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Savernake Forest lidar

Savernake Forest NMP project location The Savernake Forest NMP project was the first to use lidar (Light Detection & Ranging) as a primary source for the examination of an area largely covered in trees. Previous work with lidar in co-operation with the Forestry Commission and the Unit for Landscape Modelling – Cambridge University (ULM) in the Forest of Dean had shown the potential for lidar to penetrate canopies in mixed woodland and reveal features on the forest floor. It was hoped that the same would be possible at Savernake and this proved to be the case.

The lidar survey was commissioned by the Forestry Commission and flown by ULM in spring 2006 covering the core of the wooded area together with a slight overlap into the surrounding farmland.

Savernake Forest Digital Surface Model (DSM). © Peter Crow - Forest Research; Source Cambridge University Unit for Landscape Modelling March 2006

Savernake Forest Digital Surface Model (DSM). This image is derived from the first return of the laser pulse and shows the tops of all the trees in a similar manner to a standard aerial photograph.
© Peter Crow - Forest Research; Source Cambridge University Unit for Landscape Modelling March 2006

The data was provided to the Forestry Commission as processed Digital Terrain Models (DTMs) that represent the ground surface after all vegetation has been removed, so as to reveal features hidden beneath the forest canopy. These files were then further processed by staff within the Forestry Commission who provided image files to the Aerial Survey & Investigation team at English Heritage to interpret alongside the standard aerial photographs. Part of the aim of the project was to assess which features were visible just on the lidar, which just on photographs and which on both; to this end features were plotted from both sources and were compared at the end of the project before being combined into a single seamless record of the archaeology of the Forest.

Savernake Forest Digital Terrain Model (DTM). © Peter Crow - Forest Research; Source Cambridge University Unit for Landscape Modelling March 2006

Savernake Forest Digital Terrain Model (DTM). This image is derived from the last return of the laser pulse that has been filtered to remove all non-ground points and processed to show the ground surface beneath the canopy.
© Peter Crow - Forest Research; Source Cambridge University Unit for Landscape Modelling March 2006

A number of sites have been recorded which were previously unknown, together with significant additional detail being added to those few sites previously thought to exist within the Forest.

Lidar image of prehistoric enclosure in Savernake Forest derived from data provided by Cambridge University Unit for Landscape Modelling. © Peter Crow - Forest Research; Source Cambridge University Unit for Landscape Modelling March 2006

Lidar image of prehistoric enclosure in Savernake Forest derived from data provided by Cambridge University Unit for Landscape Modelling. The enclosure was previously known as a partial earthwork bank, but only its southern and western sides had previously been recorded and it was not realised that it was part of a larger enclosure.
© Peter Crow - Forest Research; Source Cambridge University Unit for Landscape Modelling March 2006

The images used on this page are copyright English Heritage unless specified otherwise. For further details of any photographs or other images and for copies of these, or the plans and reports related to the project please contact the English Heritage Archive.

For further information on a project or any other aspect of the work of the Aerial Survey team please contact us by email via the link above.