GIS Applications in Forestry - Forest Management

This course describes how the GIS technology can effectively and efficiently support forest planning and forest management. It helps to deal with the numerous objectives in forestry and their complexity. It introduces participants in the use of GIS tools in Forestry domain, thus overcoming i) weaknesses in methods development due to lack of data, ii) the unfamiliarity with the market needs and iii) the different areas of focus, that follow the academic courses approach.

The GIS Application in Forestry - Forest Management Module consists of 5 submodules, the first introduce a typical forestry GIS database, the second deals with forest mapping and attribute data collection, the third one demonstrates an advanced timber volume estimation method. The last two submodules present current issues from the field of forestry, namely the climate change impact in the forestry sector and the multi-objective forest management using a geospatial forest database.

The major format of the module is presentation slides, tutorials and lab practices.The slides are presented by instructors.

GIS Applications in Forestry - Forest Management consists of 5 submodules.

Module 1, Sub-modules (Theoretical and Lab sessions):

The main learning units are:

1. Forestry GIS database (spatial data is ready, learning materials should be developed)

• Relational forest stand database
• Forest management tasks with GIS
• Silviculture planning and execution, 10 year & annual thematic maps
• Harvest planning and execution, 10 year & annual thematic maps
• Queries: Cutting age, Timber volume

2. Forest Mapping & data collection (spatial data is ready)

• Satellite images (Sentinel), infrared orthophotos
• Outlining sub-compartments
• Updating existing forest maps: splitting, merging
• Attribute data and field data collection (GPS survey)
• Updating attributes: yield (year, h -> d, G, V)

3. LIDAR based timber volume estimation (spatial data is ready)

• Generating surfaces (percentiles), canopy height from LIDAR data
• Calculating heights, crown size
• Correlating with ground samples
• Estimating timber volume (regression)

4. Climate change (spatial data is ready)

• Determining current targeting stands (aux. table: climate, hidrology, genetic soil type, soil thickness, soil texture, tree species, yield)
• Determining climate category changes (prec, temp -> fuzzy -> climate)
• Determining future targeting stands (previous aux. table)
• Comparison of the yield production (yield difference * area)

5. Multiobjective forest management (it should be developed)

• Ownership and community interests
• Harvesting
• Protection (plants, vegetation, wildlife, habitat)
• Public welfare: tourism, hiking, biking
• Weighting: fuzzy logic, primary usage, other usage

GIS Applications in forestry module will provide students both with the required theoretical background and real-case experience and management. The participant will be able to have a complete understanding of the available GIS applications and techniques in Forestry, to use different aspects and methods, as well as to use complex tools and methods serving at the real-world cases they will have to cope with as professionals. More in detail, after completing this course they are expected to know: the structure of a forestry GIS database, LIDAR based timber volume estimation and also to understand: current issues, like climate change impact analysis, the concept of multi-objective forest management. Last but not least they will be able to do: spatial queries, forest mapping, spatial analysis among forest related coverages.

Students who are interested in GIS and Forest Management, , Policy makers.

Basic knowledge of ArcGIS, QGIS and Earth Observation technologies is required.

Powerpoint presentation, Pdf documents, shapefiles & image files.