As human and natural environments are becoming increasingly intertwined and complex, understanding and visualizing landscape changes such as land cover changes, forest loss, and urban sprawl is a crucial part of our discipline. When data is not available or up to date, how can one begin to unpack and track these changes? This presentation explores how Geospatial AI (GIS and AI) can be used to generate data, track changes, measure them, and visualize them.  

Attendees will learn how to extract landscape patterns and transformations from satellite imagery, to support analyses and design decisions. The presentation will first make an introduction to satellite imagery resources, color band compositions, and the appropriate use cases for each color band composition. Participants will learn about pre-trained machine learning models (MLM), the process of creating self-trained models, as well as the strengths and limitations of each method. Lastly, the session will cover how to measure landscape changes using the data created with machine-learning processes.  

Whether addressing ecological preservation, development pressures, or long-term land use strategies, this presentation will demonstrate how emerging GIS technologies can help landscape architects better understand their sites and inform their design strategies.

Learning objectives:

• Generate actionable landscape information from satellite imagery using machine learning techniques. 
• Evaluate the strengths and limitations of pre-trained machine learning models and identify when custom-trained models may be needed.
• Identify and measure landscape changes over time, including forest loss, city expansion, and land-use transformation. 

ASLA Online Learning Labs, available exclusively to ASLA members, allow you to learn from the best in the business. Tap into the knowledge of the people and companies that are transforming the future of our industry through emerging trends and techniques. Discover real world applications that will put your projects above the rest. 

This Online Learning Lab is brought to you by: Esri

Image: Oregon Land Cover 2015 (left) vs 2025 (right) / Renia Kagkou, Esri, Satellite Data: USGS, Landsat 8

SiteMarker is a map-based field documentation platform built for people who compare what's on the ground against a plan. In 20 minutes, we'll overlay a landscape plan on live site imagery, pin observations with photos and notes as if walking the site, and generate the observation report before leaving. If site visits end with photos on a phone and a report still to write, this one's worth attending.

If you’re being asked more and more if you can collaborate in Revit, this is the session for you! We’ll showcase the multi-platform landscape architecture drafting tools in Land F/X, with a focus on the new Revit expansion. See how approachable it is if you already use AutoCAD or SketchUp.