Difference between revisions of "EMDS"

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{{DSS description, Identification
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{{DSS, Wiki quality control
|Acronym=EMDS
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|Has flag=N/A
|Name=Ecosystem Management Decision Support System
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|Contact person=Keith M Reynolds
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|Contact email=kreynolds@fs.fed.us
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|Type of the owner organization=non-profit organisation
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|Website=http://www.institute.redlands.edu/emds/
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|Description=The system provides decision support for landscape-level analyses through logic and decision engines integrated with the ArcGIS geographic information system. The NetWeaver logic engine evaluates landscape data against a formal logic specification designed in the NetWeaver Developer system, to derive logic-based interpretations of ecosystem conditions. The decision engine evaluates NetWeaver outcomes, and data related to the feasibility and efficacy of land management actions, against a decision model for prioritizing landscape features built with its development system, Criterium DecisionPlus. CDP models implement the analytical hierarchy process, the simple multi-attribute rating technique, or a combination of the two methods. The system has been used in a high variety of applications
+
|References=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecosystem_Management_Decision_Support
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|Development start year=1995
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|Institutional framework=other
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|size=User access control= Team profiles= Software development methods=
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|participating in specification=
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}}
 
}}
{{DSS description, FORSYS problem types classification
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{{DSS, Name, responsible organisation and contact person
|Temporal scale=long term (strategic), medium term (tactical)
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|Has full name=Ecosystem Management Decision Support System
|Spatial context=spatial with no neighbourhood interrelations
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|Has acronym=EMDS
|Spatial scale=regional/national level, forest level, stand level
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|Has wiki contact person=Keith M Reynolds
|Decision making dimension=single decision maker, more than one decision maker/stakeholder
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|Has wiki contact e-mail=kreynolds@fs.fed.us
|Objectives dimension=single objective, multiple objectives
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|Goods and services dimension=market non-wood products, market wood products, market services, non-market services
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|size=User access control= Team profiles= Software development methods=
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|participating in specification=
+
 
}}
 
}}
{{DSS description, Utilisation scope
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{{DSS, Software identification
|Status=upgraded/updated recently)
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|Has software=EMDS.Software
|User profile=private legal entities (cooperatives, corporations, trusts, partnerships, public land managers (i.e. state-owned, federal, cantonal, communal forests), national forest administration, NGO, service providers, local communities, local administration
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|Initial deployment effort=<= 1 month
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|Adaptation effort=parametrised by the user
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|Maintenance organization=University of Redlands (Redlands, CA)
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|User support organization=University of Redlands (Redlands, CA)
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|Support team size=5
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|Number of real-life applications=>100
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|Last utilisation year by users=2011
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|Typical use case=Logic-based evaluation of landscape condition. Topic of analysis defined by user. Scale of analysis set by user. Second stage sets priorities for landscape units. MCDM for priorities defined by user.
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|Number of users=>100
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|Utilisation in education=presentation/demo
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|Manual=Yes
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|Accessibility=restricted access
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|Online demo=http://www.institute.redlands.edu/emds/
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|Deployment cost=<= 10‘000€
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|Installation requirements=Windows XP or higher; ArcGIS 9.3 or higher
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|Country=Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, France, Germany, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Taiwan, United Kingdom, United States
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|Last utilised in education=Unknown
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|size=User access control= Team profiles= Software development methods=
+
|participating in specification=
+
 
