Programme SmartForest 2025
SmartForest 2025 will take place on Thursday, 13 and Friday, 14 March 2025 at the Technical University of Munich in Freising.
A PDF-version of the conference programme can be downloaded here.
You can find a more detailed timetable here.
Further information about our speakers can be found here.
- In-Depth Sessions
- Digitising Forests
- Remote Sensing for Forest Condition Assessment and Inventory
- Remote Sensing for Essential Forest Information
- Deep Learning in Remote Sensing
- Research meets Practice
- Data Spaces as Digital Ecosystems
- Forests and Society
- Forest Modelling and Decision Support
- Outdoor Session
Keynotes
| Speaker | Presentation | Language |
|---|---|---|
| Prof. Dr. Rupert Seidl, TU Munich | Current challenges for forest management in Europe and ways forward | English |
| Dr. Ruth Dirsch, LWF Bayern | Bilder, Bilder, … – wozu wir in der Ressortforschung KI einsetzen | German |
| Martin Roth, Wood-In-Vision | Ein zäher Weg in die forstliche Praxis – Hindernisse zur Einführung moderner Technologien aus der Sicht eines Revierleiters | German |
Main Sessions
The main sessions will take place in the large hall with space for up to 150 participants. For each of our 4 thematic blocks – The Forest of Today | The Forest of Tomorrow | Digital Technologies | Forestry Practice – we have planned 1.5h long sessions with 3-4 presentations of approx. 15-20min length followed by a 30min panel discussion . In this way, we want to promote an intensive exchange among the participants.
The Forest of Today
Global changes are rapidly affecting our forests.
- How can we best survey the current condition of the forest?
- What are the current trends in terrestrial and remote sensing methods?
- Which of the many possible parameters are most relevant in practice?
| Speaker | Presentation | Language | Abstract |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prof. Dr. Fabian Fassnacht, FU Berlin | AI in Remote Sensing of Forests – challenges and opportunities | English | |
| Janusch Vajna-Jehle, University of Freiburg | deadtrees.earth: Crowd-Sourced Imagery and AI for Global Insights into Tree Mortality Dynamics | English | Download |
| Thomas Purfürst, University of Freiburg | Augmented Reality in der Forstwirtschaft – Potentiale, Stand der Technik und Herausforderung | German | Download |
The Forest of Tomorrow
In the coming decades, the changes within the forest will increase even more rapidly. This will pose new challenges to forest managers and owners.
- Which changes are to be expected?
- What can we do to prepare the forest for the future?
- What are the biggest issues and how can we solve them?
| Speaker | Presentation | Language | Abstract |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dr. Werner Rammer, TU Munich | Predicting the impacts of forest management under climate change | English | Download |
| Verena Arndt und Philipp Plamper, Hochschule Anhalt | MeineWaldKI: Ein KI-gestützter Citizen Science Ansatz zur Bestimmung des ökologischen Waldzustands | German | Download |
| Katja Kröner, University of Freiburg | Using close range remote sensing and radiative transfer modelling to assess the competition for light in European beech forests | English | Download |
Digital Technologies
The ever-increasing availability of large amounts of data and new technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence, provides opportunities for the forestry sector.
- Which possibilities exist to make the available data more useful and deliver it where needed?
- What new opportunities are arising thanks to the technological revolution?
- What is the most efficient way to integrate new technical methods into operational workflows?
| Speaker | Presentation | Language | Abstract |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thorsten Reitz, wetransform GmbH | Datenräume als digitales Ökosystem | German | |
| Frank Heinze, RIF | Was machen Digitale Zwillinge des Waldes im Datenraum | German | Download |
| Prof. Dr. Martin Ziesak, iFOS Gmbh + BFH-HAFL | KI für die Forstwirtschaft – von „Embedded AI“ und „generativen Forst-KI Plattformen“ | German | Download |
| Nancy Müller, Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe e. V | Einblicke in den Runden Tisch Digitalisierung –Herausforderungen, Lösungen und eine Vision für den Wald von morgen | German | Download |
Forestry Practice
Time is short. Forestry practitioners need the right tools and information to be available today in order to manage their current challenges.
- Which tools are already available?
- Where are the practical innovations?
