Forestry Maps Research Articles

Knowledge Production by the Spanish Royal Crown (1845-1868): From Making Maps to Policing Customary Rights

The Spanish Royal Crown administration collaborated with international experts in the 19th century to produce a pioneering set of forestry maps. Forestry held a privileged place in cameralist thought and had material characteristics that were amenable to standardized classification. Analysis of this project revealed very clearly how national and international communities of experts generated knowledge about the Spanish territory. Producing credible environmental knowledge at that time required an international network of disciplined experts, and the Royal Corps of Forestry Engineers saw forestry maps as a way of producing a new community of experts. The map colors and legends corresponded to a new international classification system and constituted a groundbreaking accomplishment because of their potential to unify Spanish administration practices. The rigorously empirical descriptions of trees also revealed the interplay of the cosmopolitan values of scientific internationalism with the social tensions of that century.

Developing a New Model for Ecological Capability Evaluation of Forestry in Arid and Semi-Arid Regions

Forest planning is a necessary requirement for long-term, economically efficient and environmentally responsible forest management and use. Iran has 12 million ha of forest cover, with 5 million ha in the mountainous Zagros area. Many of the improper uses in these forests, so far removed from the past, have resulted in significant degradation. The purpose of this paper is to check and compare the prepared methods, including the Iranian Ecological Model (with seven classes using Boolean logic), its revised method (with four classes using Boolean logic and four classes using geometric mean evaluation, as well) and a new model for ecological capability evaluation for better planning management for commercial and conservational forestry in Jahrom County located in Fars Province, Iran. In this study, we assessed the potential for conservational forestry in two ways: first, by adjusting the quantitative evaluation threshold of the model’s primary topographic criterion, and then, by removing this criterion altogether. It is worth noting that the necessary information, including climatic, topographic, soil and other types, was compiled by national and local organisations in Iran for the research. The improved Boolean technique (with [Formula: see text]) outperformed the Iranian Ecological Model (with [Formula: see text]), while the revised method using geometric mean assessment and calibration (with [Formula: see text]) outperformed the other methods tested. Furthermore, when all of the forestry capacity maps were compared, conservational forestry map demonstrated a higher capability after removing the topographic criterion in the region (with [Formula: see text] for calibration technique), indicating conservational forestry’s potential in Jahrom County. Overall, because of its simplicity and excellent precision, this study may be utilised as a fundamental framework to evaluate ecological capability for other locations with similar conditions, and this model can help users and administrations undertake executive initiatives.

A Human Machine Hybrid Approach for Systematic Reviews and Maps in International Development and Social Impact Sectors

The international development and social impact evidence community is divided about the use of machine-centered approaches in carrying out systematic reviews and maps. While some researchers argue that machine-centered approaches such as machine learning, artificial intelligence, text mining, automated semantic analysis, and translation bots are superior to human-centered ones, others claim the opposite. We argue that a hybrid approach combining machine and human-centered elements can have higher effectiveness, efficiency, and societal relevance than either approach can achieve alone. We present how combining lexical databases with dictionaries from crowdsourced literature, using full texts instead of titles, abstracts, and keywords. Using metadata sets can significantly improve the current practices of systematic reviews and maps. Since the use of machine-centered approaches in forestry and forestry-related reviews and maps are rare, the gains in effectiveness, efficiency, and relevance can be very high for the evidence base in forestry. We also argue that the benefits from our hybrid approach will increase in time as digital literacy and better ontologies improve globally.

