ForestScan: a unique multiscale dataset of tropical forest structure across 3 continents including terrestrial, UAV and airborne LiDAR and in-situ forest census data

Abstract

The ForestScan project was conceived to evaluate new technologies for characterising forest structure and biomass at Forest Biomass Reference Measurement Sites (FBRMS). It is closely aligned with other international initiatives, particularly the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) Working Group on Calibration and Validation (WGCV) aboveground biomass (AGB) cal/val protocols, and is part of GEO-TREES, an international consortium dedicated to establishing a global network of Forest Biomass Reference Measurement Sites (FBRMS) to support EO and encourage investment in relevant field-based observations and science. ForestScan is the first demonstration of what can be achieved more broadly under GEO-TREES, which would significantly expand and enhance the use of EO-derived AGB estimates. We present data from the ForestScan project, a unique multiscale dataset of tropical forest three-dimensional (3D) structural measurements, including terrestrial laser scanning (TLS), unpiloted aerial vehicle laser scanning (UAV-LS), airborne laser scanning (ALS), and in-situ tree census and ancillary data. These data are critical for the calibration and validation of EO estimates of forest biomass, as well as providing broader insights into tropical forest structure. Data are presented for three FBRMS: FBRMS-01: Paracou, French Guiana; FBRMS-02: Lopé, Gabon; and FBRMS-03: Kabili-Sepilok, Malaysia. Field data for each site include new 3D LiDAR measurements combined with plot tree census and ancillary data, at a multi-hectare scale. Not all data types were collected at all sites, reflecting the practical challenges of field data collection. We also provide detailed data collection protocols and recommendations for TLS, UAV-LS, ALS and plot census measurements for each site, along with requirements for ancillary data to enable integration with ALS data (where possible) and upscaling to EO estimates. We outline the requirements and challenges for field data collection for each data type and discuss the practical considerations for establishing new FBRMS or upgrading existing sites to FBRMS standard, including insights into the associated costs and benefits. All datasets described in this study are openly available. The TLS, UAV-LS and ALS datasets are provided through the ForestScan Project Data Collection in the CEDA archive (https://doi.org/10.5285/88a8620229014e0ebacf0606b302112d, Chavana-Bryant et al., 2025l). Tree census and plot description data for FBRMS-01 (Paracou, French Guiana) are hosted in the CIRAD Dataverse (https://doi.org/10.18167/DVN1/94XHID, Derroire et al., 2025b). Tree census and ancillary data for FBRMS-02 (Lopé, Gabon) and FBRMS-03 (Kabili-Sepilok, Malaysia) are available via a ForestPlots.net data package (https://doi.org/10.5521/forestplots.net/2025_2, Chavana-Bryant et al., 2025k). Together, these repositories provide access to the complete set of datasets released as part of the ForestScan project.