Project number: 101081195
Project title: Forest Maturity Monitoring
Funded by: Central Bohemian Innovation Center
Host institution: Czech University of Life Sciences
Principal Investigator at CZU: Juan Molina
Duration: 1.7.2024 - 31.12.2026
Budget: 3 847 500 CZK
Annotation:
The research project focuses on the monitoring of forest structure complexity using remote sensing technologies. Especially, integrating LiDAR (ground, airborne and spaceborne) and space radar technologies. This is considered a strategic line of research because these are leading technologies in this line of research, with new space radar missions coming soon. Thus, the main expected achievements are high impact scientific papers and appropriate methodologies for the processing and analysis of these data. On the one hand, LiDAR data will allow to improve existing tools for the processing of this type of data (e.g. the R package FORTLS developed by the fellow). This is considered an important achievement because it will have a positive impact on users who can benefit from this technology, not only at the research level. On the other hand, the integration of these terrestrial data with LiDAR and aerospace radar will allow modeling variables related to forest structure and extrapolating them in the form of predictions to large forest areas. The most important achievements will be the development of useful methodologies to monitor forests based on their structural complexity, which is a necessity in the European forestry policy, as well as the REDD+ projects promoted by FAO, among others. These achievements could benefit not only academic and research entities, but also companies susceptible to carry out this type of projects.