FIGURE 7.—Line scan thermal infrared imagery. The top image, taken with an airborne sensor during the late 
morning, shows a portion of the Harvey Valley Range in a late fall stage (October). Vegetation-soil boundaries 
are not readily seen at this time, but springs (at A), spring water (at B) and ponded water which is warmer 
than the spring water (at C), are clearly seen. Livestock, both sheep (at s) and cattle (at c), are seen on the 
bottom thermal infrared image taken with a ground-based camera from atop a 150-foot water tower at 11 p.m. 
Already, many useful applications of remote 
sensing are recognized, and even more poten- 
tial applications are visualized. But before new 
remote sensing techniques can be accepted, 
they must be justified by the time and expendi- 
tures saved and by the improved information 
that is provided. Since most new remote sen- 
sing techniques have not yet been employed in 
operational surveys, the applications and bene- 
fits to accrue remain a matter of much optimis- 
tic speculation. As usual, more research is re- 
quired. 
A problem-oriented approach is needed to 
define meaningful problems for which remote 
sensing applications promise to provide bene- 
fits, and to establish priorities for testing them 
under experimental and operational conditions. 
At the same time, we cannot overlook the op- 
portunity to continue experimenting with pre- 
sent and newly developing sensors, for this 
kind of investigation will uncover new applica- 
tions. 
Furthermore, we must recognize the impor- 
tance of gathering good ground information at 
the time of the overflights if we are to make 
meaningful interpretations from the remote 
sensing data. For without detailed records of 
plant, soil, and moisture conditions at the time 
the remote sensing data is procured, an inter- 
preter cannot determine the accuracy of his in- 
terpretations. This paper does not discuss tech- 
niques for collecting and analyzing ground in- 
formation; however, the importance of this as- 
pect of remote sensing cannot be overemphas- 
ized. Finally, before remote sensing techniques 
can be applied operationally, we must develop 
a program of remote sensing education for 
range and wildlife specialists so that when 
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