Anthropogenic Landforms Derived from LiDAR Data in the Woodlands near Kotlarnia (Koźle Basin, Poland)

Abstract

Unlike farmland or urban areas, forests have long been regarded as environments that favour the preservation of valuable geological and historical sites. However, due to invasive forestry methods, the implementation of large investment projects and the development of mining, they are increasingly no longer safe spaces for the relics of human activities recorded in landforms. Data collection, including using LiDAR technology, presents an opportunity to preserve knowledge about these landforms. Through the analysis of shaded images of a 37-hectare woodland area near Kotlarnia, landforms of various ages documenting 21 different human activities were identified, including remnants of reforestation activities, the expansion and modification of hydraulic structures and road infrastructure, charcoal burning and tar distilling, exploitation of mineral resources and military activities. The results of the remote sensing work were verified in the field.