Examining Land Use and Land Cover Change in the Adirondacks

I plan to look at the change in land cover and land use in the Adirondack Park of New York State after the implementation of the 1972 New York State Adirondack Park Land Use and Development Plan. I hope to use remote sensing, in addition to state documentation, to examine where the majority of this change is taking place and what type of change it is. During the first semester of next year this will probably be narrowed down, perhaps to look at a specific type of change, such as development along shorelines or on wetlands. Which academic categories is most appropriate?