My research focuses on modelling current and future risks associated with forest disturbances caused by bark beetles (Ips spp.) and forest fires in Finland.
The aim is to detect and predict forest changes by identifying key meteorological, environmental, and anthropogenic drivers. These disturbances pose ecological and economic risks, affecting forest health, biodiversity, and timber production. Methods include time series analysis, machine learning, and explainable AI, using open geospatial data, Sentinel-2 satellite imagery, and bark beetle monitoring data. Three work packages address: (1) drivers of forest fire severity, (2) expansion of Ips typographus under future climate, and (3) satellite-based detection of Ips acuminatus attacks. The project contributes to sustainable forest management and policy planning.
