Remote Sensing
High-resolution imagery
Sub-metre to few-metre satellite imagery in which individual trees and canopy gaps can be resolved.
High-resolution imagery lets an analyst count stems, measure crown size and see gaps that coarse sensors average away. It is the bridge between a satellite map and what a field team would write down.
Its practical constraints are cost, coverage and clouds. Projects typically acquire it on a sampling basis, over key sites and at decision points, rather than continuously over the whole area.
Frequently asked questions
Does high resolution remove the need for field plots?
No. It improves stratification and can measure canopy structure, but carbon still depends on calibrated relationships to wood mass.
Why not cover the whole project?
Cost and archive availability. Sample-based acquisition is usually the rational choice.