Individual Tree Canopy Parameters Estimation Using UAV-Based Photogrammetric and LiDAR Point Clouds in an Urban Park

Estimation of urban tree canopy parameters plays a crucial role in urban forest management. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) have been widely used for many applications particularly forestry mapping. UAV-derived images, captured by an onboard camera, provide a means to produce 3D point clouds using photogrammetric mapping. Similarly, small UAV mounted light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensors can also provide very dense 3D point clouds. While point clouds derived from both photogrammetric and LiDAR sensors can allow the accurate estimation of critical tree canopy parameters, so far a comparison of both techniques is missing. Point clouds derived from these sources vary according to differences in data collection and processing, a detailed comparison of point clouds in terms of accuracy and completeness, in relation to tree canopy parameters using point clouds is necessary. In this research, point clouds produced by UAV-photogrammetry and -LiDAR over an urban park along with the estimated tree canopy parameters are compared, and results are presented. The results show that UAV-photogrammetry and -LiDAR point clouds are highly correlated with R2 of 99.54% and the estimated tree canopy parameters are correlated with R2 of higher than 95%.

Naturalness assessment performed using forestry maps to validate forest management sustainability

One-quarter of forest areas worldwide are managed for forestry purposes. Depending upon the type of practice and intensity of management, forestry may alter forests to various degrees and raise sustainability issues. To mitigate the alteration of natural forests by forestry and to promote sustainability, ecosystem management has been implemented widely over the past quarter century. A need remains for the development of comprehensive and operational assessment approaches to validate its effectiveness. Naturalness assessment could be used to validate effectiveness of ecosystem management since this concept relates to the degree to which a natural state has been altered. We developed an approach that integrates stand- and landscape- scale traits of naturalness into a single comprehensive assessment that can be performed using only forestry maps. To illustrate our approach, we assessed naturalness in four managed forest landscapes (2184 km2), representing a management gradient of increasing intensity from passive restoration to plantation forestry. We defined four naturalness classes, i.e., natural, semi-natural, altered and artificial. Assessment was performed in two steps. At step one, we attributed a class to each managed stand by comparing its current composition with natural stand compositions of its potential natural vegetation. At the landscape scale, certain developmental stages or forest types could be in excess in managed forest landscapes compared with natural forest landscapes. At step two, we transferred numbers of stages or types in excess from the natural class to more altered classes. We demonstrated that naturalness decreased as management intensity increased. Passive restoration and extensive management generated a landscape where semi-natural forests predominated in mixtures with a lower abundance of natural forests. Intensive management generated a largely semi-natural forest landscape. Plantation forestry generated a landscape where semi-natural and altered forests predominated. In conclusion, it should now be possible to validate the effectiveness of different practices and intensity of ecosystem management in promoting sustainability, by performing our assessment approach periodically following every update of forestry maps. Our approach could also allow for more comprehensive assessment of forest management strategies developed to mitigate global change by putting into better perspective their potential effects upon forest alteration of various forestry practices that have been implemented to sequester carbon.

Extracting Diameter at Breast Height with a Handheld Mobile LiDAR System in an Outdoor Environment.

Mobile laser scanning (MLS) is widely used in the mapping of forest environments. It has become important for extracting the parameters of forest trees using the generated environmental map. In this study, a three-dimensional point cloud map of a forest area was generated by using the Velodyne VLP-16 LiDAR system, so as to extract the diameter at breast height (DBH) of individual trees. The Velodyne VLP-16 LiDAR system and inertial measurement units (IMU) were used to construct a mobile measurement platform for generating 3D point cloud maps for forest areas. The 3D point cloud map in the forest area was processed offline, and the ground point cloud was removed by the random sample consensus (RANSAC) algorithm. The trees in the experimental area were segmented by the European clustering algorithm, and the DBH component of the tree point cloud was extracted and projected onto a 2D plane, fitting the DBH of the trees using the RANSAC algorithm in the plane. A three-dimensional point cloud map of 71 trees was generated in the experimental area, and estimated the DBH. The mean and variance of the absolute error were 0.43 cm and 0.50, respectively. The relative error of the whole was 2.27%, the corresponding variance was 15.09, and the root mean square error (RMSE) was 0.70 cm. The experimental results were good and met the requirements of forestry mapping, and the application value and significance were presented.

