Improving local forest volume estimates by fusion of multi-temporal forest type maps

An alternative method for estimating standing wood volume based on the fusion of multi-temporal forest type maps and single reduced associated ground-based inventories is proposed. With the integration of photo-interpreted forest map realizations from different years into a single “Fused Map” resulting in an improved local estimate of the forest type, the proposed method offers more accurate estimates than the approach traditionally used by the Quebec Ministry of Natural Resources, even with reduced ground-based inventory effort. A Fused Map is basically an adapted mean of local forest type that accounts for differences among the classification systems used for each map, temporal differences between maps, and subjectivity associated with photo-interpreted data.