Salk, Carl
- Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
- Institute for Globally Distributed Open Research and Education (IGDORE)
Review article2025Peer reviewed
Remote sensing approaches to monitor tropical forest restoration: Current methods and future possibilities
de Almeida, Danilo R. A.; Vedovato, Laura B.; Fuza, Matheus; Molin, Paulo; Cassol, Henrique; Resende, Angelica F.; Krainovic, Pedro M.; de Almeida, Catherine T.; Amaral, Cibele; Haneda, Leo; Albuquerque, Rafael W.; Gorgens, Eric; Romanelli, Joao; Ferreira, Matheus; Salk, Carl; Espinoza, Nikolai; Silva, Carlos; Broadbent, Eben; Brancalion, Pedro H. S.
Abstract
Tropical forests are increasingly threatened by deforestation and degradation, impacting carbon storage, climate regulations and biodiversity. Restoring these ecosystems is crucial for environmental sustainability, yet monitoring these efforts poses significant challenges. Secondary forests are in a constant state of flux, with growth depending on multiple factors. Remote sensing technologies offer cost-effective, scalable and transferable solutions, advancing forest restoration monitoring towards more accurate, efficient and real-time data analysis and interpretation. This review provides a comprehensive evaluation of the current state and advancements in remote sensing technologies applied to monitoring tropical forest restoration. Synthesis and applications: This review brings together the state of the art of remote sensing technologies, such as very-high-resolution RGB imagery, multi- and hyperspectral imaging, lidar, radar and thermal-infrared technologies and their applicability in monitoring forest restoration. In conclusion, this review emphasizes the potential of remote sensing technologies, coupled with advanced computational techniques, to enhance global efforts towards effective and sustainable forest restoration monitoring.
Keywords
biodiversity; carbon storage; effective monitoring; forest succession; remote sensors; secondary forests
Published in
Journal of Applied Ecology
2025, volume: 62, number: 2, pages: 188-206
Publisher: WILEY
SLU Authors
Global goals (SDG)
UKÄ Subject classification
Ecology
Earth Observation
Forest Science
Publication identifier
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.14830
Permanent link to this page (URI)
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/139940