Digital twins make future forests accessible to everyone

Work on building a digital twin of the world’s forests has reached its halfway point. Hopefully, in five years, researchers will complete an extensive digital model that will cover all the world’s forests.

Over the past five years, VTT has been developing a digital model of the world’s forests through various projects. The goal is to complete the digital forest twin for the digital globe being developed by the European Union Destination Earth program in five years. There are several important reasons for creating a global modelling system for forests.

“At the national level, there are several countries with outstanding models already being used in the extremely precise measurement of forest health and, for example, carbon stock. However, forests, global phenomena and environmental challenges are not bound by national borders. Tools that function in accordance with the same principles and standards, regardless of national borders, are needed for the understanding of the carbon balance of forests and estimating how climate change impacts it at the global level. Using this modelling system, the data on forests in different countries is reliable and comparable,” explains Matti Mõttus, principal xcientist at VTT in charge of developing the digital forest twin. 

Development in precision, artificial intelligence and satellite data

Before the digital model of forests is ready, several challenges must be tackled. For example, there is not enough comprehensive measurement data on the world’s forests. To fill this gap in data, researchers must use artificial intelligence-based methods, among others. In addition, the precision of the digital forest model still requires development.

“In the climate model, a single pixel encompasses several square kilometers of the Earth’s surface, including forest and other cover types. This is not sufficient for understanding many key aspects of forests, such as their commercial value, biodiversity, and the ecosystem services they provide. When the digital model of forests is completed, it can be used to analyze a forest anywhere in the world to an accuracy of even ten meters. Thanks to this degree of precision, we can make even better decisions based on real data, whether we’re dealing with carbon stock, biodiversity, or forest growth,” says Mõttus.

Satellite data will also further enhance and develop the accuracy of the system in the near future. European Space Agency (ESA) satellite missions ROSE-L, FLEX and CHIME will be heading to space in the next few years, and the objective is to harness the data they produce for use of the digital forest twin.

"Satellites use various technologies, such as hyperspectral imaging and longer-wavelength radar," explains Mõttus. "The data produced by the upcoming satellite missions will provide more precise information on, for example, deforestation, the biochemical composition of forests and the photosynthesis that indicates their vitality.”

Work proceeding step by step 

VTT is primarily responsible for the development of the digital forest twin. The entity is being constructed through projects in cooperation with other European actors. Over the next two years, work will be done in the Forest Digital Twin Component (DTC) project, which is headed by VTT and funded by ESA. Launched in November 2024, the project focuses on the modelling and analysis of forests using advanced computing and satellite technologies. In addition, the Forest DTC project is studying the suitability of the digital forest model for forecasting climate risks, such as wildfires and insect damage.

Development of the overall global digital twin is headed by ESA in cooperation with EUMETSAT and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). Says Mõttus, "It will allow us to use and combine data from different areas such as water bodies, glaciers, and forests to monitor the impacts of nature and human activity on our planet, forecast extreme weather, and come up with solutions to tackle climate-related challenges.

"Among the first to step into the world's forests will be decision-makers and researchers, but the aim is to expand its use to also include businesses, non-governmental organizations, and ordinary citizens. Access to future information helps us understand the impacts of our actions – both as a society and as individual forest owners."

Matti Mõttus is a principal scientist at VTT and can be reached at matti.mottus@vtt.fi. VTT is one of Europe’s leading research institutions. Owned by the Finnish state, VTT advances the use and commercialization of research and technology in commerce and society. Through scientific and technological means, VTT turns large global challenges into sustainable growth for businesses and society. Learn more at vttresearch.com.