Timberland Analytics & Wildfire Risk

Geospatial analytics and remote sensing for timberland owners and forest managers optimizing management decisions across timber production, wildfire risk reduction, and potential carbon revenue.

Is This For You?

This service is designed for:

  • Timberland owners managing 5,000+ acres seeking improved inventory data
  • Tribal forestry organizations integrating traditional management with modern analytics
  • Conservation organizations balancing habitat protection with active management
  • Forest managers evaluating carbon offset feasibility on managed lands
  • Land managers requiring wildfire risk assessment and fuel treatment prioritization

Forest Management Challenges

Incomplete Forest Inventory Data

Many forest properties lack current, high-resolution inventory data needed for informed management decisions. Traditional cruise-based inventory provides limited spatial coverage and becomes outdated as stands develop.

Increasing Wildfire Exposure

Climate change and fuel accumulation are increasing wildfire risk in many regions. Prioritizing fuel treatment areas and quantifying risk reduction requires spatial analysis of fire behavior, values at risk, and treatment costs.

Carbon Offset Opportunity Assessment

Determining whether carbon offset development makes economic sense requires analysis of carbon stocks, growth projections, additionality requirements, and verification costs. Many landowners lack tools for this evaluation.

Multi-Objective Management Trade-Offs

Modern forest management balances timber production, ecosystem services, recreation, and risk management. Quantifying trade-offs between objectives requires spatial optimization frameworks.

How Arbos Supports Management Decisions

LiDAR-Based Precision Inventory

Development and implementation of LiDAR-based forest inventory methodologies providing wall-to-wall coverage of forest structure, biomass, and species composition. Experience includes implementation under California compliance carbon protocol and multiple timber inventory applications.

Wildfire Risk Modeling

Geospatial analysis of wildfire severity potential using fuel loading models, fire history, topography, and climate data. Assessment includes fuel treatment prioritization and integration of fire risk into harvest scheduling and management planning.

Carbon Offset Feasibility Analysis

Assessment of carbon sequestration potential, protocol eligibility, baseline development, and economic feasibility of offset development. Analysis includes evaluation of verification requirements and MRV system costs.

Watershed and Forest Health Analysis

Geospatial analytics for watershed protection, riparian zone mapping, forest health monitoring, and climate vulnerability assessment. Integration of remote sensing with field data for comprehensive resource assessment.

Relevant Capabilities

Technical Credentials

  • Implementation of first LiDAR-based inventory under California compliance carbon protocol (180,000 acres)
  • Development of multiple LiDAR methodologies for precision timber inventory
  • Design lead for Sacramento River watershed geographic data library
  • Novel tree detection methods using RANSAC algorithms
  • Machine learning models for forest measurement and species classification
  • Wildfire severity modeling in industrial and conservation timberland

Service Applications

Forest Inventory Enhancement

  • LiDAR data acquisition planning and specifications
  • Point cloud processing and tree detection algorithms
  • Integration with field sampling for model calibration
  • Database design for spatial forest inventory management
  • Uncertainty quantification and quality control

Wildfire Risk Assessment

  • Fuel loading and fire behavior modeling
  • Treatment prioritization using spatial optimization
  • Integration of fire risk into timber harvest scheduling
  • Assessment of fuel treatment cost-effectiveness
  • Climate change scenario analysis for long-term planning

Carbon Program Evaluation

  • Forest carbon stock quantification
  • Growth projection modeling under management scenarios
  • Additionality analysis and baseline development
  • Protocol eligibility assessment (IFM, avoided conversion, reforestation)
  • MRV system cost estimation and feasibility analysis

Strategic Planning Support

  • Harvest scheduling optimization
  • Ecosystem service valuation and quantification
  • Climate adaptation strategy development
  • Stakeholder engagement and visualization tools

Project Examples

Projects have included:

  • LiDAR-based inventory for 180,000-acre improved forest management carbon offset project
  • Wildfire severity modeling for industrial timberland portfolio risk assessment
  • Watershed analysis and geographic data library for Sacramento River basin
  • Forest health monitoring systems integrating satellite and ground-based data

Discuss your forest management analytical needs.