The use of aerospace methods for forest state assessment

Siberian forests occupy a significant part of the Asian continent. Their role as an essential component of the Earth's surface, biomass and oxygen producer is increasing annually. Expanded reproduction of taiga forests necessitated by the intensive development of Siberian productive forces, results in an evergrowing need of forest productivity constancy and increase. Proper forest exploitation is a crucial part of the solution of such important problems as the rational use of land and water resources, stable crop yields, and the creation of favourable conditions for human life.To solve these important economic problems, the Siberian branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences has devised a long-term programme of ecological monitoring of Siberian forest resources using aerospace techniques. The programme provides for the establishment and improvement of ecogeographical and physicotechnological principles of the remote sensing of forests and the development of fundamental forest-biological research based on new methodologies, the results of which are used to solve urgent forestry and nature protection problems. The research is carried out in the following major directions: studying spectral characteristics of forest vegetation for forest-state indication; thematic mapping of taiga territories; assessing biological productivity of natural complexes; environmental state monitoring; fire protection of forests; pest and disease control; developin instruments and methods for automatized aerospace data processing for real-time use.We consider forest-state monitoring to be one of the crucial tools in providing the optimum use of forest ecosystems for resource and ecological functions.