Professor of IPB: Sensing Technology Accelerated the Forest Inventory

 Since the launch of the satellite of ERTS-1 or Landsat 1 in the year of 1972, the satellite remote sensing technology for the natural resources continued to grow very rapidly. Currently, it had sprung a variety of satellite imagery with various technological leap, which included the increased capabilities to detect and identify in the form of the increased resolution.

 

Over the past four decades, the spatial resolution of multispectral image had experienced a fantastic leap forward which was about 800 times. From the first which was able to detect the object that measured the breadth of 80 m x 80 m (forest cover or forest ecosystem) became only 10 cm x 10 cm (could detect up to the level of branches and twigs).

 

Similarly for the panchromatic image, it had reached 150 times namely from 15 m x 15 m (detected a bunch of trees) to become 10 cm x 10 cm (detected branches/twigs), and for global sensor it increased of 4.4 times. This meant that the potential of the digital image with a jump of radiometric would provide a variety of information which was increasing.

 

As stated by Professor of Faculty of Forestry of Bogor Agricultural University (IPB), Prof.Dr. I Nengah Surati Jaya, during a press conference of Pre Scientific Oration, in Campus of IPB Baranangsiang Bogor, Thursday (28/7).

 

He said, with the presence of sensing technology leap, now it was within reach the opportunities and challenges in the development of the forest inventory techniques. The chances were in form of the use of technology, which was cheap and handy, and the inventory of low risk and non-destructive. While the challenge was the algorithm development of the forest resource inventory which included a variety of the timber forest products, non timber and environmental services, the development of the forest inventory which was appropriate, applicable, cheap and easy, making the remote sensing data as a basis in preparing the forest management plan up to the level of the plot and preparing the human resources.

 

Other than that, the presence of remote sensing with unmanned which was bustling since 2014 also provided new challenges and opportunities. With this technology, the forest inventory could be done quickly. The recording capacity was of about 3 thousand hectares per day with relative efficiency ranging from 30-40% (the cost of 60-70% cheaper compared to conventional method). (zul)