Sébastien Bauwens

Characterization of Forests with LiDAR Technology

Abstract: Forest surfaces on a global scale represent one-third of the world land area. Human civilizations have always interacted closely with these ecosystems, notably through the broad range of environmental services that they provide: protection of water resources, soil protection, mitigation of the excesses of local climate, reduction of impacts of gas emissions, and conservation of natural habitat and biodiversity. Apart from these environmental services, forests are also of interest to the social life of these civilizations, especially through economic and recreational functioning, as well as their cultural dimension. This interest in forest ecosystems results, in particular, in a desire to monitor or even control them. In the 20th Century, the advent of aerial and satellite imagery revolutionized the traditional image of the forestry officer, patiently counting and measuring his trees on the ground.