A LIGHTWEIGHT UAV-BASED LASER SCANNING SYSTEM FOR FOREST APPLICATION

Abstract Lightweight Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have become a cost effective alternative for studies which use aerial Remote Sensing with high temporal frequency requirements for small areas. Laser scanner devices are widely used for rapid tridimensional data acquisition, mainly as a complementary data source to photogrammetric surveying. Recent studies using laser scanner systems onboard UAVs for forestry inventory and mapping applications have presented encouraging results. This work describes the development and accuracy assessment of a low cost mapping platform composed by an Ibeo Lux scanner, a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) antenna, an Inertial Navigation System Novatel Span-IGM-S1, integrating a GNSS receiver and an IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit), a Raspberry PI portable computer and an octopter UAV. The system was assessed in aerial mode using an UAV octopter developed by SensorMap Company. The resulting point density in a plot with trees concentration was also evaluated. The point density of this device is lower than conventional Airborne Laser Systems but the results showed that altimetric accuracy with this system is around 30 cm, which is acceptable for forest applications. The main advantages of this system are their low weight and low cost, which make it attractive for several applications.

Factors Affecting Abundance of Beaver Dams in Forested Landscapes

Beavers are ecosystem engineers that contribute to landscape heterogeneity in North American boreal forests. Despite the importance of beavers on landscapes, beaver distribution is still poorly understood, particularly at large spatial scales and in different ecoregions. The goal of our study was to determine the main environmental features affecting beaver dam abundance across ecoregions. We quantified the spatial distribution of beaver dams in Quebec forests using 257 systematically distributed provincial forestry maps, in which we sampled 1025 plots of 25 km2 in an area several orders of magnitude larger than in previous studies. The study area, covering over 300,000 km2, spanned over six ecoregions (Appalachians, Meridional Laurentians, Central Laurentians, Abitibi and James Bay Lowlands, Mistassini, and Anticosti Island). We constructed 17 candidate regression models using a negative binomial distribution with variables based on different hypotheses to explain beaver dam abundance. The mean stream gradient was the top variable influencing dam abundance, followed by the cover of non-forested land. However, there was substantial variability among ecoregions, as the models that included the random effect of hardwood cover and non-forested cover ranked higher than models without these variables. We conclude that such regional variation in factors affecting dam distribution patterns should be taken into account when establishing beaver management plans.

UAV-Borne Profiling Radar for Forest Research

Microwave Radar is an attractive solution for forest mapping and inventories because microwave signals penetrates into the forest canopy and the backscattering signal can provide information regarding the whole forest structure. Satellite-borne and airborne imaging radars have been used in forest resources mapping for many decades. However, their accuracy with respect to the main forest inventory attributes substantially varies depending on the wavelength and techniques used in the estimation. Systems providing canopy backscatter as a function of canopy height are, practically speaking, missing. Therefore, there is a need for a radar system that would enable the scientific community to better understand the radar backscatter response from the forest canopy. Consequently, we undertook a research study to develop an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-borne profiling (i.e., waveform) radar that could be used to improve the understanding of the radar backscatter response for forestry mapping and inventories. A frequency modulation continuous waveform (FMCW) profiling radar, termed FGI-Tomoradar, was introduced, designed and tested. One goal is the total weight of the whole system is less than 7 kg, including the radar system and georeferencing system, with centimetre-level positioning accuracy. Achieving this weight goal would enable the FGI-Tomoradar system to be installed on the Mini-UAV platform. The prototype system had all four linear polarization measuring capabilities, with bistatic configuration in Ku-band. In system performance tests in this study, FGI-Tomoradar was mounted on a manned helicopter together with a Riegl VQ-480-U laser scanner and tested in several flight campaigns performed at the Evo site, Finland. Airborne laser scanning data was simultaneously collected to investigate the differences and similarities of the outputs for the same target area for better understanding the penetration of the microwave signal into the forest canopy. Preliminary analysis confirmed that the profiling radar measures a clear signal from the canopy structure and has substantial potential to improve our understanding of radar forest mapping using the UAV platform.

