Abstract
Abstract. Forest assessment and measurement can be costly, laborious and time-consuming when done manually. Remote Sensing aids by providing data of sufficient accuracy for large tracts of forest lands in the form of maps. These data can then assist in decision- making for better forest management. This study estimated canopy cover, a primary forest measurement parameter, using remotely- sensed data. Satellite images such as Planetscope and WorldView were used to estimate canopy cover. The results were then compared to measurements obtained from a manual inventory – in this case, of an Acacia mangium plantation. The manual inventory was conducted in a National Greening Program (NGP) site in Basay, Negros Oriental. Field inventory involved a Static Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) survey and a Total Station survey to get the accurate location of trees present in the plot. Diameter- at- breast was measured for all trees. Tree height and crown diameter were measured for at least 10 percent of all trees in the plot.
Highlights
The Philippines has 15,805,325 hectares of forest lands (Philippine Forestry Statistics, 2017) providing various resources vital to human life
Satellite data: The images used are Planetscope captured on October 2018 and WorldView captured on January 2019
The main reason that could explain the weak relationship between the two values is the presence of undergrowth or low –lying vegetation. This is not accounted for in the measurement of canopy cover in the field. This undergrowth is included in the computation of vegetation indices which in turn is accounted for in the canopy cover
Summary
The Philippines has 15,805,325 hectares of forest lands (Philippine Forestry Statistics, 2017) providing various resources vital to human life. Various methods are used to be able to assess forests, may it be for extent, health, resources, and many others. Manual inventory and assessment of vast forest lands in hard to reach areas would obviously incur a lot of cost and effort, not to mention risks. With the use of satellite images, forest assessment could be done with lesser costs, effort and risks through remote sensing.
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