Landscape Assessment across Geographies

Investigator: 
Ethan Miller
Advisor: 
Chad Oliver
Start Date: 
September, 2016
Description: 

As our world becomes increasingly connected, it is imperative that we manage resources at the landscape scale. This type of work is critical for preserving ecosystem services, ensuring sustainable economies, and promoting environmental equity across space. However, the tools and knowledge used in these management processes have not been compared across geographies. Therefore, this research will examine the effectiveness of remote sensing tools in landscape management between temperate and tropical landscapes. The first part of the project will use drone imagery of tropical reforestation efforts to estimate tree biomass and then compare the results to the same process conducted in the Western United States with UCross. This work will test cheap and quick assessment methods using computer vision algorithms and photogrammetry workflows.