}}
 
}}
{{DSS description, Functional description
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{{DSS, Description
|Species=any
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|Has description=The system provides decision support for landscape-level analyses through logic and decision engines integrated with the ArcGIS geographic information system. The NetWeaver logic engine evaluates landscape data against a formal logic specification designed in the NetWeaver Developer system, to derive logic-based interpretations of ecosystem conditions. The decision engine evaluates NetWeaver outcomes, and data related to the feasibility and efficacy of land management actions, against a decision model for prioritizing landscape features built with its development system, Criterium DecisionPlus. CDP models implement the analytical hierarchy process, the simple multi-attribute rating technique, or a combination of the two methods. The system has been used in a high variety of applications.
|Silvicultural regime=user defined
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|Has modelling scope=user defined
|Forest management goal=user defined
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|Has temporal scale=Long term (strategic), Medium term (tactical), Short term (operational)
|Risk evaluation=user defined
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|Has spatial context=Spatial with neighbourhood interrelations, Spatial with no neighbourhood interrelations
|Input data requirements=user defined
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|Has spatial scale=Forest level, Regional/national level, Stand level
|Modelling dimension=user defined
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|Has objectives dimension=Multiple objectives, Single objective
|Planning scenario=what-if analysis, testing performance of multiple alternative management strategies
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|Has goods and services dimension=Market non-wood products, Market services, Market wood products, Non-market services
|Parameterised GUI=No
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|Has decision making dimension=More than one decision maker, More than one decision maker/stakeholder, Single decision maker
|size=User access control= Team profiles= Software development methods=
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|Has forest management goal=multi-functional, user defined
|participating in specification=
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|Supports silvicultural regime=user defined
 
}}
 
}}
{{DSS description, Models and techniques to support decision making
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{{DSS, Concrete application
|Optimisation algorithm=N/A
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|Has typical use case=Logic-based evaluation of landscape condition. Topic of analysis defined by user. Scale of analysis set by user. Second stage sets priorities for landscape units. MCDM for priorities defined by user.
|MCDM methods=Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP)
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|Has user profile=public land managers (i.e. state-owned / federal / cantonal / communal forests), national forest administration, NGO, service providers, local communities, local administration
|Knowlegde management methods=knowledge mapping, expert system, artificial intelligence
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|Has country=United States
|Forest models=N/A
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|Has references about examples of application=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecosystem_Management_Decision_Support
|Ecological models=N/A
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|Has number of users=>100
|Social models=N/A
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|Has number of real-life applications=>100
|Data mining=N/A
+
|Has utilisation in education=N/A
|Uncertainty evaluation=fuzzy Logic
+
|Has research project reference=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecosystem_Management_Decision_Support
|2D map interface=Yes
+
|Has tool dissemination=System downloaded from website; training available on request
|3D map interface=No
+
|size=User access control= Team profiles= Software development methods=
+
|participating in specification=
+
 
}}
 
}}
{{DSS description, Support for knowledge management processes
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{{DSS, Decision support techniques used in the DSS
|Tool dissemination=System downloaded from website; training available on request
+
|Has decision support techniques=EMDS.Decision support techniques
|Supported KM processes=Knowledge Identification, Knowledge Generation, Knowledge Assessment, Knowledge Transfer
+
|Has knowledge management processes=EMDS.Knowledge management process
|Integrated KM techniques to identify and structure knowledge=Knowledge mapping (e.g. concept map / mind map / ontology), Database
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|Integrated KM techniques to analyze and apply knowledge=Expert system (e.g Knowledge Based Systems), Artificial Intelligence
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|KM tools used during the development of the DSS=Knowledge mapping, Expert System, Artificial Intelligence
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|Kind of knowlegde and information processed=Explicit Knowledge, Tacit Knowledge, Declarative knowledge
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|size=User access control= Team profiles= Software development methods=
+
|participating in specification=
+
 
}}
 
}}
{{DSS description, Support for participatory planning|size=User access control= Team profiles= Software development methods=
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{{DSS, Support of Knowledge Management
|participating in specification=
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|Has knowledge management processes=EMDS.Knowledge management process
 +
|Has support for social participation=EMDS.Support of social participation
 
}}
 
}}
{{DSS description, Development process
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{{DSS, Support of social participation
|Number of forest specialists in the development team=1
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|Has support for social participation=EMDS.Support of social participation
|Development team size=6
+
|User-friendliness of GUI=Number of developer months= Development cost=
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|Percentage of HR cost=Technical documentation= Number of users on
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|Technical documentation=No
+
|size=User access control= Team profiles= Software development methods=
+
|participating in specification=
+
 
}}
 
}}
{{DSS description, IT environment & IT requirements
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{{DSS, DSS development
|Scalability=No
+
|Has DSS development=EMDS.Description of DSS development
|size=User access control= Team profiles= Software development methods=
+
|participating in specification=
+
 
