Action B.1 – Existing data acquisition and harmonization

The aims of Action B1 are: the selection of the demonstration sites; the acquisition over the selected study areas of existing (available) data; the data harmonization; and the implementation of a project information system that will be used by project partners to perform project actions.

Selection of the demonstration sites

Four demonstration sites were selected by UNIFI in collaboration with all the beneficiaries, under the coordination of AISF.

The demonstration sites were chosen taking into account the following criteria:

– minimum area of at least 100 hectares, as indicated in the project proposal;

– location of the demonstration sites in the territories managed (directly or indirectly) by the beneficiaries of the project partners;

– presence in the study areas of non fragmented forest lands;

– presence in the study areas of forest types that are representative of the most important forest categories in the national context;

– execution of flights in the project study areas with two types of drones.

Acquisition of existing (available) data

For each demonstration site UNIFI, in collaboration with UNIMOL and UNITUS, under the coordination of AISF, has collected a series of data already available from the beneficiaries UCVV, Municipality of Caprarola and Molise Region.

In particular, the following data have been acquired: inventory data (geographical location of the sample plot, raw data from the fieldwork and data aggregated at the plots level); remote sensing data (orthophotos, multispectral data and LiDAR data); forest management plans and their cartographic attachments (forest compartment maps and forest types maps); auxiliary data (eg., topographic maps, land use maps, etc.).

Data harmonization

The data acquired in digital format (geographical location of the inventories data, remote sensing data, maps annexed to forest management plans and auxiliary maps) were harmonized by projecting all these data in a common geographical reference system: UTM Zone 32 North, Datum WGS84.

The maps of forest types were then reclassified by adopting the harmonized classification system of European Forest Type of the European Environmental Agency (EEA, 2006).

Figure – Distribution of the European Forest Type in the demonstration area (1. Rincine, 2. Caprarola, 3 Decima Malafede, 4 Bosco Pennataro).

In order to harmonize the estimation of the growing stock in the plots we proceeded to the calculation of unit volume and biomass using the procedure of harmonization proposed by the COST Action E43 “Harmonization of National Forest Inventories in Europe: Technique for Common Reporting”.

The data acquired and harmonized by UNIFI were used to create a project information system that in future will be updated with the new data from the action B2 and B3. For each one of the data already inserted in the information system, a metadata was created following the INSPIRE Directive. The data stored in the information system will be used by project partners to obtain information needed for the implementation of project actions.