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With Laser Drones, Scientists in China Manage to Count 142.6 Billion Trees in the Country. The Technology Represents an Advance in Environmental Monitoring and Forest Preservation
Researchers managed to count the number of trees in China. The result is impressive: 142.6 billion trees throughout the territory. This equates to about 100 trees per inhabitant. The discovery was made with the help of laser drone technology.
The count is considered a milestone. China has a very large population and, even so, the number of trees is significant. This information was published in the journal Science Bulletin on February 6. The study also presents a detailed map of the distribution of trees in the country.
The research is led by Qinghua Guo, a professor at the Institute of Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System at Peking University. Guo explained that the technology used is modern but has limitations. The actual number of trees may be even greater than the estimate.
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Tree Mapping Technique in China
To carry out the count, scientists used the lidar technique. It works through lasers that map vegetation. Since 2015, the team has been collecting data with drones, covering an area of 1,400 square kilometers. From there, they extrapolated the density to calculate the national number.
The process used the Lidar360 software, which has artificial intelligence. However, the current system still cannot detect trees hidden under very dense canopies. According to Guo, this may cause underestimations, especially in dense forests where the understory is difficult to map.
Even with these challenges, Guo claims that the study represents an advance. It is the first high-resolution mapping of tree density in China. He also believes that the work can help the country achieve ecological targets and combat climate change.
“The study represents the first high-resolution mapping of tree density in China”, Guo said. “Ultimately, this research contributes to China’s approach to restoring and managing global sustainable ecosystems.“
Comparisons with Other Tree Count Data
There are differences between the new estimate and previous data. China’s Ninth National Forest Resource Inventory, from 2019, indicated 426 trees per acre (or 1,052 per hectare). The new study, however, reached an average of 279 trees per acre (or 689 per hectare).
Guo stated that the actual number must be somewhere between these two estimates. He believes that more research is needed to reach a definitive result. Nevertheless, he considers the new estimate an important step.
Another expert, Tom Crowther, assistant professor at ETH Zurich, commented on the data. He did not participate in the study but assessed that the numbers make sense. “Globally, there are about 400 trees per person, but in such a densely populated area, it makes sense for that number to be lower”, Crowther said.
Detailed Mapping
The study also resulted in a map showing the distribution of trees in Chinese territory. This helps to better understand the ecosystem and carbon storage in forests. This data is useful for planning environmental policies.
The technology used allows for strategic determination of where to plant new trees. Guo states that combining high-precision data with intelligent models enables the selection of the best locations for each tree.
In addition, the team aims to improve the software. Incorporating soil data using terrestrial lidar can help count smaller trees that currently escape detection. This could lead to estimates that are even closer to reality.
Forest Expansion
China is also expanding its forest cover. One of the prominent projects is the “Great Green Wall”. This initiative started in 1978 and aims to be completed by 2050. The goal is to plant 100 billion trees to combat desertification in the northern and northwestern regions of the country.
Currently, the green wall already has more than 66 million trees. It is considered the largest man-made forest in the world. However, there are debates about the actual effectiveness of the project in preventing the advance of the Gobi and Taklamakan deserts.
Despite this, the country continues to invest in reforestation. This year, drones are expected to be used to plant new seedlings, further increasing vegetation. The expectation is that tree density will considerably increase in the coming years.
The new study, with its detailed map and accurate methodology, may better guide these actions. It shows how technology can be used to preserve and efficiently recover the environment.
With information from Live Science.
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