}}
 
}}
{{DSS description, Commercial information
+
{{DSS, Documentation
|Can be used commercially=No
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|Has website=http://www.institute.redlands.edu/emds/
|size=User access control= Team profiles= Software development methods=
+
|Has online demo=http://www.institute.redlands.edu/emds/
|participating in specification=
+
|Has manual=Yes
 +
|Has technical documentation=No
 +
}}
 +
{{DSS, Non-wood forest products
 +
|Has NWFP support=EMDS.nwfp
 
}}
 
}}
== General System description ==
 
 
System name: Ecosystem Management Decision Support
 
 
Acronym: EMDS
 
 
=== Brief overview ===
 
The Ecosystem Management Decision Support (EMDS) system is a general solution framework for knowledge-based decision support of ecological assessments at any geographical scale.
 
 
[[Category:Decision support system]]
 
[[Category:USA DSS]]
 
[[Category:Spatial DSS]]
 
[[Category:Multipurpose DSS]]
 
[[Category:National level]]
 
[[Category:Regional level]]
 
[[Category:Stand level]]
 
[[Image:EMDS_logo2.jpg|thumb|EMDS 4.0 logo]]
 
 
__TOC__
 
 
=== Scope of the system ===
 
The system provides decision support for landscape-level analyses through logic and decision engines integrated with the ArcGIS geographic information system. The NetWeaver logic engine evaluates landscape data against a formal logic specification designed in the NetWeaver Developer system, to derive logic-based interpretations of ecosystem conditions. The decision engine evaluates NetWeaver outcomes, and data related to the feasibility and efficacy of land management actions, against a decision model for prioritizing landscape features built with its development system, Criterium DecisionPlus. CDP models implement the analytical hierarchy process, the simple multi-attribute rating technique, or a combination of the two methods. The system has been used in a high variety of applications<ref>REYNOLDS, K.M., M. TWERY, M.J. LEXER, H. VACIK, D. RAY, G. SHAO et J.G. BORGES (2008): Decision Support Systems in Forest Management. In BURSTEIN, F. et C. W. HOLSAPPLE (Eds.): ''Handbook on Decision Support Systems 2: Variations''. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. pp 499-533.</ref>.
 
 
=== System origin ===
 
 
* EMDS was initially developed by the US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service under the direction of Dr. Keith M Reynolds (Pacific Northwest Research Station).
 
* Through version 3, the system was developed by the Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) under federal government contract. 
 
* EMDS development is now maintained by a private, non-profit development consortium hosted by the [http://www.institute.redlands.edu Redlands Institute]. The core of EMDS remains in the public domain, but commercial products are used in conjunction with EMDS to support model development (see Related systems).
 
* There are numerous real-life applications of the system. Visit [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecosystem_Management_Decision_Support the EMDS page] on Wikipedia for a list of EMDS applications and associated publications.
 
 
=== Support for specific issues  ===
 
EMDS is a general solution framework, designed to support a wide variety of applications at any, or multiple spatial scales.
 
 
=== Support for specific thematic areas of a problem type  ===
 
Typical areas of application include, but are not limited to, the following:
 
* Silviculture
 
* Certification
 
* Conservation
 
* Restoration
 
* Transportation
 
* Development choices / land use zoning
 
* Policy/intervention alternatives
 
* Sustainability impact assessment (SIA)
 
 
=== Capability to support decision making phases  ===
 
* Design. User-designed logic models are used to assess the state of a system (e.g., watershed condition or wildfire potential).
 
* Choice. User-desigend decision models are used to set priorities for management activities among landscape elements.
 
* Monitor. The specifications of the logic and decision models collectively define the monitoring requirements needed to support a decision process.
 
* Repeated application of a logic model over time can be used to support change detection and plan performance.
 
 
=== Related systems  ===
 
EMDS is an extension to [http://www.esri.com ArcMap], and is also available in a stand-alone edition built on ArcEngine.
 
 
The system uses the logic engine of [http://rules-of-thumb.com NetWeaver Developer], which is a knowledge-based decision-support system for logic-based inference. NetWeaver Developer is used to design the logic models used by EMDS.
 
