The National Arboretum’s research team compares a number of different ways of collecting data from forests, with a focus on tree crown architecture types.
This data collection uses different technology including:
- terrestrial lasers (Zebedee and DWEL)
- airborne lasers and
- digital images.
Outputs are published in various industry journals, including Australian Forestry, Remote Sensing in the Environment.
Research investigators: Cris Brack (Chief Investigator), Fenner School, Australian National University (ANU).
Tim Brown and Justin Borovitz, Research School of Biology, Australian National University.
Albert van Dijk and Marta Yebra, Fenner School, Australian National University.
Tom Jovanovic and Michael Michael Schaefer, CSIRO.
ACT Forests (provision of airborne laser data).
Dickson College (proposed UAV component).
Purpose of project
To improve forest management (especially precision forestry) and knowledge about tree crown architecture, trunk taper and form, through optimised data collection approaches.
Methods
Collection and comparison of data from permanently marked plots set up in forests that cover a range of species and ages, including:
- Himalayan Cedars (mature)
- Camden White Gum (pole stage eucalypt)
- Birch (deciduous)
- ANU research forests (juvenile eucalypts).