Understanding forest structure is essential for studying biodiversity, carbon storage, and ecosystem dynamics. A newly released dataset from the Remote Sensing and Geoinformatics group now offers an unprecedented level of detail: 121 forest plots across Europe have been captured using terrestrial laser scanning (TLS), all following the same measurement protocol and scanner system.

The dataset was developed with Miriam Herrmann as lead author, together with other members of the group. It covers a wide range of forest types—from pine and spruce stands to broadleaf forests—and provides millimeter-scale 3D information. In addition to point clouds, it includes derived products such as tree maps, terrain models, and associated climate data for each plot.

By combining high spatial resolution with methodological consistency, the dataset enables robust comparisons across sites and supports a wide range of applications in forest ecology, remote sensing, and environmental modeling. All data are openly available and harmonized to facilitate reuse.

Researchers and practitioners interested in the dataset are encouraged to explore it and get in touch.

Access the dataset: https://zenodo.org/records/18670608