Aerial Videography
Strengths of Aerial Videography:
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Covers large areas relatively quickly
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Helps measure large water bodies, especially lakes
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Informs management actions of community organizations or regional planning initiatives
To see photo examples of each of the health categories, click here:
AERIAL VIDEOGRAPHY
Aerial videography measures the health of riparian areas using video footage from low-level flights or drones that are flown along lake and wetland shorelines and river or stream banks.* This method was most commonly used between 2005-2015.
Riparian areas are scored and rated in one of 3 categories:
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Good/Healthy
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Fair/Moderately Impaired
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Poor/Impaired
Like the Field-based Method**, the area is scored according to the amount of:
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Area covered by any plant species, cattails and bulrushes, and woody plants (and signs of new growth)
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Human alteration via bare ground, plant community alterations, or changes to the physical site (including banks
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Human alteration via bare ground or changes to the physical site (including banks)
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Shoreline or bank stability
*Note that there may be limitations or restrictions in the use of drones in certain areas. Ensure that you follow all applicable regulations.
** The similarity of the Aerial Method to the Field-Based Method is because this method was based on Cows and Fish's Field-based Riparian Health Assessment methods.