Precision Forest Management with High-Resolution Airborne Laser Scanning

Fritzøe Skoger, Norway's largest private forest owner, faces significant challenges in managing its vast 61,000-hectare forest land, exacerbated by climate change impacts like drought and bark beetles. Key to their forest management plan is accurate production forecasts for timber inventory, updated every six years. Field personnel acquire ground truth data from sample plots to measure tree metrics such as species, height, volume, and diameter. This data serves as a reference for high-resolution airborne LiDAR scanning and orthophotography. Utilizing the SingleTree method, Field detects every tree in the forest, summarizing the data into larger geographical areas known as forest stands for management purposes.