International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, Volume XXXIX-B8, 2012 
XXII ISPRS Congress, 25 August — 01 September 2012, Melbourne, Australia 
A CASE STUDY OF A FOREST CARBON STOCK MONITORING SYSTEM 
FOR REDD+ IN LAO P.D.R. 
M. Nasu**, T. Sano*, K. Oono*, Y. Wada?, R. Nakada?, T. Yamase?, S. Tomimura?, T. Furuya*, G. Matteo*, C. Kamusoko?, 
Y. Gomi ? , T. Isobe?,A. Iwata*, H. Moriike^, S. Hironaga?, T. Hosokawa?, T. Someya*, A. Wachi*, Khamma Homsysavath® 
* Asia Air Survey Co., Ltd., 1-2-2, Manpukuji, Asao-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa-ken, 215-0004, Japan - (mi.nasu @ajiko.co.jp) 
^ Forest Inventory and Planning Division(FIPD), Department of Forestry, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Lao P.D.R. 
Commission VIII, WG VIII/7 
KEY WORDS: . REDD-, tropical forest, carbon, MRV, land use/cover map, biomass class, reference level, tree height 
ABSTRACT: 
Various technical studies for building forest monitoring system for MRV system of REDD+ has been implemented utilizing satellite 
remote sensing technology and ground survey upon configuring two pilot study areas, at whole Louangphabang (LPB) province 
(approximately 20,000 km?) and in Bolikhmxai(BLK) province (approximately 4,400 km?) in Lao PDR. Multi-temporal land 
use/cover data were prepared for making analyses of deforestation and forest degradation caused by various driving factors, and to 
establish reference scenario for REDD+. In addition to ordinary method of forest carbon stock estimation based on the forest plot 
surveys, land use/cover maps and IPCC's emission factors (GOFC-GOLD, 2010), improved methods were studied introducing a 
concept of biomass classing derived from multispectral data and tree height measurement utilizing ALOS/PRIS stereo images, in 
order to reduce difficulty of field surveys at high altitude and steep mountain forest, especially in natural forest areas. 
First, multi-temporal land use/cover maps were prepared for two pilot study areas for analyzing deforestation and forest degradation 
of the subjected area. Then, the biomass level of “Current Forest” area of the land use/cover maps were classified into three classes 
as high, medium, and low applying spectral analyses of LANDSAT/TM and SPOT images, and based on visual interpretation 
results of pan-sharpened ALOS/AVNIR2 images in addition to limited number of field surveys as references. Matching accuracies 
were around 60% at this stage of study (This number improved to 85% at the later stage). Based on the field survey data, the forest 
carbon stock vs. tree height model was established, and furthermore it was related to the forest biomass classes. ALOS/PRISM 
images were used to measure heights at about 1,500 forest stands selected at 2 - 4 km grid intervals. Accuracy analyses showed that 
the standard deviation of the tree height measurement errors was approximately 4 - 5 m, but the mean value of the measured data 
were within 1- 2 m comparing to the field survey data. Finally, wall-to-wall, above-ground forest carbon stock estimation maps 
which would be useful for forest management and REDD+ were prepared. As a conclusion, it can be said that 3D measurement, in 
addition to multi-spectral information, of the forest provides useful information for monitoring forest carbon stock for REDD+ 
although further refinement of technologies is to be needed. And, the results and experiences obtained from the studies will provide 
useful data for establishing actual MRVsystem. 
1. INTRPDUCTION imple mentation Framework” was carried out in order to contribute to 
the early realization of the REED mechanism with cooperation of the 
  
REDD+ refer to efforts and initiatives for the reduction of greenhouse 
gas (GHG) emission through vigorously increasing forest carbon 
stocks based on reducing the deforestation and forest degradation and 
implementing afforestation programs and forest conservation in 
developing countries. It is anticipated that the reduction of GHG 
emissions enabled by such efforts can be treated as carbon credits in 
the same way as carbon credits from use of renewable energies and 
improvement of energy efficiency, and consequently be used for 
carbon offsetting, etc. 
À case study (Study) entitled “Study on the Strengthening of 
Methodological and Technological Approaches for Reducing 
Deforestation and Forest Degradation within the REDD 
Forest Inventory and Planning Division, Department of Forestry, 
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Lao PD.R., and Asia Air Survey 
Co. Ltd. (Japan), with a support of the Forest Agency, Ministry of 
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery, Japan, from 2009 to 2011. 
Objectives of the MRV(Measurement, Reporting and Verification) 
system in REDD+ are to measure and provide forest carbon stock data 
arising from REDD+ activities and valid enough for credit trading, etc. 
Outline and outcomes of the three year's study project are shown in 
Table 1. The scope of MRV in REDD+ mechanism is broad and 
complex. In this paper, results of remote sensing and photogrammetric 
analyses are mainly discussed. More detailed reports are given by Asia 
Air Survey (2011) and Kamusoko et al. (2011), etc.