Grant: Applied Research and Development Grants - Level 1
Selkirk College
$24,980.00
Ground Based LiDAR Forest Metrics
FY 2020-21
Summary
LiDAR (light distance and ranging) is an active remote sensing technology that uses lasers to create large datasets of x,y,z points (3D point clouds). LiDAR is being adopted by the forest industry to create detailed terrain models for road building and to develop forest inventories, among other uses. While much LiDAR data for forestry applications is collected from the air, primarily by fixed-wing airplane surveys of large areas, ground-based systems are also of interest for more detailed studies of smaller areas. Ground-based systems also have the advantage of allowing for more repeat measurements of small areas at lower cost than airplane surveys. This project proposes to investigate ground-based LiDAR applications that can enable a forestry SME to cost-effectively produce important new value-added information products.
Carson Integrated forestry consultants has recently purchased a ground-based lidar system (Paracosm PX-80). Selkirk College's Geospatial Research Centre (SGRC) has been developing a software pipeline to process data collected with our ground-based lidar system, the GeoSlam Zeb Horizon. In this project, Carson will provide the SGRC with data collected with its lidar system. We will then provide a series of products including a digital elevation model (DEM), digital surface model (DSM), and forest metrics including a canopy height model (CHM), canopy segmentation, tree count, tree diameter at breast height (DBH), log count and tree volume. This project will use an agile project management method to iteratively refine the data products for the range of forest types that Carson Integrated operates within in Alberta.
Selkirk College will also be primarily responsible for designing a set of open-source software tools specific to the lidar device and relevant forestry metrics that can be used to build capacity to process LiDAR data for new forestry products, improve LiDAR processing productivity and provide Carson's clients with useful new information products.
Program
Applied Research and Development Grants - Level 1
Recipient
Location
British Columbia, Canada
Recipient Type
Academia
Type
Grant
Source
NSERC's Awards Data
As published
Application id
556545-2020
Name nom
MacDonald, Terri-Lynn
Department département
Head Office
Organization id
17366
Institution établissement
Selkirk College
Province en
British Columbia
Province fr
Colombie-Britannique
Country en
CANADA
Country fr
CANADA
Fiscal year exercice financier
2020
Competition year année de concours
2020
Award amount
24980
Program id
CARD1
Program name en
Applied Research and Development Grants - Level 1
Program name fr
Subventions de recherche et développement appliquée - niveau 1
Group en
Research partnerships programs
Group fr
Programmes de partenariat
Committee code
1561
Committee name en
Applied Research and Development Grants
Committee name fr
Subventions de recherche et développement appliquée
Area of application code
200
Area of application group en
Natural resources (economic aspects)
Area of application group fr
Ressources naturelles (aspects économiques)
Area of application en
Natural resources (economic aspects)
Area of application fr
Ressources naturelles (aspects économiques)
Research subject code
4103
Research subject group en
Geographical information
Research subject group fr
Information géographique
Research subject en
Geographic information systems, global positioning systems
Research subject fr
Géomatique, systèmes de positionnement global
Installment
inst:1 - 1
Partie
1
Nb partie
1
Application title
Ground Based LiDAR Forest Metrics
Keyword
NSERC
Application summary
LiDAR (light distance and ranging) is an active remote sensing technology that uses lasers to create large datasets of x,y,z points (3D point clouds). LiDAR is being adopted by the forest industry to create detailed terrain models for road building and to develop forest inventories, among other uses. While much LiDAR data for forestry applications is collected from the air, primarily by fixed-wing airplane surveys of large areas, ground-based systems are also of interest for more detailed studies of smaller areas. Ground-based systems also have the advantage of allowing for more repeat measurements of small areas at lower cost than airplane surveys. This project proposes to investigate ground-based LiDAR applications that can enable a forestry SME to cost-effectively produce important new value-added information products.
Carson Integrated forestry consultants has recently purchased a ground-based lidar system (Paracosm PX-80). Selkirk College's Geospatial Research Centre (SGRC) has been developing a software pipeline to process data collected with our ground-based lidar system, the GeoSlam Zeb Horizon. In this project, Carson will provide the SGRC with data collected with its lidar system. We will then provide a series of products including a digital elevation model (DEM), digital surface model (DSM), and forest metrics including a canopy height model (CHM), canopy segmentation, tree count, tree diameter at breast height (DBH), log count and tree volume. This project will use an agile project management method to iteratively refine the data products for the range of forest types that Carson Integrated operates within in Alberta.
Selkirk College will also be primarily responsible for designing a set of open-source software tools specific to the lidar device and relevant forestry metrics that can be used to build capacity to process LiDAR data for new forestry products, improve LiDAR processing productivity and provide Carson's clients with useful new information products.
