Remote Sensing in Sustainable Forest Management. First results from FRESh LIFE project - Demonstrating Remote Sensing Integration in sustainable forest management (LIFE14_ENV/IT/000414)

Abstract

Climate change is an unprecedented issue in modern times, with significant implications on the status of forest ecosystems and the multiple benefits they provide. Climate change is also a dynamic and complex issue that increases uncertainty about what future forests will look like. Because of these unpredictable effects, forest managers could benefit from monitoring, rather than modelling, tools to assess the effect of management on the status and trends of forest resources. Sustainable Forest Management is based on the principle of maintaining and enhancing the long-term health of forest ecosystems while providing environmental, economic, social, and cultural opportunities for current and future generations. The objective of the FRESh LIFE project is to demonstrate the possible integration of remote sensing technologies, in order to provide high resolution spatial information on selected SFM indicators under Forest Europe process, at the forest management unit scale. In this study we present the activities of the FRESh LIFE project carried out in a Mediterranean study area (Central Italy) to create a Forest Information System (DSS). Forest inventory data and high resolution remote sensing data acquired by drones (UAV) were used to produced maps of SFM Indicators. These maps were implemented in the Forest Information System to support forest managers in the decision making process