Author(s)

Mwangi James Kinyanjui^1,2*, Ngugi John Kigomo³, Kamau Miriam Wambui^1,4, Nderitu Joel Kariuki^1,4, Nyanjui Charles^1,4, Nganga John Macharia^1,4, Ojijo William Odidi^1,4, Ashiono Fredrick^1,4, Owate Augustine Omamo^1,4, Ndirangu Monicah Katumbi^1,4

¹Department of Forestry, School of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, Karatina University, Karatina, Kenya.
²Department of Resource Surveys and Remote Sensing, Nairobi, Kenya.
³Kenya Forest Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya.
⁴Kenya Forest Service, Nairobi, Kenya.

This study was designed to use LiDAR data to research tree heights in montane forest blocks of Kenya. It uses a completely randomised block design to asses if differences exist in forest heights: 1) among montane forest blocks, 2) among Agro ecological zones (AEZ) within each forest block and 3) between similar AEZ in different forest blocks. Forest height data from the Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) on the Ice Cloud and Land Elevation Satellite (ICE-SAT) for the period 2003-2009 was used for 2146 circular plots, of 0.2 - 0.25 ha in size. Results indicate that, tree height is largely influenced by Agro ecological conditions and the wetter zones have taller trees in the upper, middle and lower highlands. In the upper highland zones of limited human activity, tree heights did not vary among forest blocks. Variations in height among forest blocks and within forest blocks were exaggerated in regions of active human intervention.

Montane Forests, Tree Height, Agro Ecological Zones

Kinyanjui, M. , Kigomo, N. , Wambui, K. , Kariuki, N. , Charles, N. , Macharia, N. , Odidi, O. , Fredrick, A. , Omamo, O. and Katumbi, N. (2015) Comparing Tree Heights among Montane Forest Blocks of Kenya Using LiDAR Data from GLAS. Open Journal of Forestry, 5, 80-89. doi: 10.4236/ojf.2015.51009.