State-of-the-art technologies of forest inventory and monitoring in Taiwan

Abstract

Ground surveys, remote sensing (RS), global positioning systems (GPS), geographic information systems (GIS), and permanent sampling plots (PSP) were used to inventory and monitor forests in the development of an ecosystem management plan for the island of Taiwan. While the entire island has been surveyed, this study concentrates on the Hui-Sun and Hsin-Hua Experimental Stations of Chung Hsing University and the Northeast Coast National Scenic Area. The 7,500-ha Hui-Sun Experimental Station is located in the middle part of Taiwan, the 550-ha Hsin-Hua Forest Experimental Station is in the southern part of the island, and the 9,450-ha Northeast Coast National Scenic Area is in the northern part. GIS land-use maps derived from the aerial photographs of RS were used to select and survey PSP to obtain information about forest stand structure and growing stock. This information on the landscape patterns and changes of land use was used in the Hui-Sun Experiment Forest Station to detect changes in trends. The georeferenced surveyed data from the PSP were used to update forest attributes in GIS at different scales: landscape, forest stand, and tree. A tree location map was developed using compass, laser, and GPS techniques within each PSP. The georeferenced database allowed for the examination of the relationship between different species and their habitat. Research is ongoing. The problem of resource surveys and environmental monitoring at large scales and over the long term is also being studied.

Parent Publication

• Integrated tools for natural resources inventories in the 21st century

Citation

Feng, Fong-Long. 2000. State-of-the-art technologies of forest inventory and monitoring in Taiwan. In: Hansen, Mark; Burk, Tom, eds. Integrated tools for natural resources inventories in the 21st century. Gen. Tech. Rep. NC-212. St. Paul, MN: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Forest Service, North Central Forest Experiment Station. 35-41.