fmap73_readme.txt
9/25/02


Forest Cover of the Former Soviet Union, 1973

Readme was modified from "Readme.1st" for Digital version of Forest map of the 
Former Soviet Union (FSU).

The reference we have for this map and its originating atlas, thus far is:

State Committee on Forests, 1973. A 1:15,000,000 scale forest cover map of FSU
from 1973 Russian Forest Atlas. Soviet Ministry of Geodesy and Cartography, 1973.

Note:  there are several formats of the same data provided with this data set.
These include:  binary raster data in IDRISI format, ASCIIGRID raster data in
ASCII format (easily imported into ARC/INFO), and a graphic map in JPEG format.
Please read all documentation before using these files.


Data files:
-----------
fmap73.img - IDRISI v. 2 image file, a binary raster image depicting forest 
             cover (1973).  Note:  must be converted to an *rst file when using
             version 3.2 of IDRISI.  Use the "Idrisi File Conversion (16/32)"
             utility available in the file pulldown menu to convert to the
             new format.

fmap73.doc - IDRISI v. 2 image documentation file.  This text file describes the
             raster data.  Most of the descriptive information (aside from 
             file type) is applicable to the ASCIIGRID version of the data
             (fmap73.dat) as well as the binary IDRISI version of the data
             (fmap73.img).  Note:  this file MUST be present for the binary
             data to be read by IDRISI.  Furthermore, the *doc file must be
             converted to an *rdc file when using version 3.2 of IDRISI.  Use
             the "Idrisi File Conversion (16/32)" utility available in the file
             pulldown menu to convert to the new format.

fmap73.dat - ASCIIGRID version of the binary raster data (fmap73.img).  This
             data file was created by converting the IDRISI binary file
             (fmap73.img) using IDRISI export utilities.  Note:  it was 
             necessary to first convert the *.img file to a *rst file and the 
             *doc file to an *rdc file to match the new file format and 
             naming convention of raster data supported by IDRISI 3.2.

Viewer Images:
--------------
fmap73.jpg - graphic map depicting forest cover for the former U.S.S.R. in 1973.

Companion Files:
----------------
fmap73_readme.txt - this file.


Forest Categories Used on the Map:

category 0  : Off Map
category 1  : Pine
category 2  : Spruce
category 3  : Fir
category 4  : Spruce/Fir
category 5  : Larch
category 6  : Siberian Pine
category 7  : Juniper/Woodland
category 8  : Krumholz
category 9  : Oak
category 10 : Beech/Hornbeam
category 11 : Subarctic Birch
category 12 : Haloxylon
category 13 : Birch
category 14 : Aspen
category 15 : Nonforest
category 16 : Water
category 17 : Sparse Pine
category 18 : Sparse Spruce
category 19 : Sparse Fir
category 31 : Lime/Tilia
category 33 : Other Hardwood
category 39 : Sparse Trees/Stands of Larch

Projection of the image file is Modified Geographic, meaning that the 
Longitudinal axis is extended so that the Western Hemisphere coords
extend on Eastward.

Please acknowledge the Woods Hole Research Center's Carbon in the Former 
Soviet Union project (supported by NASA MTPE -- Mission to Planet Earth)
for the preparation of these digital data.

Peter Schlesinger
RS/GIS Laboratory
Woods Hole Research Center
PO Box 296, 13 Church St.
Woods Hole, MA 02543
ph: 508-540-9900
fx: 508-540-9700
em: pschles@whrc.org
ww: www.whrc.org