EVALUATING THE POTENTIAL OF SATELLITE HYPERSPECTRAL RESURS-P DATA FOR FOREST SPECIES CLASSIFICATION

Abstract. Satellite-based hyperspectral sensors provide spectroscopic information in relatively narrow contiguous spectral bands over a large area which can be useful in forestry applications. This study evaluates the potential of satellite hyperspectral Resurs-P data for forest species mapping. Firstly, a comparative study between top of canopy reflectance obtained from the Resurs-P, from the airborne hyperspectral scanner CASI and from field measurement (FieldSpec ASD 4) on selected vegetation cover types is conducted. Secondly, Resurs-P data is tested in classification and verification of different forest species compartments. The results demonstrate that satellite hyperspectral Resurs-P sensor can produce useful informational and show good performance for forest species classification comparable both with forestry map and classification from airborne CASI data, but also indicate that developments in pre-processing steps are still required to improve the mapping level.

EVALUATING THE POTENTIAL OF SATELLITE HYPERSPECTRAL RESURS-P DATA FOR FOREST SPECIES CLASSIFICATION

Satellite-based hyperspectral sensors provide spectroscopic information in relatively narrow contiguous spectral bands over a large area which can be useful in forestry applications. This study evaluates the potential of satellite hyperspectral Resurs-P data for forest species mapping. Firstly, a comparative study between top of canopy reflectance obtained from the Resurs-P, from the airborne hyperspectral scanner CASI and from field measurement (FieldSpec ASD 4) on selected vegetation cover types is conducted. Secondly, Resurs-P data is tested in classification and verification of different forest species compartments. The results demonstrate that satellite hyperspectral Resurs-P sensor can produce useful informational and show good performance for forest species classification comparable both with forestry map and classification from airborne CASI data, but also indicate that developments in pre-processing steps are still required to improve the mapping level.

The SILVAE portal provides access to ecological and forestry maps for france

The SILVAE portal is an open geographical information system for plants, trees and their environment which can be accessed by a wide range of users. It was developed by AgroParisTech Nancy and the LERFoB laboratory for Forest Wood resource studies, a joint AgroParisTech-INRA research unit. It provides digital maps of forest plant species, mainly trees, and information on the main ecological factors determining their ecology, at scales ranging from the whole of France to local forests. The portal (http://silvae.agroparistech.fr/home/.) was funded by the French Ministry of Agriculture, Agrifood and Forestry and the Lorraine Regional Council.

Land use history (1840–2005) and physiography as determinants of southern boreal forests

Land use history has altered natural disturbance dynamics, causing widespread modifications of the earth’s forests. The aim of this study is to reconstruct a regional, spatially-explicit, fire and logging history for a large southern boreal forest landscape (6,050 km2) of eastern Canada. We then examined the long-term influence of land use history, fires, and physiographical gradients on the area’s disturbances regimes, present-day age structure and tree species composition. Spatially-explicit fire (1820–2005) and logging (1900–2005) histories were reconstructed from forestry maps, terrestrial forest inventories and historical records (local newspapers, travel notes, regional historical reviews). Logistic regression was used to model the occurrence of major boreal tree species at the regional scale, in relation to their disturbance history and physiographical variables. The interplay of elevation and fire history was found to explain a large part of the present-day distribution of the four species studied. We conclude that human-induced fires following the colonization activities of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries have increased fire frequency and the dominance of fire-adapted species at lower elevations. At higher elevations, the low historical fire frequency has fostered the dominance of fire-sensitive species. Twentieth-century forestry practices and escaped settlement fires have generated a forest landscape dominated by younger forest habitats than in presettlement times. The expected increase of wildfire activity in North America’s eastern boreal forest, in conjunction with continued forest management, could have significant consequences on the resilience of boreal forests.

