From Bark to Byte: Automating Forest Inventory Data Collection Through Camera and Mobile LIDAR

Abstract

Accurate forest inventory data are essential for tracking carbon sequestration, estimating carbon emissions from deforestation, assessing plant and animal habitats for biodiversity, and predicting environmental risks such as wildfires. Traditional methods of data collection have faced challenges in either scale or precision. The advent of terrestrial laser scanners addressed some of these issues but faced limitations in cost and mobility. This paper proposes a new approach using mobile LIDAR for forest inventory data collection. By integrating advancements in computer vision, the methodology aims to provide comprehensive individual tree data, including parameters like diameter at breast height, volume estimations, species identification, and temporal tracking of individual trees. This proposed research direction addresses current gaps in the use of LIDAR and camera inference for forestry data where existing work does not generate domain context-aware data by narrowly focusing collection on isolated tree attributes.