Riparian ecotone from LiDAR

The link: Access the data directory is available in the sectionDataset Description Sheets; Additional Information. In 2020, the Forest Inventory Directorate of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests (MRNF) began the production of vector layers of riparian ecotones. This type of layer is produced using a series of geomatic tools that use the canopy height model (MHC) and the topographic humidity index (TWI) produced from aerial LiDAR, as well as data from the ecoforest map of southern Quebec. The development of the tools and their configuration were carried out in collaboration with the forest hydrology laboratory at Laval University. The layer thus produced aims to delimit riparian ecotones, which are defined as [_ “a transition zone between the aquatic environment and the forest, characterized by muscinal, herbaceous or shrubby vegetation in wetlands and sometimes including a few scattered trees” _] (https://mffp.gouv.qc.ca/RADF/guide/chapitre-i/article-1/). The layer produced defines the area where a significant change in tree heights is observed on the MHC LiDAR. However, if deforestation, agricultural fields, or natural disturbances are adjacent to a body of water, no…

Publisher

Government and Municipalities of Québec

Resources

7

Catalogue metadata updated

2026-09-09