SLU Forest Map - Mapping Swedish Forests Since Year 2000

Abstract

SLU Forest Map are maps of the Swedish forest state, produced by the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) from satellite images using the Swedish National Forest Inventory sample plots as reference data. Until now, four maps have been produced, in raster format (12.5 × 12.5 m2 to 25 × 25 m2 cell sizes), with estimates of basal area-weighted mean tree height, basal area-weighted mean stem diameter, stand age, total as well as species-specific stem volume, for the years 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2015. These maps provide publicly available data, free of charge, supporting a wide range of applications; scientific research as well as operational uses in forest management planning, biodiversity assessment, and monitoring. This paper presents SLU Forest Map, the data and methods utilised in the production, and a new consistent evaluation of the estimation accuracy for each variable and mapped year.