PhD Defence Yi Xu | Advancing urban tree mapping with airborne data and deep learning

Advancing urban tree mapping with airborne data and deep learning

Yi Xu is a PhD student in the Department of Natural Resources. (Co)Promotors are prof.dr. A.K. Skidmore and dr. T. Wang from the Faculty ITC.

Urban trees are essential for healthy and livable cities, providing shade, clean air, and habitats for wildlife. In the Netherlands, oak trees are especially important but also linked to health risks because they host the oak processionary caterpillar. This research developed new approaches that combine airborne laser scanning (LiDAR), aerial photographs, and artificial intelligence to automatically detect and map oak trees in urban areas. By improving how these data sources are aligned and integrated, the study produced more accurate maps and applied them nationwide, identifying over two million oak trees across more than a thousand Dutch cities and towns. The results support better monitoring of urban forests, risk management related to the caterpillar, and planning for greener, healthier, and more resilient urban environments, while also offering methods that can be applied internationally.