Discrepancy or error in forest type classification

Summary

Field data collected in Nullica State Forest, New South Wales, showed a low correlation between forest types demarcated on a forest type map interpreted from aerial photographs. This discrepancy may not be as problematic in forest planning and management as originally thought, due to the fact that often predicted and actual forest types contain similar species mixes. A Discrepancy or Error in Forest Types methodology (DEFT) was developed into a computer program. DEFT was used, in conjunction with a confusion matrix and the Kappa statistic, to illustrate levels of inconsistency between the two data sets.