents the various forest and ecological characteristics of the forest territory and corresponds to the portrait of the forest up to the year in which the aerial photograph was taken (mapping cycle of about 10 years). Next, the outlines and nature of recent disturbances (forest interventions, fires and other disturbances) are then integrated annually. The fifth mapping cycle has been under way since 2015. This map covers almost all of the territory south of the 52nd parallel of Quebec's public and private forest. It is distributed by map sheet at a scale of 1/250,000. The minimum mapping area is 4 ha for stands and 0.1 ha for disturbances. Note 1: The disturbance maps used to update the updated ecoforest map are also distributed separately on Data Quebec. Here is the list of these maps: + Forest fires + Harvesting and other silvicultural interventions + Epidemics, windfalls and ice storms + Forest infrastructures () Note 2: Disturbances are prioritized according to the nature of the layer and respect for the chronology of events. Only the last original or partial disturbance is kept in the updated ecoforest map. You should refer to the annual update layers, listed in Note 1, to have access to the full history of disturbances.**This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

Since 1988, the governments of Canada and Quebec have been working together to conserve, restore, protect and develop the St. Lawrence River under the St. Lawrence Action Plan (SLAP). One of the projects identified under the theme of biodiversity conservation is the development of an integrated plan for the conservation of the natural environments and biodiversity of the St. Lawrence River. The identification of priority sites for conservation has been the first step of this planning exercise. Conservation planning of natural environments requires a reliable, accurate and up-to-date image of the spatial distribution of ecosystems in the study area. In order to produce an Atlas of Priority Sites for Conservation in the St. Lawrence Lowlands, an updated cartography of the land cover of this vast territory was undertaken. This project required obtaining reliable information on the natural environments of the St. Lawrence Lowlands. Although several land cover mapping projects have been conducted for specific types of habitats, it was particularly important to obtain a homogeneous product that would cover the entire territory and that would provide the most detailed information on its various thematic components: agricultural, aquatic, human-modified and forest environments, wetlands as well as old fields and bare ground. The methodology used to produce the land cover mapping of the St. Lawrence Lowlands thus relied mainly on combining and enhancing the best existing products for each theme. This project was made in collaboration with MDDELCC as part of the St. Lawrence Action Plan (SLAP). This dataset includes land cover polygons within a 10 km radius of the Centre-du-Québec administrative region within the St. Lawrence Lowlands. Supplemental Information Please refer to the methodological report for more details on the data sources, the fields description and the methodology used to complete this mapping project.

The link: Access the data directory is available in the sectionDataset Description Sheets; Additional Information. The updated ecoforest map (formerly “with disturbances”) is the result of the interpretation of aerial photographs and control points in the field as part of the ecoforest inventory of southern Quebec. This mapping presents the various forest and ecological characteristics of the forest territory and corresponds to the portrait of the forest up to the year in which the aerial photograph was taken (mapping cycle of about 10 years). Next, the outlines and nature of recent disturbances (forest interventions, fires and other disturbances) are then integrated annually. The fifth mapping cycle has been under way since 2015. This map covers almost all of the territory south of the 52nd parallel of Quebec's public and private forest. It is distributed by map sheet at a scale of 1/250,000. The minimum mapping area is 4 ha for stands and 0.1 ha for disturbances. Note 1: The disturbance maps used to update the updated ecoforest map are also distributed separately on Data Quebec. Here is the list of these maps: + Forest fires + Harvesting and other silvicultural interventions + Epidemics, windfalls and ice storms + Forest infrastructures () Note 2: Disturbances are prioritized according to the nature of the layer and respect for the chronology of events. Only the last original or partial disturbance is kept in the updated ecoforest map. You should refer to the annual update layers, listed in Note 1, to have access to the full history of disturbances.This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).

