Innovators II - TIMBER

The project aimed to operationalise a Timber Volume Estimation service in Forestry Plantations by forest modelling using Earth Observation Data. The objective was to reduce current ground survey costs and improve plantation wide measurement of timber volume.

There are several specific requirements for forestry companies, who manage timber to Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standards to measure, on a regular basis, basic biophysical forest parameters - such as timber volume, tree height, tree density, etc. It is also of great importance from an operational standpoint, especially in these times where forestry companies rely on external shareholders and debt finance provided by banks and private equity. Both stakeholders have a strong interest in more timely and accurate forest measurement, timber volume in particular, as confirmation of shareholder value and the ability to service debt.

This project was designed to provide a more transparent, comprehensive and cost effective service, timber volume estimation, by integrating into recognized forestry modelling techniques, specific EO based products retrieved, in primis, from spaceborne interferometric SAR L-band data with the goal to support forestry companies in meeting the FSC key requirements.