- What is the most efficient way to record and communicate practical needs?
| Speaker | Presentation | Language | Abstract |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dr. Lars Waser, Eidgenössische Forschungsanstalt für Wald, Schnee und Landschaft WSL | Auf der Zielgeraden zu praxistauglichen fernerkundungsbasierten Produkten zum Wald | German | Download |
| Richard Georgi, OGF GmbH | Chancen und Hürden: Digitalisierung für kleine Waldbesitzer nutzbar machen | German | Download |
| Prof. Dr. Christian Rosset, Bern University of Applied Sciences | SmartForest als Werkzeugkiste von komplementären, einfachen und wirkungsvollen Tools für das Management der Waldökosysteme | German | Download |
In-Depth Sessions
In addition to the ‘Main Sessions’, there will be parallel ‘In-Depth Sessions’ in smaller seminar rooms (max. 20 participants), in which specific topics can be discussed in more depth.
The following sessions are planned:
Digitising Forests
| Speaker | Presentation | Language | Abstract |
|---|---|---|---|
| Priv. Doz. Dr. Francesco Voulo, BOKU Vienna | Augmented Reality meets Earth Observation | English | Download |
| Sarah Hauser, Munich University of Applied Sciences | Wald5Dplus | German | Download |
| Prof. Dr. Richard L. Peters, TU Munich | Interactive and Reproducible Data Processing for Forest Science: Addressing the Efficiency Gap | English | Download |
| Broghan Mareighd Erland, Newcastle University | A low-cost portable method for ground vegetation structural assessment using the iPhone 15 Pro lidar scanner | English | Download |
| Dr. Thomas Freudenmann, EDI | Knowledge Space: KI-basierte Wissensintegration in der Forstwirtschaft | German | |
| Caroline Scheele-Bild, Forstify GmbH | AR- & KI-gestützte Holzvermessung & medienbruchfreier Datentransfer. | German | Download |
Remote Sensing for Forest Condition Assessment and Inventory
| Speaker | Presentation | Language | Abstract |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simon Köfferlein und Andreas Wagner, Munich University of Applied Sciences | Kalamitätserkennung in deutschen Wäldern mittels Satellitenbildzeitreihen und maschinellem Lernen | German | Download |
| Dr. Adelheid Wallner, LWF Bayern | KI-basierte Schadensdetektion von Kronenschäden an Laubbäumen | German | Download |
| Dr. Rafael Reisenhofer, palos DE GmbH | Eine Vergleichsstudie zum Einsatz von terrestrischen Laserscans und Luftbildern in Forstinventuren | German | Download |
| Dr. Peter Saiger-Bonnas, ESRI Deutschland GmbH | Deep Learning Analysen in ArcGIS – Hochrisiko-Waldbrandgebiete identifizieren und Waldbrandrisiken minimieren | German | Download |
| Dr.-Ing. Patrick Höhn, University of Göttingen | Forest Science at the GWDG | German | Download |
Remote Sensing for Essential Forest Information
| Speaker | Presentation | Language | Abstract |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dr. Daniel Doktor, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research | The UFZ Forest Condition Monitor | English | Download |
| Philipp Eisnecker, FVA Baden-Württemberg | Project VorratAktuell | English | Download |
| Niklas Jaggy, University of Würzburg | Implementing a near-real time remote sensing monitoring system of forest disturbances in Bavaria, Germany | English | Download |
| Benjamin Lieberknecht, European Space Imaging | Utilizing 15 cm Satellite Data for Tree Analysis | English | Download |
| Amelie Mc Kenna, Thünen Institut für Waldökosysteme / FU Berlin | Ground-truthing of satellite-based forest condition products using precise tree positions | English | Download |
Deep Learning in Remote Sensing
| Speaker | Presentation | Language | Abstract |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dr. Julian Frey, University of Freiburg | How to create a state-of-the-art LiDAR tree species classification model using deep-learning? Lessons learned from the FOR-species data-science competition. | English | Download |
| Taimur Haider Kahn, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research | DeepTrees: Advancing Large-Scale Automated Tree Inventories with Deep Learning and Public Multispectral Imagery | English | Download |
