LiDAR - A new tool for forest measurements?

LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) is a remote sensing technology with strong application potential in forest resource management. It provides high measurement precision that can be used for tree and stand measurements. Although LiDAR has not been used widely as an operational measurement tool, there is a significant body of research and a number of projects at Mississippi State University (MSU) that illustrate the potential for this technology to be incorporated into operational forest assessments. This paper provides basic background oil the capabilities of LiDAR in a forest measurement context that illustrates specific examples of LiDAR use including: 1) individual tree assessments, 2) a forest inventory protocol currently being operationally tested, 3) forest structure analysis, and 4) forest typing.