This tiled dataset includes 12 images that cover the entire NWT with an RGB colour composite dataset. The images highlight areas of landscape change over a 35 year period dating from 1984 to 2019.

The analysis approach is based on a Tasseled Cap analysis to develop brightness, greenness, and wetness indices for all cloud-free image pixels spanning this period. For each pixel location, regression is applied to determine the linear trend over 35 years for each of the three indices. The composite image of these results illustrates areas of development, vegetation greening, fire, geomorphology and other forms of landscape change that can be interpreted with the use of a colour wheel as a guide. Refer to various documents to reference this colour wheel interpretation guide – including the summary report for this dataset issued by Caslys Consulting Ltd. (Long-Term Landscape Change Detection for NWT) or technical papers issued by lead author Dr. Robert Fraser (NRCan) for various projects (LARCH or ParkSPACE).

These results build upon past efforts led by Canada Centre for Earth Observation and Mapping and Parks Canada while being made possible by advances in cloud computing. The relatively seamless dataset across the NWT is based on a sampling of the entire Landsat TM, ETM and OLI archive by selecting only the best clear-sky pixels from each year during the peak greenness of the summer season.

This tiled dataset includes 12 images that cover the entire NWT with an RGB colour composite dataset. The images highlight areas of landscape change over a 35 year period dating from 1984 to 2019.

The analysis approach is based on a Tasseled Cap analysis to develop brightness, greenness, and wetness indices for all cloud-free image pixels spanning this period. For each pixel location, regression is applied to determine the linear trend over 35 years for each of the three indices. The composite image of these results illustrates areas of development, vegetation greening, fire, geomorphology and other forms of landscape change that can be interpreted with the use of a colour wheel as a guide. Refer to various documents to reference this colour wheel interpretation guide – including the summary report for this dataset issued by Caslys Consulting Ltd. (Long-Term Landscape Change Detection for NWT) or technical papers issued by lead author Dr. Robert Fraser (NRCan) for various projects (LARCH or ParkSPACE).

These results build upon past efforts led by Canada Centre for Earth Observation and Mapping and Parks Canada while being made possible by advances in cloud computing. The relatively seamless dataset across the NWT is based on a sampling of the entire Landsat TM, ETM and OLI archive by selecting only the best clear-sky pixels from each year during the peak greenness of the summer season.