Wheatland Lab’s Summer Forest Inventory Campaign Enhances Mapping Accuracy

This summer, the Wheatland Lab is spearheading a comprehensive forest inventory field campaign across multiple sites in Maine. The initiative aims to gather essential on-the-ground plot data to calibrate and validate maps of merchantable volume and aboveground biomass. These maps are derived from photo-based 3-D point clouds acquired statewide by the National Agricultural Imagery Program (NAIP).

The team has successfully completed inventory work at Howland Research Forest, Demeritt University Forest, and the Schoodic Peninsula, covering a total of over 87 plots. Currently, the most intensive phase is underway at the Penobscot Experimental Forest, with approximately 70 plots being sampled through mid-August.

Utilizing various sampling designs, the team collects detailed tree-level data and high-precision GPS coordinates from fixed-area plots ranging from 250 m² to 500 m². This approach allows researchers to assess the impact of different sampling designs on the performance of 3-D NAIP models.

The core field crew, comprising graduate and undergraduate students, collaborates with faculty and research professionals, gaining invaluable experience in forest mensuration and remote sensing workflows. This project not only advances mapping accuracy but also provides practical training for the next generation of forestry professionals.