Lidar remote sensing for the management of mountain forest territories

Abstract

A large part of the French forest resources is located in mountain regions. Increasing timber harvest would contribute to maintain economic activities in rural areas while providing additional renewable resources, but it is hampered by the complexity of forest stands and topography. Airborne lidar is a remote sensing technique that has been in constant expansion for the last twenty years. It is able to model the 3D structure of forests as well as topography, based on the scanning of the terrestrial surface with laser pulses emitted at high frequency. When associated to field data, forest features (growing stock, accessibility) of interest to managers and users can be mapped at high resolution over areas the size of a regional nature park. This information allows the planning and implementation of forest sustainable management actions, aiming at fostering wood production while ensuring the provision of other ecosystem service. However, the widespread use of this tool raises questions about the availability of still costly acquisitions and the conditions for disseminating innovative tools and results to stakeholders in the sector.