The link: Access the data directory is available in the section*Dataset Description Sheets; Additional Information*. The original ecoforest map and inventory results are a collection of ecoforest data including the original ecoforest map and numerous other tables that provide information directly related to forest stands. The information in this dataset corresponds to the portrait of the forest up to the year of aerial photography. These data cover five categories of information: + The original ecoforest map made up of ecoforest polygons. This is the geographic base to which all other data are attached; + Forest compilations, which contain, among other things, the gross commercial volumes evaluated by nature; + The ecological classification of Quebec territory; + Data on the characterization of forest stations and characteristics of wood; + Data on the characterization of forest stations and characteristics of wood; + Forest biomass and carbon. This map covers almost all of the territory south of the 52nd parallel of Quebec's public and private forest. It is distributed by map sheet at a scale of 1/250,000. The minimum mapping area is 4 ha. _Notes: _ + All tables and entity classes in this data group can be linked using the “GEOCODE” field. + The geographic databases distributed in this directory do not include the information collected during the survey (sample plots). + Consult the Updated ecoforest map for an up-to-date portrait of forest territory, also available on Data Quebec. Former names: Original ecoforest map and inventory results Inventory result and original ecoforest map Integrated product of the ecoforest inventory of southern Quebec (IEQM)**This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

The link: Access the data directory is available in the section*Dataset Description Sheets; Additional Information*. The mapping of vegetation in Northern Quebec is a component of an extensive inventory carried out to meet knowledge acquisition needs as part of the economic, social and environmental development project “Plan Nord”. This inventory was carried out between 2010 and 2013. Vegetation mapping in Northern Quebec provides information on terrestrial ecosystems, both forest and non-forest, such as the type of forest cover, undergrowth vegetation, disturbances, etc. A mapping approach based on remote sensing techniques (satellite images) was used. Ground and air control points contribute to the validation and clarification of the information interpreted. This map is available for the entire territory north of the 53rd parallel, which represents an area of approximately 680,000 km2. This territory is presented on topographical bases at a scale of 1/250,000. The minimum mapping area is 16 ha for vegetation and 3 ha for wetlands.**This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

Maps of the analysis of change between * mapping of heat islands/freshness 2020-2022 * and * mapping of heat/freshness islands using 2013-2014 data * on all major urban centers by two methods, i.e. - The map of the Difference between the differences of temperatures in °C (* 2020-2022 * minus * 2013-2014*)), which is calculated at the pixel level and produced at the scale of the Quebec ecumene (2016 census, 2016 census, 167,764 km2). The temperature difference is the difference in temperature in the city compared to a nearby wooded area. A positive value of the difference in temperature differences represents an increase in the temperature gap in 2020-2022 compared to 2013-2014, a negative value represents a decrease in the temperature difference in 2020-2022 compared to 2013-2014. - The map of _SUHII index variation between 2020-2022 and 2013-2014 (%) _, which represents the percentage of change in the Surface Urban Heat Island Intensity (SUHII) index between the two years. This map covers the extent of * 2021 census population centers * () * (CTRPOP) with at least 1,000 inhabitants and a density of at least 400 inhabitants per km2 to which a 2 km buffer zone is added and the values are calculated at the scale of the * dissemination island * of Statistics Canada. The SUHII index highlights areas with higher heat island intensity, by calculating a weighted average from the temperature difference classes, giving more weight to the hottest classes. Index change values below 100% represent a decrease in the intensity of UHIs in 2020-2022 compared to 2013-2014. Values greater than 100% represent an increase in UHI intensity between 2013-2014 and 2020-2022. Values around 100% correspond to an absence of change. The temperature difference classes were produced by the k-means algorithm, which takes into account the distribution of temperature difference values in a population center in a given year. The limits of temperature difference classes may therefore differ between the two years, which will influence the variation value of the SUHII index. For more details on the creation of the various maps as well as their advantages, limitations and potential uses, consult the * Technote * (simplified version) and/or the * methodological report * (full version). The production of this data was coordinated by the National Institute of Public Health of Quebec (INSPQ) and carried out by the forest remote sensing laboratory of the Center for Forestry Education and Research (CERFO), funded under the * 2013-2020 Climate Change Action Plan * of the Quebec government entitled Le Québec en action vert 2020.**This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

