The Forests Are Under Pressure: Is Technology the Solution?

This article is based on our podcast episode that aired on 19/09/2024. Listen to the full episode here.

A new report from the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation, “The State of the World’s Forest 2024”, presents a worrying view of the world’s forests. 

Climate change is putting forests under more pressure than ever before, causing more frequent forest fires and pest attacks. While fighting climate change is important, there are other tools and technologies that can also help protect our forests.

Read the full report here.

The Forest Paradox: Pressures on Our Forests and Growing Demand for Timber

We are seeing more wildfires than ever before. For example, wildfires in California are almost constant – and we all remember the huge wildfire in the Amazon rainforest in 2019. On top of that, pests are spreading and invading new areas where the trees haven’t yet built up their natural defenses.

At the same time, the demand for timber has never been higher, which leads us to a paradox: How can we maintain the increasing need for timber when our forests are under more stress than ever before?

The answer lies in finding solutions, and once again – like many times before – technology comes to our rescue.

The Technology That May Save Us

In the battle to protect and monitor our forests, modern technology plays a crucial role. One of the most promising tools is remote sensing, which involves measurement of forests from a distance using advanced technologies.

Remote sensing allows us to:

• Monitor large forest areas efficiently and accurately
• Map different tree species
• Assess the health of forests
• Track changes in the forest cover over time
• Spot early signs of wildfires and pest attacks

With satellite images and drone-based cameras, we can now perform these tasks much faster and more accurately than ever before.

LiDAR – One of the Most Promising Technologies

One of the most promising technologies in remote sensing is LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), which uses light to measure distances.

You might already know it from your car’s parking assist system or robot vacuum cleaner.

LiDAR was first developed back in the 1960s, but as with many other technologies, it has taken time to become widely available for use.

In forest management, LiDAR helps us to:

• Measure the height of individual trees
• Estimate the diameter of trees
• Create detailed 3D maps of forest areas

When LiDAR is combined with other remote sensing technologies like cameras and drones, we can get incredibly detailed images of our forests. This technology allows us to continuously monitor forest changes and respond quickly. 

In the past, doing this would have required a huge amount of manual labor, making it almost impossible.

Arboreal Forest – Measure the Trees Yourself

A great example of how technology can make our work easier is the Arboreal app. With Arboreal, you can use your iPhone to measure trees right in the forest. If you have the pro version, you can use the LiDAR feature on your phone for even more accurate measurements.

This makes it simple for anyone to measure trees while out in nature.

The Future of Our Forests

Technologies like remote sensing and LiDAR offer new ways to monitor and protect our forests – but they are just one part of the solution.

Effective forest protection also needs a combination of technology, sustainable forest management, and global efforts to fight climate change.

Forest monitoring is improving quickly, and we are on the verge of even more precise and efficient methods.

If you want to hear more about the topic, listen to our podcast episode here.

For further reading, we can recommend these articles:

• The state of the world’s forests 2024
• How Lidar’s changed workflows in the forest industry
• Using your phone as a digital inventory tool