FOREST BIOMASS & CARBON STOCKS MAPPING USING SATELLITE IMAGERIES & ISSUES RELATING TO REDD+ IN MALAYSIA

Transcription

1 FOREST BIOMASS & CARBON STOCKS MAPPING USING SATELLITE IMAGERIES & ISSUES RELATING TO REDD+ IN MALAYSIA Hamdan Omar GeoInformation Programme Division of Forestry and Environment, FRIM Workshop on Methods for Biomass Estimation and Forest-Cover Mapping Woods Hole Research Center 8-12 October 2010 Center for Climate Change Studies, University of Mulawarman, Indonesia

2 Presentation Outline What have we done What are we planning to do REDD+: Malaysia s perspective 2

3 1 ALOS PALSAR SATELLITE IMAGE FOR TROPICAL FOREST CARBON STOCK MAPPING Hamdan Omar, Mohd Azahari Faidi & Khali Aziz Hamzah Proc. STSS June 2010, MS Garden Kuantan 2 L-BAND SAR SATELLITE IMAGE FOR TROPICAL FOREST BIOMASS ESTIMATION Hamdan Omar, Khali Aziz Hamzah & Abd Rahman Kassim Journal of Tropical Forest Science (JTFS): Reviewing

4 Objective of Study i) To establish empirical relationship between aboveground carbon stocks and L-band SAR signals, ii) To determine aboveground biomass and carbon stocks of tropical forest by using L-band SAR data, and iii) To identify capability of ALOS PALSAR satellite imagery in estimating aboveground biomass and carbon stocks.

5 Study Area Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) covers some ha site in Kepong, Selangor. Surrounded by the Bukit Lagong Forest Reserve. Most of the forest trees standing in FRIM area are planted forest. Out of the total area of ha, ha (86.58%) are covered by forest and ha (or 90.4%) of them are planted forest and the remaining ha is natural forest. The age of most of the trees here are about 80 years old, which were planted since year 1929.

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7 Materials & Methodology Satellite Data The Japanese Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS), which carries polarimetric Phased Array L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (PALSAR) satellite data was used in this study. ALOS PALSAR image that was used in this research was acquired on 3 rd October 2009 and has spatial resolution of 12 m.

8 Field Inventory Data Field survey was carried out and more than 30 plots of 50 x 50 m size were established within the study area. The plots covered all forest types and various ages. All the trees with the size of dbh of more than five centimetre ( 5 cm) were inventoried.

9 Design of the plots that were distributed and laid on the ground in the study area.

10 NE NW SE PLOT CENTER SW Plots were laid on the ground and the centre coordinate was recorded.

11 Inventory Equipments Diameter Tape DBH measurement Hand held GPS Distance metric tape Hypsometer Laser range for tree height and slope measurements

12 Ground data collection

13 Ground data collection

14 Dominant types of standing trees that are found in the study area. Most of the trees are above 25 m height and reach up to 45 m. High biomass & carbon concentration Medium biomass & carbon concentration Low biomass & carbon concentration

15 Above Ground Biomass Biomass equations to calculate AGB were based on Kato et al. (1978). The allometric function of trees applied in the calculation of standing biomass can be expressed as 1/H = 1/(2.0*D)+1/61 From the values of D and H, the dry mass values of stem, branches and leaves of the tree are estimated. Ms Mb 1/Ml = *(D2H) = 0.136*Ms1.070 = 1/(0.124Ms0.794)+1/125 where; H = total tree height D = stem diameter at breast height (dbh) Ms, Mb and Ml denote the dry mass of stem, branches and leaves respectively.

16 SAR signals at the corresponding plots were sampled out to generate empirical equation. Plot 07 Plot 05 Plot 04 Plot 09

17 Response of SAR to the forest structure Radar band X C L P Wavelength (cm) Main scatterers Leaves, Twigs Leaves, Small branches Branches, Trunk Trunk

18 Relationship between biomass and L-Band ALOS PALSAR signal Strong signal Dense stands High Biomass Weak signal Small stands

19 Results The results found that the live aboveground woody biomass ranged from 25.9 to t ha 1 with the dominant value of t ha-1. All the pixels values were converted into the unit of carbon stocks (t C ha 1 ) and found that the distribution of aboveground carbon stocks of forest within study area range from to t C ha 1.

