Canadian Forest Service Publications
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Preliminary findings towards the use of lidar and digital aerial imagery as sampling tools to characterize volume killed by mountain pine beetle. 2010. Bater, C.W.; Wulder, M.A.; White, J.C.; Coops, N.C. Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service, Pacific Forestry Centre, Victoria, BC. Mountain Pine Beetle Working Paper 2008-15. 9 p.
Abstract
Critical to the understanding of the impact of mountain pine beetle infestation in British Columbia is the ability to determine the volume of lodgepole pine killed across large areas. A methodology using digital aerial imagery and lidar data to estimate the volume of lodgepole pine affected is presented. After employing digital aerial image interpretation to determine species composition, DBH (diameter at breast height), and the severity of attack, and lidar data to measure stand height, species-specific equations were used to estimate volumes killed. Results indicate that total volume estimates generally agree with available forest inventory data. Volumes lost to beetle attack ranged from 0 to 400 m3/ha, with an overall mean and standard deviation of 159 and 109 m3/ha, respectively. This working paper presents initial results from work published in Bater et al (in press).