Use of DEMs data to estimate height changes due to Deforestation

Deforestation has been a major cause of the climate change. An accurate estimation of deforested area is needed for United Nations Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (UN-REDD+) policies implementation. The height of the deforested area was estimated using different digital elevation models (DEMs) in Cambodia. The Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission-Digital Elevation Model (SRTM-DEM), Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer Global Digital Elevation Model (ASTER-GDEM) and Panchromatic Remote sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping-Digital Surface Model (PRISM-DSM) data were calibrated using Ice Cloud and land Elevation Satellite Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (ICESat-GLAS) data. The results obtained from this study clearly showed the height of the deforested area. Field data has been used to validate the height of the cut-over forests, which shows ±5 m uncertainties in the estimation.