ForestSplat: Proof-of-Concept for a Scalable and High-Fidelity Forestry Mapping Tool Using 3D Gaussian Splatting

The Ocean Foundation’s Blue Resilience Initiative collaborated on a proof-of-concept, led by Coolant, that introduces a new accurate and affordable forest mapping tool, ForestSplat. The team evaluated their approach by mapping and reconstructing a 200-acre mangrove restoration project in the Aguirre State Forest, Puerto Rico. ForestSplat is designed to be scalable and provide higher-quality maps and forest modeling than many current, more expensive methods. The study shows how ForestSplat could be used to help with carbon credit-based reforestation projects, conservation, and research.