A computer system for identifying the species of an item of vegetation comprises a memory that stores LiDAR data for selected item of vegetation and one or more species attribute templates that store data collected from different species and a processor that is configured to execute a sequence of programmed instructions that cause the processor to: identify coordinate positions and intensity values in the LiDAR data that are generated from an item of vegetation in response to being contacted with a LiDAR laser pulse identify a species of the item of vegetation by selecting a species attribute template with data that describes one or more attributes of a known species comparing attributes of the LiDAR data that a generated from the item of vegetation with the data stored in the selected species attribute template and identifying a species of the item of vegetation by determining a species attribute template that stores data that most closely matches the attributes of the LiDAR data that are generated from the item of vegetation. Further disclosed is a method of operating a computer system to process LiDAR data to identify the species of an item of vegetation comprising identifying with the computer system LiDAR data that are associated with an item of vegetation determining with the computer system, an average intensity of the LiDAR data associated with the item of vegetation selecting with the computer system, a hardwood or conifer species attribute template based on the determined average intensity of the LiDAR data associated with the item of vegetation and analysing with the computer system, the LiDAR data associated with the item of vegetation and the data in the selected species attribute template to identify a species that most closely matches the item of vegetation. The species attribute templates store data collected from different species.
