Methods for comparison of LIDAR and field measurements of loblolly pine

摘要

A new technology of interest to natural resource managers is small-footprint LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging). LIDAR is an active sensor that directly measures target elevations based on laser ranging technology. A potential application of LIDAR is assessment of basic stand parameters such as height, crown diameter, and trees per acre. If these parameters can be determined reliably with LIDAR, acceptable timber volume estimates can be made. Loblolly pine stands ranging in age from 9 to 15 years old were assessed using traditional field sampling and with a small-footprint scanning LIDAR system. The final results of this project will describe how LIDAR-derived stand height and number of trees per acre are being assessed with respect to field measurements. Preliminary results indicate strong correlations (r~2 > 0.95) between LIDAR-derived tree height, field measured tree height, and diameter at breast height. Near-term future evaluations will concentrate on crown diameter determination and the economic viability of this technology for forest information extraction.