EXPLORATORY STUDY ON THE USE OF ALOS PALSAR TO ASSESS ABOVEGROUND TREE BIOMASS OF DEGRADED TROPICAL FORESTS: A CASE STUDY IN EAST KALIMANTAN

摘要

The conversion of degraded tropical forests with a canopy cover of <30% into feedstock for biofuelsare highly uncertain under the sustainability criteria of the Renewable Energy Directive, while these forests cancontain high carbon stocks. Therefore we explored the potential of ALOS PALSAR, a space-borne satellite, to assessthe variation in aboveground tree biomass by collecting field data from 54 plots in East Kalimantan, Indonesia, andexamining the relationship between ALOS PALSAR backscatter and aboveground tree biomass. Our preliminaryfindings show a strong and significant relationship and are relevant for stakeholders aiming at compliance of biofuelproduction with Renewable Energy Directive criteria. It supports the identification of degraded areas for oil palmcultivation while minimizing CO_2 emissions related to land-use change.