Land Cover Change Detection Tool (LCD)(LAR-19235-1)

The goal of this project was to create a script within Google Earth Engine (GEE) that is able to analyze study areas for significant vegetation change and to incorporate ancillary datasets that allow the user to evaluate possible causation of this loss or gain. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) for the study time period is calculated and then compared to the maximum and minimum NDVI from a baseline range of years in order to calculate Relative Greenness (RG). The change in RG from the previous year is found, and this allows the user to identify abrupt change in vegetation. Normalized Burn Ratio (NBR) and USDA Croplands Dataset have been added as additional datasets that can help establish if the change was caused by a fire or by a change in crop type. Recent available NAIP imagery for the study area is also included, as an example of what is available for high resolution imagery within GEE. Based on a date input by the user, the map viewer displays the RG, the change in RG, the percent change in RG, and the NBR, along with the Cropland layer from that year and NAIP imagery taken closest in time to the requested display date.