20 Category Range of Biomass (t/ha) Percentage of Area Coverage (%) Small, growing stands Mixed small & mature stands Mature, dense stands Mature & very dense stands

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23 3 FOREST STAND VOLUME ESTIMATION USING SATELLITE SAR IMAGERY Hamdan Omar & Khali Aziz Hamzah Geoinformation Programme, Forestry and Environment Division Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) Kepong, Selangor ISFFP October 2010, Legend Hotel, KL

24 Merchantable Volume (m^3/ha) Relationship Between ALOS Palsar Backscatter & Stem Volume y = e x R 2 = Forested area Backscatter Coefficient (L-HV, db) 0 Scatter plot that consists of measured stem volume and corresponding SAR signal from PALSAR image.

25 Chengal plot Kapur Kepong Botanic Garden Dip & Non-Dip Arboretum

26 4 TRAINING ON USE OF REMOTE SENSING FOR ASSESSING FOREST BIOMASS & CARBON STOCKS Geoinformation Programme, Environment and Forestry Division Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) Kepong, Selangor April 2010 FRIM, Kepong

27 Participants listening attentively to the lecture. Participants learning image sampling, modelling & mapping processes Participants brought to the site for field data collection. Participants learning the field data collection process.

28 A photograph of all participants and organisers.

29 A photograph of all participants and organisers.

30 5 CARBON STOCKS MONITORING ON PEAT SWAMP FOREST IN PENINSULAR MALAYSIA: TOWARDS REDD IMPLEMENTATION Proposed for MOA-ScienceFund 26 MEI 2010, FRIM

31 Objectives: i. To update and map the current extents of peat swamp forest in Peninsular Malaysia, ii. To quantify extents and changes of carbon stocks from year 2000 to 2010 on peat swamp forest, iii. To generate spatially distributed map of carbon stock on peat swamp forest over Peninsular Malaysia, and iv. To demonstrate the use of remote sensing techniques in carbon stocks monitoring for the REDD reporting.

32 Distribution of PSF in Malaysia: (i) Pahang (200,000 ha), (ii) Selangor (76,000 ha), (iii)terengganu (13,000 ha), (iv) Johor (13,000 ha).

33 Methodology Data acquisitions: A series of SPOT & ALOS PalSAR imagery (2000 & 2010) SPOT image (2000 & 2010) SAR image (2000 & 2010) Field inventory Image Classification Identification of PSF extents in both PRF & Stateland Image Classification Identification of PSF extents in both years Map preparation for peat swamp forests extents (2000 & 2010) Carbon Stocks Mapping - Using carbon stocks equation derived from inventory data and SAR signal Carbon stocks monitoring/mapping Plot-to-image sampling Development of carbon stocks model Carbon stocks changes assessment Validation & Verification Report preparations

34 Output Matrix Objectives Activities Expected Outputs To update and map the current extents of peat swamp forest in Peninsular Malaysia, To quantify extents and changes of carbon stocks from year 2000 to 2010 on peat swamp forest, To generate spatially distributed map of carbon stock on peat swamp forest over Peninsular Malaysia, and To demonstrate the use of remote sensing techniques in carbon stocks monitoring for the REDD reporting. Acquisitions of satellite and ancillary data Satellite image pre-processing Satellite image classification for delineating peat swamp forests Map preparation for peat swamp forests extents. Field inventory Plot-to-image sampling Development of carbon stocks estimation equation Carbon stocks monitoring Gather information derived from objective (i) and (ii) Carbon stocks mapping Carbon stocks changes assessment Validation & Verification A Geographic Information System (GIS) database comprise data layers that indicate previous, current, and changes of extents of peat swamps forests in Peninsular Malaysia, A model, which correlates ground measurement carbon stocks and SAR digital signal number. This model can be a carbon stocks predictor for all peat swamp forests in Malaysia and can be used to update or carbon monitoring in the future, Thematic maps that indicate previous, current and changes of stored carbon in peat swamp forests in Peninsular Malaysia, A project complete report, which will include the readiness for REDD. Report preparations

