David Voyer and his team are using LiDAR remote sensing to combat the decline of sugar maple in Quebec!
A study led by David Voyer, postdoctoral fellow at FFGG and member of CRMR, in collaboration with Guillaume Moreau, Alexandre Morin‑Bernard, João Paulo Czarnecki de Liz, and Alexis Achim (Université Laval), as well as Steve Bédard, Filip Havreljuk, and Pierre Grondin (Ministère des Ressources naturelles et des Forêts), sheds new light on the concerning decline of sugar maple at the northern limit of its distribution.
The team developed a pioneering approach using laser remote sensing (LiDAR), enabling the large‑scale detection of struggling stands. This method surpasses traditional techniques, which rely on time‑consuming manual sampling and are spatially limited.
By analyzing 425 trees across 16 stands located between Val‑d’Or and La Tuque, the researchers demonstrated a strong correlation between LiDAR data and actual growth measured in the field. The results reveal a general decline in growth over the past 25 years, while also showing variability depending on the site. Some stands, richer in young trees, show greater resilience, suggesting that targeted silvicultural interventions could slow or even reverse this decline.
This advancement provides a valuable tool for monitoring and sustainably managing sugar maple stands, contributing to the preservation of this ecological and economic emblem of Québec.
This innovative research was presented at the SilviLaser 2025 International Congress, held from September 29 to October 3 at the Québec City Convention Centre. This major scientific event serves as an international showcase for advances in laser remote sensing applied to the study, management, and conservation of forests.
Congratulations to David Voyer and the entire team for this major contribution to forest science and forest conservation.
To learn more about this research, visit ULaval News: Laser remote sensing to identify northern sugar maple stands in distress.