Forest succession mapping for post-agricultural areas using Sentinel-2, PlanetScope imageries and LiDAR data

The research investigates the possibility of applying Sentinel-2, PlanetScope satellite imageries, and LiDAR data for automation of land cover mapping and 3D vegetation characteristics in post-agricultural areas, mainly in the aspect of detection and monitoring of the secondary forest succession. The study was performed for the tested area in the Biskupice district (South of Poland), as an example of an uncontrolled forest succession process occurring on post-agricultural lands. The areas of interest were parcels where agricultural use has been abandoned and forest succession has progressed. This paper indicates the possibility of automating the process of monitoring wooded and shrubby areas developing in post-agricultural areas with the help of modern geodata and geoinformation methods. It was verified whether the processing of Sentinel-2, PlanetScope imageries allows for reliable land cover classification as an identification forest succession area. The airborne laser scanning (ALS) data were used for deriving detailed information about the forest succession process. Using the ALS point clouds vegetation parameters i.e., height and canopy cover were determined and presented as raster maps, histograms, or profiles. In the presented study Sentinel-2, PlanetScope imageries, and ALS data processing showed a significant differentiation of the spatial structure of vegetation. These differences are visible in the surface size (2D) and the vertical vegetation structure (3D).