A method for using satellite data in forest inventories and updating is described and tested. The stand characteristics estimated by the method showed high correlation with the same characteristics measured in the field. The correlation coefficients for volume, age and mean height were about 0.85. It seems that the method is applicable to practical forestry. Extensive work in programming, however, is required.
The PDF includes an abstract in Finnish.
The study concerns with the methodology and efficiency of integrating multitemporal satellite image data with permanent sample plots in a continuous forest inventory and compartment wise estimation. The generalized least squares estimation for the population, and the unsupervised stratification for compartments, are the main estimation methods employed. The experimental material is composed of real and simulated multitemporal images (Landsat TM) and field data. Precision analyses for the estimation and comparisons for a number of estimation and updating methods, as well as statistical options are given.
The PDF includes a summary in Finnish.