| Jonathan Kölzow, FU Berlin | Large area tree species mapping from satellite image time series using transformer-encoders. | English | |
| Christopher Schiller, FU Berlin | An Attempt for Early Detection of Bark Beetle Infestations in Germany using Deep Learning and Sentinel-2 Time Series | English | Download |
| Dr. Mirela Beloiu Schwenke, ETH Zurich | TreeAI: a Global Database for Tree Species Annotations and High-resolution Imagery | English | Download |
| Kilian Hochholzer, TU Munich | Computer-vision based automated assessment of post-disturbance forest resilience | English | Download |
Research meets Practice
| Speaker | Presentation | Language | Abstract |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dr.-Ing. Chris Geiger, HSM Hohenloher Spezial-Maschinenbau GmbH | Assistenzsystem für eine teilautomatisierte Befahrung von Rückegassen | German | Download |
| Zezhou Wang | Automatisierte Forstinventur mittels baumbasiertem SLAM | German | Download |
| Richard Heitz and Moritz Camenzind, LWF Bayern | Den Wald der Zukunft gestalten wir in der Verjüngung – welchen Beitrag kann KI leisten? Wie kommen wir an Trainingsdaten? Projekt SANDRO gibt ein Beispiel aus dem Berg- und Schutzwald | German | Download |
| Dr. Peter Biber, TU Munich | Sustainably Bridging a Science-Practice Gap in Forest Management – The FeNEU Project | German | Download |
| Prof. Dr. Andreas Ligocki, Ostfalia | Digitale Transformation im Forst: Kostengünstige IoT-Sensorik für ein nachhaltiges Waldmanagement | German | Download |
Data Spaces as Digital Ecosystems
| Speaker | Presentation | Language | Abstract |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thorsten Reitz, wetransform GmbH | Forest Data Space – The Digital Ecosystem for the Forest | English | |
| Dr. Martin Hoppen, Institut für Mensch-Maschine-Interaktion (MMI), RWTH Aachen | Dataspace Forestry 4.0 – Networking Digital Twins in a dataspace to realize forestry processes | English | Download |
| Lennart Schinke, Institut für Mensch-Maschine-Interaktion (MMI), RWTH Aachen | Forestry Data Trustee – A data trustee to enhance data sharing in the forest-based sector | English | Download |
| Dr. Nina Krüger, M.O.S.S. Computer Grafik Systeme GmbH | Data Trustee Model for Horizontal Geospatial Data Spaces – InGeoDTM | English | Download |
Forests and Society
| Speaker | Presentation | Language | Abstract |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annika Vogel, Hochschule Anhalt | Wald und Gesellschaft: Erste Ergebnisse einer Studie zur Wahrnehmung von Wäldern durch die Öffentlichkeit | German | Download |
| Frank Thonfeld, DLR | Forest monitoring in Germany: User requirements and recent progress in the ForstEO project | English | Download |
| Henrike Wild, Hochschule Anhalt | FFH-Monitoring im Klimawandel: Ist das derzeitige Monitoring geeignet die Veränderungen durch den Klimawandel festzustellen? | German | Download |
| Arulmozhi Nambi Visweshwar, Hessisches Landesamt für Naturschutz, Umwelt und Geologie (HLNUG) | BuWaL-Hessen: Search space for Natura 2000 habitat types dominated by beech forests in Hessen | English | Download |
| Selina Ganz, FVA-BW | MoBiTools – Monitoring Biodiversity with remote sensing Tools | English | Download |
Forest Modelling and Decision Support
| Speaker | Presentation | Language | Abstract |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dr. Konstantin Gregor, TU Munich | Climate-smart forestry under uncertainty and external constraints in Europe | English | Download |
| Refiz Duro, AIT | AI4Trees Project | English | Download |
| Johannes Mohr, TU Munich | How structured forests cope with climate change | English | |
| Dr. Flaminia Catalli, wetransform GmbH | ProMCDA | English | Download |
| Dr. Somakanthan Somalingam, wetransform GmbH | FutureForest Decision Support System | English |
Outdoor Session
| Speaker | Vortrag | Sprache | Abstract |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christian Rosset, Hannes Horneber, BFH-HAFL | Smart Forest Toolbox: Mehrwert der Digitalisierung erleben – direkt im Wald nebenan | German | Download |