Northwest German Forest Research Institute (NW-FVA)

The Northwest German Forest Research Institute (NW-FVA) is a joint research institution and service of the states of Hessen, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Schleswig-Holstein. The NW-FVA conducts practical forestry research and advises forest owners, forest enterprises, administrations and politics. It is responsible for 2.7 million hectares of forest, almost a quarter of the German forest area. In addition to forestry consulting, the NW-FVA's core competencies include long-term monitoring, applied research and knowledge transfer. Its tasks are oriented to the needs of forestry practice. Climate change, the globalization of markets and increased demands of society on forests are among the challenges of the present and the future. The resulting complex issues are addressed in interdisciplinary cooperation within the NW-FVA and with other research institutions in Germany and also throughout Europe.

Within the NW-FVA, the department **Remote Sensing and GIS** is the central service provider for all topics related to geodata. It is responsible for organizational matters such as the planning and execution of image flights, as well as for geodata management and processing. Practice-oriented research and process development are aimed at making GIS and remote sensing-based working methods accessible to forestry operations and forestry administrations. The department also advises and supports in questions of remote sensing and the use of geodata. The thematic focus is currently on the recording of biotic, abiotic or complex damage to forest stands as well as the collection of structural parameters including tree species identification.

Northwest German Forest Research Institute (NW-FVA)
Grätzelstr. 2
D-37079 Göttingen
Phon: +49 551 69401 0
Fax: +49 551 69401 160
www.nw-fva.de