Integration of remote sensing and GIS for tree damage estimation from natural disasters

The goal of this study was to use LiDAR data to assess damage to trees from a December, 2007 ice storm affecting the city of Norman, Oklahoma (USA). Pre- and post-storm LiDAR data was collected for the city and it was processed and analyzed in a GIS platform. Results indicate that for single standing trees, LiDAR data can accurately assess and quantify damage with an accuracy of 90%. However, it is yet to be examined how the accuracy would change if the proposed methodology was applied to grouped trees or with trees with overlapping branches. The proposed method suggests that in the future, LiDAR data would allow foresters and researchers to assess tree damage from not only ice storms, but also other natural disasters.