The Planning for an Environmental Response (PIER) initiative falls under the umbrella of the Government of Canada's Oceans Protection Plan (OPP), whose goal is preserving marine ecosystems vulnerable to increased transportation and the development of the marine industry (https://pm.gc.ca/en/news/backgrounders/2016/11/07/canadas-oceans-protection-plan-preserving-and-restoring-canadas). The PIER was established in response to recommendations made in a 2013 report "A review of Canada's ship-source spill preparedness and response regime " by the Tanker Safety Expert Panel (https://tc.canada.ca/en/marine-transportation/marine-safety/tanker-safety-expert-panel). One of the recommendations calls on Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) to work with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) to collect and compile information on sensitive species and environments for each Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) response area and make it publicly available. The PIERs’ main mandate is to acquire and update biological sensitivity data under its jurisdiction for preparation and response purposes in the event of an oil spill. With DFO-Science, PIER supports ECCC's National Environmental Emergencies Centre (NEEC) and the CCG in their preparations and responses through the sharing of data on biological sensitivities, the development of response tools and expert advice. In this vein, DFO published an analysis in 2018 that aimed to identify the most vulnerable components of the St. Lawrence in order to prioritize them during data collection if gaps were identified (Desjardins et al. 2018). This exercise highlighted the vulnerability of several biological components and important data gaps, particularly in coastal areas. As a result of this finding, the Quebec region PIEI team embarked on a collaborative project with the Université du Québec à Rimouski (UQAR) to map eelgrass beds, tidal marshes and macroalgal beds. In consultation with other DFO-Science data producers, this team has also created datasets adapted for response purposes, notably regarding bivalves and marine mammals. These layers may be used for oil spill preparedness and response by DFO-Quebec Region's Environmental Incident Coordinator, NEEC and CCG. Several of them, deemed relevant in the first 72 hours following a spill, have been transmitted to the NEEC.

The link: Access the data directory is available in the section*Dataset Description Sheets; Additional Information*. The original ecoforest map and inventory results are a collection of ecoforest data including the original ecoforest map and numerous other tables that provide information directly related to forest stands. The information in this dataset corresponds to the portrait of the forest up to the year of aerial photography. These data cover five categories of information: + The original ecoforest map made up of ecoforest polygons. This is the geographic base to which all other data are attached; + Forest compilations, which contain, among other things, the gross commercial volumes evaluated by nature; + The ecological classification of Quebec territory; + Data on the characterization of forest stations and characteristics of wood; + Data on the characterization of forest stations and characteristics of wood; + Forest biomass and carbon. This map covers almost all of the territory south of the 52nd parallel of Quebec's public and private forest. It is distributed by map sheet at a scale of 1/250,000. The minimum mapping area is 4 ha. _Notes: _ + All tables and entity classes in this data group can be linked using the “GEOCODE” field. + The geographic databases distributed in this directory do not include the information collected during the survey (sample plots). + Consult the Updated ecoforest map for an up-to-date portrait of forest territory, also available on Data Quebec. Former names: Original ecoforest map and inventory results Inventory result and original ecoforest map Integrated product of the ecoforest inventory of southern Quebec (IEQM)**This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

Mapping of open water courses located inside the islands of the Laval territory.**This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

Municipalities with established populations of Ixodes scapularis ticks (blacklegged ticks) are municipalities where tick populations reproduce and survive from one year to the next. This indicator makes it possible to identify municipalities where their presence suggests a higher risk of tick bites and the transmission of diseases, such as Lyme disease, anaplasmosis or babesiosis. In other municipalities without an established population, the presence of ticks is possible, as ticks can be carried there by birds or terrestrial mammals. The data used to build this indicator come from passive and active acarological surveillance. Active and passive surveillance data were accumulated and then aggregated by municipality and by year. This made it possible to determine whether an established tick population is identified by the indicator at least 1 year over the study period. The climate zone favorable to the establishment of ticks Ixodes scapularis highlights the areas where the estimated temperature would be favorable to the establishment of tick populations in Quebec. An area where the climate is favorable for the establishment of tick populations is defined by an annual number of degree-days above 0°C (DJ0). This indicator was calculated for the historical surveys 2009-2017 (current distribution) and for the horizons of 2030, 2050 and 2080 according to the climate scenarios SSP2-4.5 and SSP3-7.0 (future distribution). The DJ0 are calculated by calculating the difference between the daily mean temperature and the 0°C reference temperature used in this situation, then interpolating on a 10km x 10km grid. The final DJ0 value used is the 50th percentile. For more information on municipalities with established populations of ticks Ixodes scapularis or the climatic zones favorable to their establishment, you can consult the * Methodological Report * OR the * INSPQ Web site, Current and future distribution maps of zoonoses in Quebec .This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).*

