Impacts of Inaccurate Area Estimation on Harvest Scheduling Using Different Image Resolutions

Area estimation is widely used in forestry applications and can greatly affect how forest land is managed. This study examined whether image attributes and interpreters affected area estimation and management activities used in forestry practices. Seven interpreters, chosen for this study, delineated stands on two different images of the same area. Results from these interpretations were then entered into a harvest scheduling model to see how the differences affected the overall timber value predicted by the harvest schedule. Image attributes played a role; however, differences in interpretation were the primary cause of inconsistency in harvest values. The objective function values (OFV) for individual interpreters ranged from $1.5 to $2.3 million for Positive Systems imagery and $1.4 to $1.9 million for scanned imagery. Average OFV between imagery and interpreters ranged from $1.7 to $1.8 million.