UF/IFAS will use lasers, artificial intelligence and satellite imagery this hurricane season to assess the impacts of storms on forests.  

The team within the School of Forest, Fisheries and Geomatics Sciences started the work last year and created a map that shows where Hurricane Ian wreaked the most havoc in terms of downed trees and broken limbs, according to an IFAS press release. The map is available to the public online.  

Carlos Silva, assistant professor of quantitative forest science, said the mapping helps timber managers make smart decisions when timing matters, like deciding where to start salvage logging operations.  

“Hurricanes pose a fundamental challenge for us in Florida,” Silva said in a press release. “The traditional way to assess the impact of hurricanes is basically going to the field, establishing plots and measuring trees. But if we’re thinking about large areas, it’s really time-consuming, therefore the traditional way of assessing impact of hurricanes on forest ecosystems is not efficient.”   

Silva and his team pooled data from different sources for the map of Hurricane Ian’s impact. Before and after the hurricane, the team can use lidar (light detection and ranging) technology from NASA satellites and remote sensing attached to all-terrain vehicles and people on the ground. Comparing the data sets, the team can detect missing branches from trees and areas of major impact.  

“We are in a new era for monitoring forests, thanks to these innovative remote-sensing and AI methods,” Silva said.   

Forecasters estimate this storm season to produce 23 storms, with 11 reaching hurricane status, according to Colorado State University. 

Silva’s research is funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The team included Kody Brock, Inacio Buena, Caio Hamamura and Monique Schlickmann.