Large-scale dieback of ash trees (Fraxinus spp.), caused by the fungus Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, is posing an immense threat to forest health in Europe, requiring effective monitoring at large scales. We created a pipeline to combine hyperspectral imagery with field data and individual tree crown (ITC) segmentation to (1) identify ash trees in mixed species forests and (2) classify ash crowns according to dieback severity. Using the pipeline, species and ash dieback severity maps were successfully produced for forests near Cambridge, UK. In this session, we will present the results produced from the study and discuss potential applications of hyperspectral remote sensing in plant epidemiology and forest management.
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