Forest Biomass Mapping Work Started by MAPCAST and Forest Department | 29 Mar 2023

Why in News?

On March 28, 2023, Dr. GD Bairagi, Senior Principal Scientist, Madhya Pradesh Council of Science and Technology (MAPCAST) informed that setting a record in the field of science, MAPCAST, in collaboration with the Forest Department, has mapped forest biomass in order to innovate. has started the work.

Key points

• The special thing is that the results from this mapping done by MAPCAST will be calibrated and validation (Milan) from NISAR satellite data launched in January 2024. This satellite is part of the NASA ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) project launched under the joint auspices of NASA and ISRO.
• Senior Principal Scientist Dr. GD Bairagi said that mainly two bands L and S are being sent to the satellite. The data obtained from a one-hectare plot will be matched through the L band sensor of the satellite. It will be useful for forest biomass assessment for Madhya Pradesh. Now the mapping of biomass will also be able to be checked through satellite.
• Dr. Bairagi said that this work is being done by the team of Mapcast and ISRO. Narmadapuram district has been identified for mapping of forest biomass. Here mapping work will be done permanently on 10 plots of one hectare. Physical biomass mapping will be done once in a year on permanent plots. In this, biomass will be extracted by measuring the height, thickness, count of branches etc. of the tree.
• Dr. Bairagi said that the result obtained from this project will enable mapping of forest biomass through satellite, which will be used for forest and environment protection.