Ground Based LiDAR Forest Metrics

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

LiDAR (light distance and ranging) is an active remote sensing technology that uses lasers to create large datasets of x,y,z points (3D point clouds). LiDAR is being adopted by the forest industry to create detailed terrain models for road building and to develop forest inventories, among other uses. While much LiDAR data for forestry applications is collected from the air, primarily by fixed-wing airplane surveys of large areas, ground-based systems are also of interest for more detailed studies of smaller areas. Ground-based systems also have the advantage of allowing for more repeat measurements of small areas at lower cost than airplane surveys. This project proposes to investigate ground-based LiDAR applications that can enable a forestry SME to cost-effectively produce important new value-added information products. Carson Integrated forestry consultants has recently purchased a ground-based lidar system (Paracosm PX-80). Selkirk College's Geospatial Research Centre (SGRC) has been developing a software pipeline to process data collected with our ground-based lidar system, the GeoSlam Zeb Horizon. In this project, Carson will provide the SGRC with data collected with its lidar system. We will then provide a series of products including a digital elevation model (DEM), digital surface model (DSM), and forest metrics including a canopy height model (CHM), canopy segmentation, tree count, tree diameter at breast height (DBH), log count and tree volume. This project will use an agile project management method to iteratively refine the data products for the range of forest types that Carson Integrated operates within in Alberta. Selkirk College will also be primarily responsible for designing a set of open-source software tools specific to the lidar device and relevant forestry metrics that can be used to build capacity to process LiDAR data for new forestry products, improve LiDAR processing productivity and provide Carson's clients with useful new information products.