Forests are the lungs of our planet, and they also are home to uncountable species. Effective forest management requires accurate monitoring of forest cover and related functions. Monitoring data is essential for developing policies and making decisions that will ensure our forests’ conservation, protection, and sustainable management.
In tropical regions, where deforestation is a significant concern, it is crucial to have reliable national forest monitoring systems to estimate forest cover and carbon stock change. Many tropical countries lack the technical and political expertise to implement such a system, and capacity-building efforts are underway to address this issue and establish effective national forest monitoring practices at the institutional level.
Advantages of Using Forestry Software
Using forestry software, particularly those with a SaaS approach, can benefit environmental organizations. It can simplify complicated workflows, automate administrative processes, and keep your organization up-to-date with technological advancements.
Forestry software helps to promote collaboration within the organization. It enables teams, stakeholders, various divisions, Indigenous communities, and contractors to access and view vital information to ensure everyone is working towards the same goals. It helps to keep everyone on the same page and facilitates efficient teamwork.
Using forestry software can also simplify different business processes, eliminating the need to hire more staff to handle these tasks. It will ultimately reduce your operating costs over time.
For forestry companies, it is essential to have a comprehensive forest management system that integrates with GIS. Proper software enables temporal and spatial planning and viewing of all forest data in one place. With such a system, companies can easily prepare and forecast all their forest management activities, simplifying their efforts. The list includes various tasks:
- Ensuring the accuracy and security of data storage.
- Forecasting
- Managing Roads
- Facilitating business and regulatory reporting
- Planning for Silviculture
- Harvest planning
- GIS mapping
- Managing tasks and issues.
- Managing Inventory Tracking
- Contract Management
- Assisting in the promotion of sustainable forest management practices.
Remote Sensing Technologies in Forest Management
Many private and state forestry agencies utilize remote sensing for forest vegetation monitoring and management. This technology is primarily used for assessment, supporting analysis, and management. The use of remote sensing data is crucial in conducting forest inventories and. It is second only to the military in terms of usage. Remote sensing involves using all space and airborne instruments to observe the Earth, such as optoelectronics systems and SAR. Positioning or navigation systems and terrestrial remote sensing systems are necessary for sample-based field measurement and sampling.
Airborne laser scanning is a remote sensing technology that helps measure the 3-dimensional distribution of vegetation in forest canopies. It is an essential tool for describing the vertical structure of forests. The technology is categorized based on how they record the energy that returns to the sensor. Various return systems can record multiple or single returns from a single laser pulse that is emitted.
DAP, or digital aerial photogrammetry, is a new way to obtain 3D information comparable to ALS. Recently, advanced digital airborne cameras have been developed that enable more significant overlap between images without incurring additional costs. Using these cameras, improved computer hardware and advanced multi-image matching algorithms make creating point clouds based on images possible.
A new era has begun in the forest industry with the introduction of a high-spatial-resolution satellite. Spatial resolution refers to the ability to distinguish the object of interest. It’s important to clarify whether there are many objects per pixel, where each characteristic is considered, or if there are many pixels per object, allowing for easier identification.
The Role of AI in Forest Monitoring
Satellite-based forest health monitoring has been revolutionized by artificial intelligence. AI algorithms are used to rapidly and precisely process satellite images, detecting and analyzing changes in vegetation cover and other forest health data.
AI technology application makes the process of collecting and analyzing data quicker when compared to traditional methods. Scientists can promptly detect changes in forest cover, such as deforestation and reforestation, as well as potential threats to forest health. It, in turn, saves time and resources needed to monitor forests, enabling scientists to concentrate on implementing practical solutions for their protection. Moreover, AI technology is enhancing the precision of satellite-based forest monitoring.
With the help of AI algorithms, scientists can detect changes in the forest that are not easily noticeable. It enables them to understand the forest’s dynamics better and identify potential threats to its health.
AI technology detects and supervises illicit logging and other activities that threaten the environment. It allows scientists to preserve and safeguard forests from damage, ensuring they continue to thrive as a vital ecosystem component.
Satellite-based forest ecological environment monitoring is transforming how scientists study and safeguard forests with the help of AI. This technology provides fast and precise data, enabling scientists to understand forest dynamics better and detect potential hazards to its well-being. As a result, they can offer practical solutions to conserve and protect our forests for the benefit of future generations.
EOSDA Forest Monitoring
EOS Data Analytics is a reliable worldwide provider of AI-powered satellite imagery analytics. The company developed EOSDA Forestry Monitoring, a satellite imagery-based solution for precision farming. It enables landowners, logging companies, researchers, and environmental organizations to monitor the forest remotely, detecting the issues and potential threats.
This tool helps to improve forest management practices by providing more valuable information and increased control. Users can make informed decisions without relying on intuitive decision-making while improving the productivity and sustainability of the industry.