Laser scanning as a tool for the analysis of the greenery on the example of Poremba district in Lublin

Abstract

World experience shows that the survey of green spaces by traditional methods is very time consuming, costly and does not always get all the information you need to make of adequate management decisions by municipal authorities. The aim of this article was to show the main stages of analysis and prospects of urban green space using aerial lidar data and submit the effect of three-dimensional visualization of the study area. There were presented the possibilities and perspectives of using the data obtained from airborne laser scanning (ALS) for the analysis of greenery on the example of Poremba district in Lublin (Poland). Research conducted in Poremba district in the Polish city of Lublin (district was built from 1988 to 2005 and is located in the western part of the city). Analysis of green space conducted using quantitative analytical methods. By detailed analysis of the study area were used aerial lidar data from the year 2015. To classify aerial lidar data such software were used: LP360, ArcMap 10.3, Toolbox LAStools. The process of analysis begins with the definition of points, belonging to ground (Ground - GR), and the classification was realized using «lasground» with tools LAStools. The article is dedicated to development the method of estimation the tree height based on airborne LiDAR data. Method applies more information about the three-dimensional structure of natural objects derived from the processing of airborne LiDAR data compared with known methods. Furthermore, the method is adapted to determine and calculate characteristics of stand which using for tree inventory in cities. Methodological and algorithmic instructions to determine the tree parameters in city were proposed. These instructions allow automatically calculating the characteristics of the tree parameters, such as the allocation of each tree and tree height. The study area was analyzed in terms of the distribution of vegetation (separately individual growing trees and groups of trees). For that purpose there was applied an available ALS data. Based on the ALS data there were separated the tops of the trees and their height. In order to verify the ALS data there were used the results of field measurements (coordinates for the tree trunks, the diameter at breast height of trees, their height, crown projection). The analysis of the greenery within the Poremba district using the ALS data after verification with the field measurements proved to be an effective tool for the characterization of the greenery areas in particular city. This research may be important in terms of planning the planting of greenery areas and spatial development of the Lublin.