FM-Trace

Traces of Management, Growth, and Natural Disturbances in Time Series of Forest Ecosystem Spectral Signature Measured from Space

Continuous monitoring and inventory of forest land and ecosystems is the basis for sustainable forest management planning and forest operations. The main aim of the FM-Trace project is to develop forest inventory methods using time series of satellite measurements and airborne lidar data. Forest growth and various disturbances (e.g. outbreaks of insects, fungi, windbreaks, thinning) leave traces to the spectral signature, influence microwave propagation and shape the lidar point clouds.

Tree stem parameters are measured in forest inventories, however, remote sensing from above faces tree canopy and ground vegetation seen through canopy gaps. In the FM-Trace project we will interpret the remote sensing data time series using field measurements on sample plots, and models of radiative transfer and forest growth, which are the basic blocks for a forest digital twin. The results of FM-Trace project will help to design fundamentally new type of open data-based National Forest Inventories.

Project overview at the Estonian Research Information System ETIS.

Partners: Estonian University of Life Sciences

Start: 01.01.2024
End: 31.12.2028

Budget: 384 800 €
Financing: Estonian Research Council