Estimating Forest Forest Structure to inform Predictive Ecosystem Mapping (PEM) Approaches across British Columbia

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British Columbia is dominated by forested ecosystems. One key approach to map and understand these forested ecosystems is through the Predictive Ecosystem Mapping (PEM) system. A key benefit of PEM is that, as it is an automated predictive system, it can be developed and applied over large spatial areas. The recent availability of light detection and ranging (LIDAR) data which provides unprecedented information on both terrain and forest structure can be used in association with PEM predictions to provide a very fine level of spatial detail and accuracy acros key areas of the Province. The project focuses on (a) development of new models and methods to predict components of forest structure from LiDAR data, for use by PEM practitioners, (b) an assessment of what variations in forest structure can be linked to changes in tree species, site, age, disturbance history, and forest health, (c) examine how transferable the developed methods are within and across PEM landscape units including the innovative use of deep learning and (iv) an assessment of data models to allow raster based estimates of forest structure to be effectively summarized into polygon units. This project will support the BC Ministry PEM Methods team by providing additional intellectual support through a dedicated PhD HQP and, using the significant resources already assigned to this project in terms of personal, data and field observations, help propose and develop innovations to map ecological units across the BC landscape.