Forest-LidaRioja | Forest inventory and fuel model map using remote sensing technologies

Forest-LidaRioja | Forest inventory and fuel model map using remote sensing technologies

This project has created an updated cartography of the main forest species in La Rioja, collecting data such as the volume of wood, tree heights and vegetation structure for every 25x25m of land, with a very high level of resolution.

The Forest-LidaRioja operational group has been formed with the aim of developing a forest inventory and a fuel model map of La Rioja using remote sensing technologies. Among the main practical utilities, we can highlight the importance for improving sustainable forest management, since with accurate and updated data, better decisions can be made and actions in forest areas can be better planned. This project has allowed the development of methodologies and processes for the integration of different sources of information (mainly airborne LiDAR from PNOA 2016 data and OPTICA satellite information). These methods are supported by the development of algorithms that correlate by statistical methods precise terrain data with LiDAR data, requiring the realization of very well calibrated forest plots and measurements located with sub-meter precision in strategic points for each forest species and working area.

The main results of the Forest-LidaRioja Project are:

  • Forest inventory of the forests of La Rioja.
  • Mapping of fuel models of the forest area of La Rioja to plan preventive forest fire prevention work.
  • Study of the evolution of poplar groves in the region and their supply potential.
  • Technical training on the products generated for professionals interested in their practical use. 

The products generated are open to the public so that anyone can download and use them.

Origin of wood
Forest
Mobilization Potential
Difficult to define, but if we base ourselves on the annual felling and the possibilities in La Rioja, it could be between 100,000 and 250,000 m3 of wood, but it would not be only through this system.
Kind of wood concerned
Wood standing
Sustainability Potential
Facilitating sustainable forest management and the mobilisation of timber
Impact on environment & biodiversity

Difficult to estimate

Ease of implementation
A very easy-to-use application has been created to make it user-friendly for everyone, with a basic variant for all audiences that is intuitive to use and a more advanced variant for technicians (the latter was accompanied by training).
Economic impact
High at the scale of forest users, facilitates many processes linked to public forest services and lowers inventory costs for both public and private users.
Job effect
Difficult to specify
Specific knowledge needed
For the all public variant none, only knowledge of the location of the plot and internet access, for the technical variant knowledge of foresters and some rudiments of using the application.
Costs of implementation ( Euro - € )
243000.00 €
Domain
Inventory, monitoring
Harvesting, infrastructure, logistics
Keywords
Cartografía Inventario forestal continúo LiDAR
Challenge addressed
2.- Improve infrastructures and capacity of public actors
Type of solution
Modelling, simulation, optimization
Digital solution
Yes
Innovation
Yes
Country of origin
Spain
Scale of application
Regional/sub-national
Start and end year
2018 - 2020
Contact data
Owner or author
Agresta S. Coop.
David García
Reporter
CESEFOR
Ángela García de Arana
References and Resources
Project reference
FEADER
Resources
Spatial Data Infrastructures of the Government of La Rioja (IDErioja)
Application for consulting and extracting data from specific plots of land
Project under which this factsheet has been created
Rosewood 4.0