Estimating the Number of Trees in Margasari Mangrove Forests of Lampung Through Aerial Images Using Adaptive Thresholding and Contour Extraction Methods

Abstract

Estimating number of trees with field plots located in remote or inaccessible areas can be a costly and timely endeavor. Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) remote sensing allowing for the estimation of the forest vegetation offers an alternative to traditional ground-based forest measurements. It is an important supplement to traditional aerial and satellite remote sensing due to its flexible, fast and cost-effective capability for acquiring very high spatial resolution imagery. In this study, we explored the application of UAV to monitoring mangrove forests in Margasari Lampung Indonesia. Using the UAV, we collected aerial photos of the Margasari mangrove area. The adaptive thresholding and contour extraction methods were applied to measure the number of trees of the mangrove forest.