deadtrees.earth

3Dtrees.earth is building the world’s largest open archive of 3D forest data. The platform collects LiDAR scans and point clouds of trees and forests from researchers, drone operators, and citizen scientists worldwide.

These datasets capture the three-dimensional structure of forests at very high detail, including tree height, crown architecture, and canopy complexity. Such information is essential for understanding forest biodiversity, carbon storage, and ecosystem functioning.

Users can upload terrestrial, drone, or airborne LiDAR data to the platform. Each dataset is automatically analyzed using AI models that detect and measure individual trees and forest structure. Contributors can explore the results in an interactive 3D viewer and help validate or refine the predictions.

The platform also provides practical services for contributors. Users can archive their datasets, document them with metadata, and publish them with persistent identifiers so they can be cited and reused by others.

Together, these contributions create a global reference dataset of forest structure. This archive supports the development of new AI models and satellite-based approaches to monitor forests, biodiversity, and carbon dynamics at regional to global scales.

Participants can explore 3D forest data online and contribute new datasets to help build a global infrastructure for understanding how forests grow, function, and respond to environmental change.