Wykorzystanie map numerycznych i teledetekcji w turystyce i edukacji leśnej

Creation of spatial information systems requires the application of modern technology and usage of spatially related multi-source data bases. Spatial information systems are often addressed to professionals who deal with data storage and analysis in order to support management, administration and other decision making processes. However, information systems dedicated to a large public are currently becoming more and more popular. Requirements for such systems focus on presentation methods that should make the whole conveyed information clear, interesting and attractive. Systems dedicated to tourism and forest education are among applications aimed at on non-professional users. In these systems spatial data on nature as well as data for tourists are presented on the background maps that are specially prepared for this purpose. The appropriate background maps can be created using vector and raster data from various data bases. Satellite images and aerial photographs are widely used for generation of background maps for such systems due to their rich and current content. Different background maps have to be prepared depending on the target of a given information system as well as the size of presented area. Among others, maps presented at different scales should contain different number of details limited by the quality of presentation at the selected level. As a consequence, images used as background maps should be carefully selected taking into account their spatial resolution. Moreover, appropriate preparation of colour composites is needed in order to fulfil the requirement of readability. Special processing chain adopted for generation of background maps in natural colour that is based on image acquired by IKONOS satellite was presented. The most important transformations applied to IKONOS image involve Principal Component Analysis and the image fusion algorithm called HSV Pan-Sharpening. Visualizations of forest landscape are useful in communicating the structure of land cover patterns to professionals and to the public by making the information on environment more attractive and easier to interpret. In order to demonstrate current potential and future needs in this context a sample visualization of a forest test area was prepared using IKONOS satellite image, aerial photographs and some pre-existing GIS datasets. Images draped over a surface terrain model supplied texture data for a part of the Kozienice Forest. GIS layers were used for the satellite image enhancement and as supplementary data ameliorating visualization itself.