There is a wide range applicability of remotely sensed data in forestry including Forest Mapping and Area Estimation; Forest Density; Species Identifications; Stand Volume Estimation; Biomass Assessment; Geo-Referenced Digital Database Creation of Forest Boundaries; Mapping and Assessment of Forest Trees in Territorial Forest and Outside of Territorial Forest (TOF); Forest Plantations Monitoring; Encroachment in Forest Land; Identification of Habitations on Forest Land; Habitat Assessment for Wildlife Management; Study of Flora and Fauna; Biodiversity; Forest Fire Assessment and Monitoring; Generation of Geo-Spatial Map for Declaration of Eco-Sensitive Zone Around Protected Area; Generation of Geo-reference Data/Maps for Transfer of Reserve/ Protected Forest Area for Non-forestry Purposes; National Wetland Inventory and Assessment (NWIA); Water Quality Assessment; Integrated Studies for Sustainable Development; Development of Decision Support System for Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Programme; Studies on Impact of Thermal Power, Hydroelectric Project, Mining etc. The Remote Sensing Applications Centre, U.P. Lucknow has successfully completed many studies in Uttar Pradesh showing utility of satellite data and its potential in many aspects of forest management, forest monitoring, environmental studies and wildlife habitat assessment through its Forest Resources & Ecology Division. Objectives of the division are to carryout both Research & Development studies as well as operational projects on the aforesaid areas of applications. The Division has also coordinated and executed many integrated studies for natural resources management & data base creation. Important projects executed as follows:-
- Stock Mapping for Preparation of Forest Working Plans for Forest Divisions of Uttar Pradesh using Remote Sensing & GIS Techniques (Forest stock Mapping & Volume Estimation).
- National Wetland Inventory and Assessment (NWIA).
- National (Natural) Resources Information System (NRIS).
- Integrated Mission for Sustainable Development (IMSD)
- Development of Decision Support System for Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Programme (SSA).
- Assessment of Changes in Tree Cover Density Using High Resolution Satellite Data - A Case Study of Chak Ganjariya, Awadh Forest Division, Lucknow. (The study was carried out at the behest of Forest Department, U.P., and Lucknow Development Authority in compliance of OA No. 214/2017 We the People Through Gen. Secretary versus Union of India & Others of Hon’ble National Green Tribunal, New Delhi.)