Erasing a European biodiversity hot-spot: Open woodlands, veteran trees and mature forests succumb to forestry intensification, succession, and logging in a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve

Open woodlands are among the biologically richest habitats of the temperate zone. Although open woodlands were much more common in the past and covered large areas of Europe, their original cover and magnitude of their loss remain mostly unknown. Here, we quantify the loss of open woodlands and assess the potential for their restoration in an internationally protected biodiversity hot-spot, floodplain woodlands of lower Thaya and March rivers of Dolní Morava UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in Czech Republic. Aerial photographs from years 1938 and 2009 were used to analyse changes in forest canopy closure across an area of 146km2 and separately for 270 ha of nature reserves found in the area. Forestry maps and aerial photographs were used to analyse changes in forest age structure. Between 1938 and 2009, expansion of closed-canopy forest reduced open woodlands cover from 41% to 5.7% of total wooded area, or 68.5% to 14.1% in the state reserves respectively. Logging has led to a decrease in mature forest cover from 45% to 26% between 1990 and 2009. State reserves prevented logging, but not open woodlands loss. The magnitude of open woodlands loss parallels that of tropical habitats, but has gone unabated by nature conservation. Opportunities to restore open woodlands and conserve associated biodiversity in the internationally protected (e.g. UNESCO, Natura 2000), mostly state-owned, woodlands are being compromised by rapid logging. Our results also point to the low efficiency of international conservation measures in post-communist members of European Union.

Použiteľnosť elektronických pomôcok pre buzolové meranie v lesníckom mapovaní a výskume

Abstract The paper contains output of the research aimed on applicability of compass measurement using laser range-finder Impulse LR 200 and electronic compass LTI MapStar Compass Module in forestry mapping and research. The research was aimed on the impact of measurement methods and also methods of computation on the final precision of the position evaluation. Because the combination of instruments, with the Field-Map software, is also used in forestry research (forest inventory, research of natural forests), the paper shows also the methods of evaluation referring to this field of use of compass measurement. In dependence to measurement and evaluation methods there is a quite wide interval of mean position error mxy values (0.15 - 0.60 m). In general it can be stated, that compass measurement in areas without negative effects on the natural magnetism is applicable method for the under-canopy forestry mapping and research. The best of output values have shown the theoretical possibility of use in forest area cadastral mapping (4th accuracy class), especially in combination with other measurement methods

CCD CBERS and ASTER data in dasometric characterization of Pinus radiata D. Don (North-western Spain)

A Chinese-Brazilian Earth Resources Satellite (CBERS) and an Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) scenes coupled with ancillary georeferenced data and field survey were employed to examine the potential of the remote sensing data in stand basal area, volume and aboveground biomass assessment over large areas of Pinus radiata D. Don plantations in Northwestern Spain. Statistical analysis proved that the near infrared band and the shade fraction image showed significant correlation coefficients with all stand variables considered. Predictive models were accordingly selected and utilized to undertake the spatial distribution of stand variables in radiata stands delimited by the National Forestry Map. The study reinforces the potentiality of remote sensing techniques in a cost-effective assessment of forest systems.

Flächenhafte Modellierung von Waldboden-eigenschaften in der Nordwestschweiz

Spatial modeling of forest soil properties in Northwestern Switzerland Forest soils are an important natural resource. However, up to now almost no area-wide forest soil information was available for Switzerland. Since 2006, model-based, high-resolution maps of forest soil properties in the cantons Basel-Landschaft and Basel-Stadt were generated, depicting soil depth, stone content, soil wetness, acidity and water storage capacity. These maps are based on all available point information on soils, and on 95 recently analyzed pedological forest soil profiles. Two different methods were applied in parallel: 1) the development of decision trees based on frequency statistics combined with expertise and 2) the semi-automated Random Forest modeling approach. Highly branched hierarchical decision trees were used to derive soil properties from 24 predictors (relief forms, parent material, vegetation, forest type, location, climate, etc.). This article describes the approaches and portrays the mapped results of soil depth, top soil acidity and water storage capacity. Our project shows that it is basically feasible to predict soil properties with a high spatial resolution, classifying them into 4–5 categories. However, depending on soil type, for 10–30% of the area no predictions are possible, especially because of high soil heterogeneity, inadequate morphographic slope differentiation in the terrain models and the implausibility of predictor information. Soil property maps provide basic information for set up forestry maps for forest development, forest management and risk assessment.

