Forest Change Detection
- Develop methods to detect forest change, including subtle changes related to human or natural causes
- Provide an ongoing assessment of forest change in the Missouri Ozarks
Oak decline and the red oak borer are currently affecting large portions of the Missouri Ozarks. The challenge is that once the decline is visible on the ground, the forest stand is beyond treatment and must be salvage logged. The forest change methodologies implemented here are in response to United States Forest Service and Missouri Department of Conservation Forestry Division desires to have techniques that are able to detect subtle changes in forest health, so forest remediation measures can be applied before the stand is totally lost. The technique chosen had to be sensitive to subtle change in forest health.
Forest change may be the direct result of human activity (e.g. clearing for urban development or harvesting for timber) or may result from natural causes (e.g. insects, fugus). MoRAP is working with partners to develop methods to detect and track moderate changes in forest land cover.
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