INVENTORY OF REMOTE SENSING APPLICATIONS IN FORESTRY FOR SUSTAINABLE MANAGMENT Yousif Ali Hussin and Witske Bijker The International Institute for Aerospace Survey and Earth Science (ITC) 7500 AA, Enschede, The Netherlands Fax (31)53-4874-399 E-mail HUSSIN@ITC.NL and BIJKER@ITC.NL Key Words: Forestry, Applications, Remote Sensing, Sensors, Sustainable Management, ABSTRACT To consistently and repeatedly monitor forests over large areas, it is desirable to use remote sensing data and automated image analysis techniques. Several types of remote sensing data, including Aerial photography, Optical Multispectral Scanner, Radar, Lidar (Laser) and Videographic data have been used by forest research and operational agencies to detect, identify, classify, evaluate and measure various forest cover types and their changes. Over the past decades tremendous progress has been made in demonstrating the potentials and limitations of the applications of remote sensing in forestry. Remote sensing can detect, identify, classify, evaluate and measure various forest characteristics in two ways: qualitatively and quantitatively. In a qualitative way remote sensing can classify forest cover types to: coniferous and deciduous forest, mangrove forest, swamp forest, forest plantations, etc. While the quantitative analysis can measure or estimate forest parameters (e.g., dbh, height, basal area, number of trees per unite area, timber volume and woody biomass), floristic composition, life forms, and structure. For several types of applications of remote sensing in forestry in specific regions of the world such as tropical areas, users of forest information are demanding new establishment of sensors and platforms. In order to see what kind of information we can extract from the current remote sensing sensors and platforms and how accurate is that, an inventory of all remote sensing applications in forestry is needed. This paper presents a state of the art inventory of all remote sensing applications in forestry. 1. REMOTE SENSING APPLICATIONS FOR FORESTRY To meet the various information requirements in forest management different data sources, like field survey, aerial photography and satellite imagery is used, depending on the level of detail required and the extension of the area under study. Before aerial photography was used for forest management purposes, information was generally obtained by means of field surveys, identifying and measuring forest types and stands. This is still by far the most accurate and detailed way of measurement, although the lack of geographical positioning systems did not allow accurate location of the forests classified. The method is, however very elaborate, time consuming and expensive, and it is nowadays used predominantly for research purposes and for intensive sustainable production purposes. The traditional aerial photograph resulting from different film types was and still is an important remote sensing tool. Knowledge of photogrammetry and photography is essential for its proper use. For many decades the use of aerial photographic data has been accepted by many forest institutions as a tool in various forest activities, such as planning, mapping, inventory, harvesting, area determination, road lay-out, registration of declined and dead trees etc. on a local, regional or national scale. For the purpose of consistently and repeatedly monitor forests over larger areas, it is preferable to use remote sensing data and automated image analysis techniques. Several types of remote sensing data, including aerial photography, multi-spectral scanner (MSS), radar (Radio Detection and Ranging), Lidar (Light Detection and Ranging) laser and Videography data have been used by forest agencies to detect, identify, classify, evaluate and measure various forest Hussin, Yousif International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXIII, Part B7. Amsterdam 2000. 575