Deposit is the layer of loose material that covers rock. It may have been established during the retreat of the glacier at the end of the last glaciation or by other processes associated with erosion and sedimentation. The nature of the loose deposit is evaluated based on the shape of the land, its position on the slope, the texture of the soil, or other indicators. Surface deposit maps make it possible to distinguish the main categories of surface deposits, to know their nature, thickness and distribution on Quebec territory. The map of surface deposits in the North is a component of an extensive inventory carried out to meet knowledge acquisition needs as part of the economic, social and environmental development project “Plan Nord”. This inventory was carried out between 2010 and 2013. The mapping of surface deposits was carried out using a new approach based on remote sensing techniques. The interpretation was carried out by geomorphologists using RapidEye anaglyph (3D) satellite images with high spatial resolution (5 m). Ground and air control points allowed the validation of the interpreted information. Mapping is available throughout the country north of the 53rd parallel, which represents an area of approximately 680,000 km2. The minimum mapping area is 100 ha.**This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

This product provides large scale mapping (i.e. 1:2 000) of Canada Lands located in Quebec. It contains topographic information including utilities, land cover, occupational limits and administrative boundaries, contours, hydrography, building and transportation features. The mapping information is derived from high resolution aerial photography. The data is available in both DGN and DXF formats.

This product provides large scale mapping (i.e. 1:1 000 to 1:5 000) of Canada Lands located in Quebec. It contains topographic information including utilities, land cover, occupational limits and administrative boundaries, contours, hydrography, building and transportation features. The mapping information is derived from high resolution aerial photography or large scale aerial photographs. The data is available in both DGN and DXF formats.

The link: Access the data directory is available in the sectionDataset Description Sheets; Additional Information. The original ecoforest map and inventory results are a collection of ecoforest data including the original ecoforest map and numerous other tables that provide information directly related to forest stands. The information in this dataset corresponds to the portrait of the forest up to the year of aerial photography. These data cover five categories of information: + The original ecoforest map made up of ecoforest polygons. This is the geographic base to which all other data are attached; + Forest compilations, which contain, among other things, the gross commercial volumes evaluated by nature; + The ecological classification of Quebec territory; + Data on the characterization of forest stations and characteristics of wood; + Data on the characterization of forest stations and characteristics of wood; + Forest biomass and carbon. This map covers almost all of the territory south of the 52nd parallel of Quebec's public and private forest. It is distributed by map sheet at a scale of 1/250,000. The minimum mapping area is 4 ha. Notes: + All tables and entity classes in this data group can be linked using the “GEOCODE” field. + The geographic databases distributed in this directory do not include the information collected during the survey (sample plots). + Consult the Updated ecoforest map for an up-to-date portrait of forest territory, also available on Data Quebec. Former names: Original ecoforest map and inventory results Inventory result and original ecoforest map Integrated product of the ecoforest inventory of southern Quebec (IEQM)This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).

