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- Private Land Advanced Forest Resource Inventory
PLAFRI
Private Land Advanced Forest Resource Inventory
OWA's LiDAR-based Forest Inventory for Private Lands in Ontario
OWA connects stewardship with innovation. With modern forest inventory tools providing extraordinarily detailed insights of your woodlot.
MeasureAerial LiDAR data and reasearch-backed modelling reveals three-dimensional forest structure to give a clear and comprehensive view of your forest. 
ManageFull coverage mapping provides insights to guide your management and conservation activities at multiple scales, from stand-level planning to broad watershed strategies. 
ProtectAccurate, field-validated data supports silviculture planning, biodiversity conservation, carbon accounting, and long-term sustainability on private lands. |
| Next-Generation Forest Measurement The Private Land Advanced Forest Resource Inventory (PLAFRI) uses aerial Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR), or laser scanning, to capture the three-dimensional structure of forests. Laser pulses from an aerial sensor penetrate the canopy and return from the ground, stems, understory, and foliage, creating a detailed vertical profile of forest composition. Widely adopted across the forestry sector, LiDAR enables precise estimates of tree height, volume, and density. By reducing the need for extensive field sampling, LiDAR improves efficiency while delivering reliable data for management and planning. Examples of a LiDAR point cloud within different forest types Point Cloud
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Wall-to-Wall Coverage LiDAR provides complete, wall-to-wall coverage of the forest landscape. Instead of relying on measurements from sample plots, LiDAR is transformed into raster layers - gridded maps that cover every hectare. Each cell in these layers contains values for key forest inventory attributes, such as tree height, basal area, volume, and biomass. Because the entire forest is mapped, managers can move seamlessly from stand-level summaries to landscape-scale planning. These raster products have become the industry standard for forest inventories, giving landowners and professionals a consistent, comprehensive view of their resources. |
| Trusted on the Ground Fixed-area sample plots are the link between LiDAR and real forest conditions. First, measurements from these plots are used to calibrate the LiDAR models, aligning the data with actual inventory attributes such as height and basal area. Later, new plots are established to verify that the mapped attributes remain accurate. This two-step process ensures PLAFRI results are both precise and dependable for management and planning. |
Learn more, visit our PLAFRI Web Tool, or become a member today
