Forest Inventory by Means of Satellite Remote Sensing and Laser Scanning

In this paper forest inventory methods which are based on satellite remote sensing and laser-scanner data will be introduced. It will be demonstrated in how far conventional terrestrial inventories at a scale of 1 : 10.000 to 1 : 25.000 can benefit from the synergetic use of both sensor types. The forest inventory parameters to be investigated are: tree height, timber volume, tree species, tree age, stand border, and basal area. The presented results are mainly derived from the following projects HIGHSCAN (Assessing forest stand attributes by integrated used of high-resolution satellite imagery and laserscanner), EU DG XII, CEO, co-ordinated by the Helsinki University of Technology and financed by the EU, ALPMON (Inventory of alpine-relevant parameters for an alpine monitoring system using remote sensing data and GIS), EU DG XII, CEO, co-ordinated by Joanneum Research Graz SEMEFOR, Satellite based environmental monitoring of European forests, EU-DG XII, Pilot Projects, co-ordinated by Swedish Environmental Institute, Stockholm The projects are conducted in close co-operation with forest private and governmental management administrations. In this paper the results derived from different test sites will be presented.