Tree counting is generally not possible once a plantation has reached canopy closure. At this stage, individual tree crowns overlap, making it difficult for satellite imagery to reliably distinguish one tree from another. As a result, accurate tree counts cannot be produced for mature plantations with closed canopies.
Tree counts are most effective earlier in the plantation lifecycle, before canopy closure occurs and while there is still clear separation between individual tree canopies. During this period, imagery and spatial analysis can identify and count individual trees with a much higher level of confidence.
For mature plantations, other forms of analysis remain valuable, such as canopy health assessment, change detection, harvesting monitoring, and long-term trend analysis. These insights continue to support management and planning, even when individual tree counts are no longer feasible.
Understanding when tree counts are viable helps ensure that the right analysis is applied at the right stage of the plantation’s development.