Using lidar in determining forest canopy parameters
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The use of airborne Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) to evaluate forest canopy parameters is vital in order to properly address both forest management and ecological concerns. This study was conducted in the Piney Woods region of East Texas around Huntsville, Coldspring and Livingston. The overall goal of this paper is to develop the use of airborne laser methods in evaluating various canopy parameters such as percent canopy cover and Leaf Area Index (LAI). Both these parameters are of interest in determining biomass and carbon models as well as fuel loads. A model is being developed through linear regression for estimating LAI and canopy cover from scanning LIDAR and QuickBird infrared imagery. For accuracy purposes, the parameters of interest are assessed by both airborne and ground-based methods. The primary objective of this study is to determine LIDAR-derived percent canopy cover through individual tree identification and use this parameter in regression models, and then evaluate for accuracy. The methods discussed in this paper shows great potential for improving the speed and accuracy of forest inventory.
American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing - Annual Conference of the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing 2006: Prospecting for Geospatial Information Integration
