Technology Transfer Ideas from the Private Sector

John Paul McTagueRayonier, Inc.NCASI – Biometrics Working Group, Chairman

SAF National FIA User Group MeetingMarch 9, 2011Sacramento, CA

Three goals of Precision Forestry and individual stem mapping

Using geospatial information to assist forest management and planning

Site specific silvicultural operations (site prep, regeneration, stand mgt)

Efficient harvesting practices (merchandizing and transportation systems)

Auburn Univ. is researching new techniques to create tree volume maps based on ground-based and remote sensing LiDAR data

Value map based on sensor measurements mounted on a tree feller

The UW Precision Forestry Cooperative states that ‘spatial & temporal resolution (of FIA plots) is inadequate for answering important questions’

Remote sensing LiDAR and stem mapping of Precision Forestry Coop

What are the problems in matching individual tree crowns of remote sensing data and ground-based stem maps?

Individual stand on LiDAR image after tree polygon creation. A polygon now surrounds every visible tree crown.

Sample Frame - Ground or Map?(rarely will the two coincide)

As reported by J. Flewelling in 2006, 81% of the individual tree crowns are the same as interpretedcrowns

Ground-based mapping with 3-D laser scanning

Ground-based mapping with 3-D laser scanning(New Zealand and Ireland)

The link between these two

operations is not widely divulged

Murphy (2008) reports that hidden trees and false positive trees equal ≈ 12% from a single point

Scanners cost $40,000 and can complete a 360° sweep in 80 sec.

The stem measurements are not error free

Arc centers are estimated

The 10th percentile of the cloud data

estimates upper-stem dob well

Other ground-based mapping approaches

Other ground-based mapping approaches (photographs in New Brunswick)

Other ground-based mapping approaches(Haglöf Postex sonic measurements)

Can be used in stands with dense understory vegetation

Interior West – FIA has experience with stem mapping

The inference appears limited to estimates of

canopy cover

Terrestrial laser scanning is expensive; and reliance upon aerial LiDAR is still imperative

There is tremendous room for improvement in the matching algorithms and techniques

Potential role for FIA plots?

Create a pilot project to perfect the techniques of matching ground and aerial LiDAR

Stem mapped FIA plots

Create value contour maps at macro level(county – state)

Stem maps and better merchandising into multiple products can improve values by $160/acre

Role of terrestrial laser scanning

Equipment similar to the FARO scanner is probably not needed for FIA plots

A single upper-stem measurement however could be used to localize a taper function for each measured tree, improving immensely the ability to merchandize and correctly value a tree into multiple products