Mapping wood properties through Enhanced Forest Inventory (EFI): Stand scale

When it comes to the southern forests of Canada, we are faced with two challenges: the diversity of the structure and species composition, and the need for detailed information on wood quantity and quality with more accurate location for a better correspondence between wood attributes and market needs. Compared with traditional inventory methods providing wood volume information at the stratum scale only, the new forest inventory can be used to predetermine wood product potential in the forest and to produce decision-support tools at the beginning of the chain (prior to harvest) to optimize timber value explicitly at the polygon map level.

Objectives

  • To develop statistical models for estimating the stand table (distribution of the number of stems per class of dhp or height), tree taper, and physical and mechanical wood properties in the polygon; model inputs are aerial photos and aerial LiDAR
  • To quantify the error of the polygon models
  • To assess the cost/benefit of the polygon models
  • To link the polygon models with user-friendly software (FPInterface), including a microtopogaphy map for tactical and operational planning

Collaborators

  • André Beaudoin, Pierre Bernier, Luc Guindon, Mark Gillis (CFS)
  • Anick Patry, Mathieu Fortin, Denis Robert, Jean-Pierre Saucier (MRNF)
  • Jean Favreau, Jean-François Gingras, Joseph Nader (FPInnovations-Feric)
  • Martin Landry (Kruger)
  • Erkki Tomppo (METLA, Finland)
  • Benoît St-Onge (UQAM)
  • Marcelo Miranda Salas (Catholic University of Santiago de Chile)
  • Richard Fournier (Université de Sherbrooke)
  • Jean Bégin, Louis-Paul Rivest, Alfonso Condal, Alexis Achim (Université Laval)