Description

NASA’s GEDI lidar mission provides an extensive global sample of forest structure measurements and high-quality biomass estimates. Applying these measurements to practical carbon accounting requires extending mapped biomass information back in time so that current carbon gains under present management can be compared to past trends.

This intermediate-level training introduces key concepts in carbon monitoring, including system requirements, decision-making needs, and the concept of additionality. Participants learn how the OBIWAN application builds on GEDI’s model-based statistical framework and underlying data infrastructure to generate biomass change estimates, along with associated uncertainties, for user-defined areas and time periods. The training also covers validation approaches, including the use of U.S. Forest Service inventory data to assess the accuracy and precision of OBIWAN outputs.

Through hands-on activities, participants apply GEDI-based estimation methods, visualize footprint and gridded biomass products, and use the OBIWAN API to generate and analyze biomass change. Participants also explore how to compare carbon gains against business-as-usual scenarios, supporting practical, repeatable forest carbon monitoring and decision-making.

Prerequisites

• Fundamentals of Remote Sensing
• Spaceborne Lidar for Monitoring Vegetation Structure and Biomass using GEDI

Objectives

By the end of this training attendees will be able to:

• Identify fundamental characteristics of GEDI data and carbon monitoring, including data structure, uncertainty, and system requirements;
• Apply methods for estimating biomass and biomass change, including the integration of GEDI with Landsat time series and calibration with forest inventory data;
• Evaluate the accuracy and uncertainty of biomass estimates using validation data;
• Use OBIWAN tools and APIs to generate and analyze biomass change products, including visualizing results for user-defined areas and comparing carbon gains to different climate scenarios;
• Evaluate advantages and disadvantages of the footprint level versus gridded level GEDI biomass products to determine which data are appropriate for a given use case.

Target Audience

This training is designed for end users who are interested in improving their ability to monitor, manage, and understand vegetation dynamics, including impacts and disturbances. It is especially valuable for technical teams seeking to explore novel lidar technologies to integrate into existing workflows. The sessions are geared towards technical audiences, including scientists, researchers, analysts, and land managers who are already using geospatial tools to support vegetation-related management and decision-support. These participants may be involved in areas such as ecosystem extent and health assessments, carbon quantification, and conservation or restoration planning. It may also be valuable for geospatial developers looking to build applications to serve land managers, policymakers, and greenhouse gas verification standards.

Course Format

• The complete course consists of two 1-hour parts, with Part 1 offered on May 21 and Part 2 on May 28.
• On each day, there are two opportunities to take the course (one in English, one in Spanish):
  • English Session: 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. EDT (UTC-4)
  • Spanish Session: 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. EDT (UTC-4)
• Each part will include a 20-minute live Q&A.
• Those who attend Parts 1 & 2 and complete the homework by the due date will receive a certificate of attendance.

Part 1: Estimating Biomass using GEDI

Thursday, May 21, 2026

• About ARSET
• Training overview
• Introduction
• Overview of above-ground biomass
• Review of GEDI data structure
• Estimating biomass change
• Visualizing and generating biomass products
• Summary
• Q&A session

ARSET Instructor: Erika Podest (JPL/Caltech)

Guest Instructor: Sean Healey (USFS/USD

Part 2: Estimating Biomass Change with GEDI and the OBIWAN API

Thursday, May 28, 2026

• Part 1 Review
• Part 2 Introduction
• Section 1 – GEDI Mission Biomass Estimation: Theory and Products
• Section 2 – OBIWAN: Estimating Biomass Change with GEDI and Landsat Time Series
• Section 3 – Customizing OBIWAN through its API
• Summary
• Q&A Session

ARSET Instructor: Erika Podest (JPL/Caltech)

Guest Instructor: Sean Healey (USFS/USDA)