 
The system also uses the decision engine of [http://www.infoharvest.com  Criterium DecisionPlus], which implements the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Simple Multi-Attribute Rating Technique (SMART) to support resource allocation decisions. CDP is used to design the decision models used by EMDS.
 
 
Projects are stored as either SQL Server of Microsoft Access databases, and spatial data are stored in ArcGIS file geodatabases.
 
 
== Data and data models ==
 
 
=== Typical spatial extent of application  ===
 
Spatial scale of an EMDS application is user defined, and with multiple scale interaction (projects can accommodate multiple scales of potentially linked assessments).
 
 
=== Forest data input  ===
 
Data inputs are user defined. Data may represent biophysical, social, economic, or political attributes of a landscape unit.
 
 
Units of observation may be forests, stands, points (e.g., individual tree), lines (e.g., roads and streams), or any other GIS (vector) feature class (e.g., region, province, ecotype, etc.). 
 
 
Raster data sets are not currently supported.
 
 
=== Type of information input from user (via GUI) ===
 
The user specifies what GIS layers are to be included in a specific assessment, and which logic and decision models are to be run against the specified set of layers.
 
 
Data provided to logic models can be edited "on the fly" by users in scenarios.
 
 
Both the logic and decision components of the system attempt to automatically match attribute field names from the input layers to model data-input fields. Dialog windows in each component present the resulting field mapping to the user for verification and, if necessary, editing.
 
 
== Models ==
 
All logic and decision models used by the system are user defined.
 
 
Logic models are designed in [http://rules-of-thumb.com NetWeaver Developer].
 
 
Decision models are designed in [http://www.infoharvest.com  Criterium DecisionPlus].
 
 
== Decision Support ==
 
 
=== Typical temporal scale of application ===
 
* Operational planning (least common)
 
* Tactical planning
 
* Strategic planning (most common)
 
 
=== Types of decisions supported  ===
 
*Management level
 
**strategic decisions
 
**administrative decisions
 
**operating control decisions
 
* Management function
 
* planning decisions
 
**organizing decisions
 
**command decisions
 
**control decisions
 
** coordination decisions
 
*decision making situation
 
**unilateral
 
** collegial
 
**Bargaining / participative decision making
 
 
=== Decision-making processes and models ===
 
*Logic modeling
 
*Multiple criteria/ranking
 
 
== Output ==
 
 
=== Types of  outputs ===
 
* Maps
 
* Graphs
 
* Tables
 
 
=== Spatial analysis capabilities  ===
 
* The full geoprocessing capabilities of ArcMap are available in the ArcMap edition of EMDS.
 
* A limited set of geoprocessing features needed to support the basic functionality of the system (e.g., overlays) are available in the stand-alone edition of EMDS.
 
 
=== Abilities to address interdisciplinary, multi-scaled, and political issues  ===
 
* Evaluate interactions between different basic information types (biophysical, economic, social).
 
*Produce coordinated results for decision makers operating at different spatial scales.
 
*Facilitate social negotiation and learning.
 
 
== System ==
 
 
=== System requirements  ===
 
* Operating Systems: Windows (XP, Vista, and Win7)
 
* Other software needed
 
** ArcMap for the ArcMap edition or ArcEngine for the standalone edition.
 
** NetWeaver Developer
 
** Criterium DecisionPlus
 
* Development status: version 4.1 released in December 2009.
 
 
=== Usage ===
 
* Federal and university research
 
* Federal, provincial, and local government
 
* Non-governmental organizations (e.g., conservation organizations)
 
 
=== Computational limitations ===
 
Output tables from logic models are limited to 4096 fields.
 
 
Number of records is only limited by user hardware.
 
 
=== User interface ===
 
The user interface in the stand-alone edition is highly intuitive and implements the Microsoft Windows workflow paradigm (e.g., tabs and ribbons). The user interface in the ArcMap edition is somewhat more abstract, but likely not a problem for users accustomed to ArcMap.
 
 
=== Documentation and support ===
 
The system includes an online help system and detailed tutorials.
 
 
Additional support can be obtained from the [http://institute.redlands.edu/emds user forum ].
 