Linear unmixing of MODIS albedo composites to infer subpixel land cover type albedos

We use a linear unmixing approach to test how land use and forestry maps, in combination with the MODIS BRDF/albedo product, can be used to estimate land cover type albedos in boreal regions. Operational land use maps from three test areas in Finland and Canada were used to test the method. The resulting endmember albedo estimates had low standard errors of the mean and were realistic for the main land cover types. The estimated albedos were fairly consistent with albedo measurements conducted with a telescope mast and pure pixel albedos. Problems with the method are the possible errors in the land cover maps, lack of good quality winter MODIS albedo composites and the mismatch between the MODIS pixels and the true observation area. The results emphasize the role of tree species as determinant of forest albedo. Comprehensive spatial and temporal measurements of land cover albedo are usually not possible with in situ mast measurements, and the spatial resolution of MODIS albedo product is often too low to allow direct comparison of pixel albedos and land cover types in areas with heterogeneous vegetation. Hence, and since local forestry maps exist for most temperate and boreal regions, we believe that the proposed method will be useful in estimating average regional land cover type albedos as well as in tracking changes in them.

The Application of AutoCAD Software in Forestry

AutoCAD is an accessorial desktop cartography software widely used in project cartography for its easy manipulation and data edit ability. GIS is a powerful tool of using computers to make dimensional with advantage of display, analysis, output and management of geographical data. The data of the two systems is not compatible and they need to be transformed for data sharing and application. This paper points out the difference of AutoCAD and GIS data, analyzes some common problems during the data transforming process and introduced the experimental study which takes example for transforming the CAD forestry map of Buyunshan country, Dalian city to ArcView geographical information system. The objective of this paper was trying to find an effective way for the transformation from CAD graphics files to geographical information system.

Impact of logging and natural stand-replacing disturbances on high-elevation boreal landscape dynamics (1950–2005) in eastern Canada

The introduction of logging associated with the industrial era (since ∼1900) has modified the natural disturbance regime of the world’s boreal forests. The object of this study was to document, using forestry maps prepared in 1950 and 2005 from air photos, the dynamics of high-elevation boreal forest landscapes affected by 20th century logging and natural stand-replacing disturbances. In 1950, the majority of forests in the study area were unlogged (>88%) and dominated by old conifers (⩾81 years of age), predominantly balsam fir and black spruce. Logging activities affected 76.2% of the study area at least once between 1930 and 2005. Forests located at lower altitudes (710–880 m) were more intensively logged than those of higher altitudes (880–1050 m). The present-day forest landscape, in contrast to that of 1950, is fragmented and dominated by younger stands. The sectors that have been logged at least once have experienced more forest cover changes relative to undisturbed areas. The 2005 cover composition was relatively similar to that observed on 1950 maps. In the 20th century, natural stand-replacing disturbances were infrequent and had a less extensive effect on the forest landscape than did logging. The fire rotation in the 20th century was more than 3000 years, with the overall stand-replacing natural disturbance rotation approaching 800 years. Our study suggests, at least in the 20th century, that canopy gaps and small-scale windthrows seem to be the principal factors controlling high-altitude natural forest dynamics and that natural stand-replacing disturbances were of little consequence. Twentieth century forestry practices were the most important driving force explaining the present-day age structure of the forest landscape. Ecosystem-based management strategies for high-elevation boreal forests should take this into consideration, and implement silvicultural practices that mimic the natural disturbance regime more closely. We therefore suggest the adoption of strategies that favor partial cuts.