Service
Management forest regions
Assess Deforestation / Degradation, Forestry, Detect and monitor wildfires, Assess forest types, Monitor forest resources, Detect illegal forest activities, Assess environmental impact of forestry
by ICube-SERTIT
Earth observation provides a near instantaneous view of forests on a given date. When used for mapping, very precise and exhaustive reference geo-information can be obtained. When combined with archives, trends over fifty years can be mapped to analyse landscape changes from the 1960s to the present day. Forest clearings and plantations and resources monitored can also be aided by remote sensing. Trends like the higher pressure on small forests, and hence the threat to green infrastructure can be illustrated. Storm windfall or fire damage can be mapped to indicate damage extents. Valuable information can be provided on parasite attack die-offs. This work is validated in situ by foresters. Specifically, in mountainous terrain satellite imagery helps monitor tree-felling amongst the private small-holder plots of the Vosges Mountain Range. This prized resource is diminishing with little replacement being observed by the foresters inciting the sector to establish replanting funds with calls for this and the remaining resource to be regularly monitored through remote sensing. Here SERTIT works with private forester bodies (CRPF Lorraine-Alsace and Cosylval). In another development the Fédération Interprofessionnelle Forêt-Bois Alsace (FIBOIS Alsace), has funded a multi-disciplinary storm preparedness dossier, including tree-type and 3-D information on forest plantations in-part derived from remote sensing data, to improve post-storm responsiveness. The overall aim is to facilitate the planning and preservation of forestry landscapes and resources with satellite imagery being used to objectively monitor forestry dynamics. In areas of high human pressures on forests, SERTIT has proven the capacity of satellite imagery to efficiently pinpoint tree-felling and whether they lead to changes, with trees often being replaced by other land-uses (urban, primary resource extraction and vineyards). This long-term 20-year service has been supported, validated and the results used by the Regional Delegation of the Agricultural and Forestry Department (DRAAF) within the application of Regional Forestry Policies (ORF). Recently, SERTIT has worked on mapping tree die-offs contributing to the Ministry of Agriculture, Agri-food and Forestry’s (MAAF) work in the aftermath of post-storm bark beetle infestations. This along with windfall mapping and fire mapping constitute part of our broadening extreme event and emergency portfolio.