35 6 RESEARCH ON DEVELOPMENT OF FOREST CARBON MONITORING METHODOLOGIES FOR REDD+ IN MALAYSIA A Collaboration between: Forestry And Forest Products Research Institute (FFPRI), Japan & Malaysian Forestry Research & Development Board (MFRDB): Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM), Malaysia

36 The research aims the following outputs; i. Land-use and land-use change MRV by satellite remote sensing ii.forest carbon change MRV by combination of remote sensing and ground measurements iii.social and/or economic drivers of deforestation/forest degradation iv.guidelines for development of forest carbon change MRV systems for tropical forest countries

37 Methdology (Forest areai x Averaged carbon stocki) = Total carbon stocks Series of satellites data (Landsat TM/ETM+, SPOT XS, PALSAR) Changes in forest area of all forest types : Inland forest Peat Swamp forest Mangrove forest Plantations forest Biomass & Carbon stocks measurements from permanent sampling plots (PSPs) Changes in averaged stocks of all forest types Carbon stocks changes

38 REDD+ Malaysia s Perspectives

39 Malaysia s View on REDD

40 Are we Ready? Readiness is normally focused on the following national-level priority issues. Preparation of national strategies to reduce emissions through local stakeholder consultations, Institutional, technical, human capacity building, Designing/implementing Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) systems, and national forest carbon accounting systems, Developing national systems for determining baselines and Reference Emissions Levels, Transparent, equitable and accountable benefit sharing mechanisms, Developing safeguards and grievance mechanisms to protect the interests of forest communities and the poor Clarify national land, forest and carbon tenure rights.

41 Common threads and difficulties Inconsistency between criteria of the different programmes Excessive demand coupled with insufficient funds Incompatibility with national circumstances Conditions and eligibility criteria Calls for commitment to an as-yet undefined instrument

42 Issues It is very important to note that any notion of a cap on deforestation has deep and long-lasting implications for developing countries that: Have large and growing populations to feed May already have converted large forest areas (i.e to agriculture) for this purpose Need to convert land for housing, industry and infrastructure as identified as a priority in the Convention Need to eradicate poverty

43 Changes in forests land between 1980 and 2008 with projections to 2020 (Abdul Rashid et al. 2009)

44 Outstanding issues Degradation the second D in REDD Regulating the voluntary sector Aligning REDD with Adaptation Resolving competing claims on forests Reforming forest governance

45 Common activities causing forest degradation in the tropics include (GOFC-GOLD, 2008): Selective logging Large-scale and open forest fires Over exploited of non-timber forest products and wood for fuel Shifting cultivation and mining Challenge How do we measure forest degradation?

46 Use of remote sensing in MRV due to the forest degradation: Opportunity or challenge? (GOFC-GOLD, 2008)

47 Conclusion COP -13 in 2007 in Bali outlined possible alternatives to REDD as climate change measure: i. Role of conservation ii. Sustainable forest management (SFM) iii.enhancement of carbon stocks in developing countries Malaysia is now streamlining efforts and strategies towards conserving and managing it s forest on a sustainable basis. Malaysia feels that the definitions of deforestation needs to be broad enough to cover various levels and patterns of forest degradation.

48 Malaysia welcomes early discussion on REDD, which is widely recognized as a highly cost effective method of emissions reduction. In this regard, Malaysia would like to urge Parties to adopt a positive attitude in negotiations on this matter and support and facilitate the development of a simple and flexible mechanism that will benefit not only the developing countries but more importantly the global climate system.

49 REDD Long way to go

50 THANK YOU Photo: Hamdan O.