1. Technology Transfer Ideas from the Private Sector John Paul McTague Rayonier, Inc. NCASI – Biometrics Working Group, Chairman SAF National FIA User Group Meeting March 9, 2011 Sacramento, CA

2. Three goals of Precision Forestry and individual stem mapping  Using geospatial information to assist forest management and planning  Site specific silvicultural operations (site prep, regeneration, stand mgt)  Efficient harvesting practices (merchandizing and transportation systems)

3. Auburn Univ. is researching new techniques to create tree volume maps based on ground- based and remote sensing LiDAR data

4. Value map based on sensor measurements mounted on a tree feller

5. The UW Precision Forestry Cooperative states that ‘spatial & temporal resolution (of FIA plots) is inadequate for answering important questions’

6. Remote sensing LiDAR and stem mapping of Precision Forestry Coop

7. What are the problems in matching individual tree crowns of remote sensing data and ground-based stem maps? Individual stand on LiDAR image after tree polygon creation. A polygon now surrounds every visible tree crown. Sample Frame - Ground or Map? (rarely will the two coincide)

8. As reported by J. Flewelling in 2006, 81% of the individual tree crowns are the same as interpreted crowns

9. Ground-based mapping with 3-D laser scanning

10. Ground-based mapping with 3-D laser scanning (New Zealand and Ireland) The link between these two operations is not widely divulged

11. Murphy (2008) reports that hidden trees and false positive trees equal ≈ 12% from a single point Scanners cost $40,000 and can complete a 360° sweep in 80 sec.

13. The stem measurements are not error free Arc centers are estimated The 10 th percentile of the cloud data estimates upper-stem dob well

14. Other ground-based mapping approaches

15. Other ground-based mapping approaches (photographs in New Brunswick)

16. Other ground-based mapping approaches (Haglöf Postex sonic measurements) Can be used in stands with dense understory vegetation

17. Interior West – FIA has experience with stem mapping

18. The inference appears limited to estimates of canopy cover

19. Terrestrial laser scanning is expensive; and reliance upon aerial LiDAR is still imperative There is tremendous room for improvement in the matching algorithms and techniques

20. Potential role for FIA plots? Create a pilot project to perfect the techniques of matching ground and aerial LiDAR Stem mapped FIA plots

21. Create value contour maps at macro level (county – state) Stem maps and better merchandising into multiple products can improve values by $160/acre

22. Role of terrestrial laser scanning  Equipment similar to the FARO scanner is probably not needed for FIA plots  A single upper-stem measurement however could be used to localize a taper function for each measured tree, improving immensely the ability to merchandize and correctly value a tree into multiple products