In the heart of France, at the Université Paris-Saclay, a groundbreaking development is poised to revolutionize how we measure and understand our forests. Mubarak Mahmud, a researcher affiliated with both Université Paris-Saclay and the Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management at Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology in Nigeria, has led a team to create M-Tree, a mobile application that leverages geometric principles to measure tree height with unprecedented accuracy and accessibility.
Traditional methods for measuring tree height, such as using clinometers, often fall short due to terrain complexity, tree species variability, and operator dependency. Advanced technologies like LiDAR and UAVs, while precise, are costly and less accessible. M-Tree aims to bridge this gap by providing a user-friendly, cost-effective solution that can be used globally.
The app works by allowing users to capture images of trees and calculate their height using pixel-based markers. The results are then synced to a global database, creating a comprehensive repository of tree height and associated data. This database could be a game-changer for ecological research, forest management, and carbon sequestration assessments.
To validate the accuracy of M-Tree, the research team compared its measurements to those obtained using a Suunto clinometer across 85 samples of trees and non-tree objects. The results were astonishing. Both methods showed near-perfect correlations of 0.996 and 0.998, respectively, with root mean squared errors (RMSE) of 0.187 m for the clinometer and 0.192 m for M-Tree. “These results confirmed the M-Tree’s effectiveness for tree height estimation,” Mahmud stated, highlighting the app’s potential to broaden the geographic scope and accessibility of tree measurement data.
The implications of this research extend far beyond academia. For the energy sector, accurate tree height data is crucial for assessing carbon sequestration potential, a key factor in renewable energy projects and carbon offset initiatives. As Mahmud noted, “By making tree height measurement more accessible, we can enhance the precision of carbon sequestration assessments, which is vital for the energy sector’s sustainability goals.”
The development of M-Tree marks a significant step forward in the field of forestry and ecological research. By democratizing access to precise tree height measurement, this innovation could lead to more informed forest management practices, better ecological research, and more accurate carbon sequestration assessments. The potential for this technology to shape future developments in the field is immense, and its impact on the energy sector could be transformative.
The study was published in ‘Smart Agricultural Technology’, which translates to ‘Intelligent Agricultural Technology’ in English.