The main purpose of the Conservation Atlas of Wetlands is to develop a portrait of the wetlands of the St. Lawrence Valley using innovative mapping methods in order to favor bird conservation by helping land managers to make decisions about land use and bird habitat conservation. Another objective was to develop methods needed to allow a monitoring of the St. Lawrence Valley wetlands and make a link to a potential national mapping project of that type as an indicator on environment quality in Canada. The Atlas is considered a large-scale project because of the area covered, the great variability in the area’s characteristics and the various types of wetlands encountered. Using Canadian RADARSAT satellite images, along with other sources of information available (e.g., digital hydrological and hypsometric data) and data from Landsat-TM images, the mapping has required certain adjustments and the use of innovative methods. Achieving the objectives set at the start of the project in the spring of 1999 has resulted in the following products: A global mosaic of the distribution of wetlands in southern Québec A 1:50 000 scale map showing the location of wetlands in each of the area’s regional county municipalities (RCMs) Descriptive statistics on wetlands' characteristics (number, category, average area, etc.) to complement the maps, Information and links to to sites that promote wetland conservation. In the last few years, the Canadian Wildlife Service of Environment Canada has been carrying out a project to map natural habitats using Landsat-TM imagery. This mapping has been used to apply methods for analysing landscape features in a large area of southern Québec in order to ensure adequate habitat protection and development. As a follow-up to the project, the CWS decided to produce an Atlas of wetlands in the St. Lawrence Valley. The CWS’s work has shown that multispectral imagery does not provide all the information needed to differentiate between some wetlands. For example, forested wetlands and flooded forests can be confused with other forested areas. To increase the accuracy of wetland identification, it was decided that radar imagery should be incorporated into the project. Research carried out in Canada and abroad is attempting to show that this imagery, when acquired at the right time, can help to differentiate wetlands and map agricultural land and grasslands. Mapping and appropriate wetland monitoring require remote sensing tools that are independent of cloud cover and sensitive to soil humidity. Equipped with SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) captors capable of providing high-resolution images unaffected by daytime and nighttime weather conditions, the Canadian RADARSAT satellite is able to map the exact boundaries of wetlands. Phase I: image acquisition Image acquisition took place between April 27, 1999 and June 11, 1999. The Data Acquisition Division of the Canada Centre for Remote Sensing established an acquisition plan based on various criteria, i.e., image acquisition had to take place in the ascending mode to eliminate the dew effect, it had to be carried out in a short time period (after flooding but before the dry spells of summer) and it had to offer the possibility of producing a mosaic for a large portion of the territory. Thirty-four images were finally acquired, 28 in fine mode and 6 in standard mode. Following this acquisition, a partnership agreement between Environment Canada, the Canadian Space Agency and the Geography Department of the University of Montréal was signed. In the project’s first phase, Landsat-TM images were used to mask certain soil types, which resulted in the production of a mosaic of RADARSAT images of southern Québec and preliminary image classification results. Although the product was generally satisfactory, it was felt that the mosaic image and the classified RADARSAT images could be improved. Phase II: a classification method development The CWS thus developed a new classification method that combines several formats of RADARSAT images (texture, homogeneity and contrast indices) with the decorrelated Landsat-TM image and a digital elevation model. Several hundreds ground control points were used as basic information to guide tree analysis. The preliminary results at test sites proved the method’s efficiency for these types of images. The wetlands of 68 RCMs in the St. Lawrence Valley could thus be classified. Phase III: final validation of maps Another phase of our work was the final validation of the Atlas maps. This was made possible through extensive consultation with Quebec wetlands experts (see the list of financial and technical partners in the Acknowledgements section). In all, over 60 hours of consultation took place with more than 30 experts in the various regions of Southern Québec. This final phase of the mapping project was dubbed “Operation Open House.” A complete series of 1:50 000 scale maps, drawn up according to the boundaries of the topographical maps (UTM co-ordinates), was printed out so that the various experts could examine them and, if necessary, signal any errors and plot the required corrections. It should be noted that there are two possible sources of discrepancies. Errors may have occurred during the image classification process, or may be a result of changes to wetlands since the two series of satellite images used for this project were taken (1993-1994 and 1999). We have assigned a specific code in the map legend for areas where such changes have occurred so that, until a second map is produced in the coming years, the reader can get an idea of the dynamics of these habitats and the major areas of change (disappearance or degradation of wetlands) resulting from various human activities. Phase IV: towards interactivity A fourth phase now allows to produce a map for the sector of their choice through the interactive mapping procedure and improve the database by adding supplementary information. Citation Bélanger, L., M. Grenier, 2003. Atlas de conservation des terres humides. Environnement Canada, Service canadien de la faune, région du Québec

The main purpose of the Conservation Atlas of Wetlands is to develop a portrait of the wetlands of the St. Lawrence Valley using innovative mapping methods in order to favor bird conservation by helping land managers to make decisions about land use and bird habitat conservation. Another objective was to develop methods needed to allow a monitoring of the St. Lawrence Valley wetlands and make a link to a potential national mapping project of that type as an indicator on environment quality in Canada.

The Atlas is considered a large-scale project because of the area covered, the great variability in the area’s characteristics and the various types of wetlands encountered. Using Canadian RADARSAT satellite images, along with other sources of information available (e.g., digital hydrological and hypsometric data) and data from Landsat-TM images, the mapping has required certain adjustments and the use of innovative methods. Achieving the objectives set at the start of the project in the spring of 1999 has resulted in the following products:

• A global mosaic of the distribution of wetlands in southern Québec
• A 1:50 000 scale map showing the location of wetlands in each of the area’s regional county municipalities (RCMs)
• Descriptive statistics on wetlands' characteristics (number, category, average area, etc.) to complement the maps,
• Information and links to to sites that promote wetland conservation.

