Radar image texture as a function of forest stand age

Data on forest variables are required for environmental and forest management applications. Numerous authors have shown significant correlations between mean radar response intensity and forest variables (age, height or biomass) but few studies have explored the spatial characteristics of the radar response for varying forest states. In this Letter, variation in the most commonly used texture features is shown as a function of an indicator of forest growth (age) for a controlled homogeneous test site (monospecific, even‐aged forest, with identical sylvicultural practices and a sampling that covers all forest stages from sowing to harvest). Significant linear relationships between some texture features and stand age are observed. Moreover, the quality of some fits indicates that texture could be used instead of the usual intensity–age relationships that saturate for mature stands.