 
=== Installation and training ===
 
* Prerequisite knowledge. Three levels of prerequisite knowledge can be distinguished for using the system:
 
** Basic. User only needs to know how to use an application that is already built. Training time for this level is less than one hour.
 
** Intermediate. Logic and decision models already exist for the project, but the application needs to be assembled. Training time for this level is about three hours, assuming the user has GIS technical support available.
 
**Advanced. An application is to be built from scratch, starting with design of logic and decision models. Training time for this level requires about two days to achieve basic competency in the overall process.
 
* Cost:
 
** The EMDS core currently is free, and there is no runtime licensing requirement for the logic and decision engines.
 
** Contact [http://rules-of-thumb Rules of Thumb] for pricing on NetWeaver Developer.
 
** Contact [http://www.infoharvest.com InfoHarvest] for pricing on Criterium DecisionPlus.
 
* Trial versions of the commercial products:
 
** Criterium DecisionPlus is available in a fully functional student version (maxiumum model size is limited to 20 objects).
 
** NetWeaver Developer is distributed as fully functional "annoyance-ware."
 
 
== References ==
 
Please visit [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecosystem_Management_Decision_Support the EMDS page] on Wikipedia for a list of EMDS applications and associated publications.
 
 
=== Cited references ===
 
<references/>
 
 
===External resources===
 
[http://www.institute.redlands.edu/emds EMDS web site]
 

Latest revision as of 18:21, 17 October 2013

Wiki quality control

Has flag N/A

Name, responsible organisation and contact person

Has full name Ecosystem Management Decision Support System
Has acronym EMDS
Has wiki contact person Keith M Reynolds
Has wiki contact e-mail kreynolds@fs.fed.us

Software identification

Has software EMDS.Software

Description

Has description The system provides decision support for landscape-level analyses through logic and decision engines integrated with the ArcGIS geographic information system. The NetWeaver logic engine evaluates landscape data against a formal logic specification designed in the NetWeaver Developer system, to derive logic-based interpretations of ecosystem conditions. The decision engine evaluates NetWeaver outcomes, and data related to the feasibility and efficacy of land management actions, against a decision model for prioritizing landscape features built with its development system, Criterium DecisionPlus. CDP models implement the analytical hierarchy process, the simple multi-attribute rating technique, or a combination of the two methods. The system has been used in a high variety of applications.
Has modelling scope user defined
Has temporal scale Long term (strategic), Medium term (tactical), Short term (operational)
Has spatial context Spatial with neighbourhood interrelations, Spatial with no neighbourhood interrelations
Has spatial scale Forest level, Regional/national level, Stand level
Has objectives dimension Multiple objectives, Single objective
Has related DSS
Has goods and services dimension Market non-wood products, Market services, Market wood products, Non-market services
Has decision making dimension More than one decision maker, More than one decision maker/stakeholder, Single decision maker
Has forest management goal multi-functional, user defined
Supports tree species
Supports silvicultural regime user defined

Concrete application

Has typical use case Logic-based evaluation of landscape condition. Topic of analysis defined by user. Scale of analysis set by user. Second stage sets priorities for landscape units. MCDM for priorities defined by user.
Has user profile public land managers (i.e. state-owned / federal / cantonal / communal forests), national forest administration, NGO, service providers, local communities, local administration
Has country United States
Has references about examples of application http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecosystem_Management_Decision_Support
Has number of users >100
Has number of real-life applications >100
Has utilisation in education N/A
Has research project reference http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecosystem_Management_Decision_Support
Has tool dissemination System downloaded from website; training available on request

Decision support techniques used in the DSS

Has decision support techniques EMDS.Decision support techniques

Support of Knowledge Management

Has knowledge management processes EMDS.Knowledge management process

Support of social participation

Has support for social participation EMDS.Support of social participation

DSS development

Has DSS development EMDS.Description of DSS development

Documentation

Has website http://www.institute.redlands.edu/emds/
Has online demo http://www.institute.redlands.edu/emds/
Has manual Yes
Has technical documentation No
Has reference

Non-wood forest products

Has NWFP support EMDS.nwfp