In the last few years, the Canadian Wildlife Service of Environment Canada has been carrying out a project to map natural habitats using Landsat-TM imagery. This mapping has been used to apply methods for analysing landscape features in a large area of southern Québec in order to ensure adequate habitat protection and development. As a follow-up to the project, the CWS decided to produce an Atlas of wetlands in the St. Lawrence Valley. The CWS’s work has shown that multispectral imagery does not provide all the information needed to differentiate between some wetlands. For example, forested wetlands and flooded forests can be confused with other forested areas. To increase the accuracy of wetland identification, it was decided that radar imagery should be incorporated into the project. Research carried out in Canada and abroad is attempting to show that this imagery, when acquired at the right time, can help to differentiate wetlands and map agricultural land and grasslands.

Mapping and appropriate wetland monitoring require remote sensing tools that are independent of cloud cover and sensitive to soil humidity. Equipped with SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) captors capable of providing high-resolution images unaffected by daytime and nighttime weather conditions, the Canadian RADARSAT satellite is able to map the exact boundaries of wetlands.

Phase I: image acquisition

Image acquisition took place between April 27, 1999 and June 11, 1999. The Data Acquisition Division of the Canada Centre for Remote Sensing established an acquisition plan based on various criteria, i.e., image acquisition had to take place in the ascending mode to eliminate the dew effect, it had to be carried out in a short time period (after flooding but before the dry spells of summer) and it had to offer the possibility of producing a mosaic for a large portion of the territory. Thirty-four images were finally acquired, 28 in fine mode and 6 in standard mode.

Following this acquisition, a partnership agreement between Environment Canada, the Canadian Space Agency and the Geography Department of the University of Montréal was signed. In the project’s first phase, Landsat-TM images were used to mask certain soil types, which resulted in the production of a mosaic of RADARSAT images of southern Québec and preliminary image classification results. Although the product was generally satisfactory, it was felt that the mosaic image and the classified RADARSAT images could be improved.

Phase II: a classification method development

The CWS thus developed a new classification method that combines several formats of RADARSAT images (texture, homogeneity and contrast indices) with the decorrelated Landsat-TM image and a digital elevation model. Several hundreds ground control points were used as basic information to guide tree analysis. The preliminary results at test sites proved the method’s efficiency for these types of images. The wetlands of 68 RCMs in the St. Lawrence Valley could thus be classified.

Phase III: final validation of maps

Another phase of our work was the final validation of the Atlas maps. This was made possible through extensive consultation with Quebec wetlands experts (see the list of financial and technical partners in the Acknowledgements section). In all, over 60 hours of consultation took place with more than 30 experts in the various regions of Southern Québec. This final phase of the mapping project was dubbed “Operation Open House.”

A complete series of 1:50 000 scale maps, drawn up according to the boundaries of the topographical maps (UTM co-ordinates), was printed out so that the various experts could examine them and, if necessary, signal any errors and plot the required corrections. It should be noted that there are two possible sources of discrepancies. Errors may have occurred during the image classification process, or may be a result of changes to wetlands since the two series of satellite images used for this project were taken (1993-1994 and 1999). We have assigned a specific code in the map legend for areas where such changes have occurred so that, until a second map is produced in the coming years, the reader can get an idea of the dynamics of these habitats and the major areas of change (disappearance or degradation of wetlands) resulting from various human activities.

Phase IV: towards interactivity

A fourth phase now allows to produce a map for the sector of their choice through the interactive mapping procedure and improve the database by adding supplementary information.

Citation

Bélanger, L., M. Grenier, 2003. Atlas de conservation des terres humides. Environnement Canada, Service canadien de la faune, région du Québec

This product provides large scale mapping (i.e. 1:1 000 to 1:5 000) of Canada Lands located in Quebec. It contains topographic information including utilities, land cover, occupational limits and administrative boundaries, contours, hydrography, building and transportation features. The mapping information is derived from high resolution aerial photography or large scale aerial photographs. The data is available in both DGN and DXF formats.