An example of Greg Asner's efforts to map rainforests using specialized equipment mounted on a plane:
Ed Yong explains the project's purpose:
Using the technology he's developed, Asner is mapping the shape and size of the trees, down to individual branches, from two kilometres above. He can measure the carbon stored in trunks, leaves and soil. He can even identify individual plant species based on the chemicals they contain. With wings and lasers, Asner is conducting one of the most ambitious ecology studies ever staged. He accumulates more data in a single hour than most ecologists glean in a lifetime. With this data, he aims to influence governments, steer the course of climate-change treaties and save the forests over which he soars.
Asner has teamed up with Google Earth, and a year from now they will launch a site for the public so that "if a tree falls in the forest, anyone with an internet connection will be able to hear it." More images from the project here.
The Dish 