ARSF project GB08/02: Integrating Airborne Lidar and Terrestrial Laser Scanning to characterise phenological changes in forest vegetation. Led by: Prof. Mark Danson, Centre for Environmental Systems Research, School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, Salford, M5 4WT. Location: Delamere Woods, Cheshire, UK.A

Optical remotely sensed data have been used to provide two-dimensional information on vegetation composition by mapping vegetation biomass or productivity to identify phenological change patterns. However, lidar data can additionally provide accurate three-dimensional information on vegetation characteristics including canopy cover, leaf area index, vertical distribution of foliage, and structural characteristics like vegetation height. A better understanding of the interaction of lasers with vegetation canopies was required to fully exploit the information derived from airborne laser scanners. The proposed project integrated airborne and terrestrial laser scanner data to investigate these interactions in order to estimate seasonal variations in vegetation characteristics at a forest test site in northern England.