American Journal of Applied Sciences 7 (4): 486-492, 2010 ISSN 1546-9239 © 2010Science Publications 486 A New Approach in Individual Tree Counting of Nyatoh (Palaquium spp.) Using an Airborne Spectroradiometer Kamaruzaman Jusoff Tropical Forest Airborne Observatory (TropAIR), Faculty of Forestry, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor. Malaysia Abstract: Problem statement: In Malaysia inadequate data are available to make decisions regarding the sustainable management of Nyatoh (Palaquium spp.). Factual data and estimation of Nyatoh in the lowland dipterocarp forest resources are still lacking or, if available, are not complete, reliable or up to date. The collection and compilation of information and updating of existing data in near real time is a priority. Nyatoh is one of the important and popular timber species for furniture, solid doors and planks. Approach: In order to determine Nyatoh’s latest species count in the Federal Territory (FT)’s Permanent Reserved Forest, a study on the distribution of Nyatoh in Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve (FR), FT was conducted using an airborne hyperspectral remote sensing technique with an objective to identify, count and map the species of Nyatoh in Bukit Nanas FR, FT. A False Color Composite (FCC) airborne hyperspectral image of the study area was used with a Sobel 3×3 filter and Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM) to classify and separated the individual Nyatoh from other tree species within Bukit Nanas FR. Results: A thematic map of individual Nyatoh spatial distribution in Bukit Nanas FR was developed showing a total of 36 individual Nyatoh trees in a 2.7 h study plot. There were 34 trees confirmed available on the ground with a mapping accuracy of 94.4%. Conclusion: The AISA airborne spectroradiometer data is capable of mapping and counting individual tropical timber trees especially Palaquium spp. with an acceptable accuracy of more than 90%. However, in order to improve the mapping accuracy, it is recommended that a higher spatial resolution image data is necessary in addition to a higher precision field GPS usage. This approach may be well integrated in the GIS-based decision support system to better manage and conserve such depleting timber species in the FT’s state land and permanent reserved forests. Key words: Nyatoh (Palaquium spp.), species count, tree mapping, airborne spectroradiometer, spectral signature INTRODUCTION Forest mapping and timber inventory of the mixed dipterocarp forests is one of the major applications for Malaysia’s new airborne hyperspectral sensor. Airborne hyperspectral remote sensing can provide forest information products for applications in forest inventory, forest chemistry and for some Kyoto Protocol information products. Through several projects, it has been demonstrated that airborne hyperspectral sensing can provide accurate maps of hill and mountain mixed dipterocarp individual forest species (Jusoff, 2006; 2007; 2008a; 2008b). High correlations have been demonstrated between field measurements of the image versus field spectra estimates derived from hyperspectral sensing (Jusoff, 2008c; 2009a, 2009b, 2009c; 2009d; Jusoff et al., 2009; Mohd Hasmadi et al., 2010; Jusoff et al., 2010). Data for these experiments have included the UPM’s-AISA data for different applications (Jusoff and Pathan, 2009; Jusoff, 2009a; 2009b; 2009c; 2009d; 2009e; Jusoff and Yusoff, 2009). To achieve operational accuracies of 90% or better for individual tropical forest species classification, it is essential that the airborne hyperspectral data are well calibrated and tested over several test sites in Malaysia. This study will report on the latest research state of airborne hyperspectral sensing of a mixed dipterocarp lowland forests in Bukit Nanas forest reserve, federal territory, Kuala Lumpur and present the airborne hyperspectral sensor approaches needed for such timber inventory at the species level applications. Forest inventory information is obtained by measuring and assessing the trees and various characteristics of the forest. The information may be obtained from measurements taken on the ground or on remotely sensed imagery. When the measurements are taken for the entire forest, the inventory is a complete