Difference between revisions of "SIPAFIT"

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{{DSS description, Identification
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{{DSS description, Wiki quality control
|Flag=yellow
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|Flag=N/A
 +
}}
 +
{{DSS description, Name, responsible organisation and contact person
 +
|Name=Sistema Informativo Provinciale per l’Assestamento Forestale in Trentino
 
|Acronym=SIPAFIT
 
|Acronym=SIPAFIT
|Name=Sistema Informativo Provinciale per l’Assestamento Forestale in Trentino
 
|Contact person=Gianfranco Scrinzi
 
|Contact email=gianfranco.scrinzi@entecra.it
 
 
|Type of the owner organization=local administration
 
|Type of the owner organization=local administration
|Website=http://www.foreste.provincia.tn.it/organizzazione/org_index.htm
+
|Institutional framework=research prototype (R&D project)
 +
|Contact person for the Wiki=Gianfranco Scrinzi
 +
|Contact e-mail for the Wiki=gianfranco.scrinzi@entecra.it
 +
|Contact person for the DSS=Gianfranco Scrinzi
 +
|Contact e-mail for the DSS=gianfranco.scrinzi@entecra.it
 +
}}
 +
{{DSS description, Scope of the tool
 
|Description=It’s a forest management system that integrates statistical and sampling methods with computer and technological resources allowing an effective georeferenced description of the dendroauxometric and structural forest parameters.
 
|Description=It’s a forest management system that integrates statistical and sampling methods with computer and technological resources allowing an effective georeferenced description of the dendroauxometric and structural forest parameters.
|References=Colle et al., 2010; Scrinzi et al., 2008; Scrinzi et al., 2011; Wolynski et al., 2009
+
|Modelling dimension=Forest indicators
|Development start year=2009
+
|Institutional framework=research prototype (R&D project), proprietary development (forest enterprise)
+
}}
+
{{DSS description, FORSYS problem types classification
+
 
|Temporal scale=medium term (tactical), short term (operational)
 
|Temporal scale=medium term (tactical), short term (operational)
 
|Spatial context=spatial with no neighbourhood interrelations
 
|Spatial context=spatial with no neighbourhood interrelations
 
|Spatial scale=forest level
 
|Spatial scale=forest level
|Decision making dimension=single decision maker
 
 
|Objectives dimension=multiple objectives
 
|Objectives dimension=multiple objectives
 
|Goods and services dimension=market wood products, non-market services
 
|Goods and services dimension=market wood products, non-market services
 +
|Forest management goal=biomass estimation, economic evaluation, forest inventory, yield prediction, wood supply planning, multi-functional
 +
|Supported tree species=all the Trentino forest types
 +
|Supported silvicultural regime=user defined
 +
|Decision making dimension=single decision maker
 +
|Participatory planning tasks supported=N/A
 
}}
 
}}
{{DSS description, Utilisation scope
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{{DSS description, Concrete application
|Status=used (under upgrade)
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|User profile=public land managers (i.e. state-owned, federal, cantonal, communal forests)
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|Initial deployment effort=<= 1 day
+
|Adaptation effort=parametrised by the user
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|Maintenance organization=Forest Service of Trentino Province, CRA-MPF (Trento, Italy)
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|User support organization= Forest Service of Trentino Province, CRA-MPF (Trento, Italy)
+
|Support team size=4
+
|Number of real-life applications=&lt;=30
+
|Last utilisation year by users=2012
+
 
|Typical use case=one forest stand managed at a time
 
|Typical use case=one forest stand managed at a time
|Number of users=&lt;=10
+
|User profile=public land managers (i.e. state-owned; federal; cantonal; communal forests)
|Utilisation in education=no
+
|Manual=Yes
+
|Accessibility=restricted access
+
|Online demo=
+
|Deployment cost=&gt;10‘000€
+
|Installation requirements=
+
 
|Country=Italy
 
|Country=Italy
 +
|Number of users=<=10
 +
|Number of real-life applications=<=30
 +
|Utilisation in education: kind of utilisation (demo, use)=no
 +
|Tool dissemination=workshop, scientific and technical publications
 
}}
 
}}
{{DSS description, Functional description
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{{DSS description, Installation and support
|Species=all the species of Trentino forests
+
|Status=used (under upgrade)
|Silvicultural regime=user defined
+
|Accessibility=restricted access
|Forest management goal=biomass estimation, economic evaluation, forest inventory, yield prediction, wood supply planning, multi-functional
+
|Can be used commercially=No
|Risk evaluation=N/A
+
|Deployment cost=>10‘000€
 +
|Computational limitations=N/A
 +
|User support organization=Forest Service of Trentino Province, CRA-MPF (Trento, Italy)
 +
|Support team size=4
 +
|Maintenance organization=Forest Service of Trentino Province, CRA-MPF (Trento, Italy)
 +
|Price=
 +
}}
 +
{{DSS description, Data, data model and data management
 
|Input data requirements=Forest inventory data
 
|Input data requirements=Forest inventory data
|Modelling dimension=Forest indicators
+
|Format of the input data=database
|Planning scenario=what-if analysis
+
|Data validation=missing/wrong data, error handling
|Parameterised GUI=Yes
+
|Format of the output data=pre-programmed summaries
 +
|Internal data management=database, temporary files
 +
|Database=Access
 +
|GIS integration=ESRI
 +
|Spatial analysis=N/A
 
}}
 
}}
{{DSS description, Models and techniques to support decision making
+
{{DSS description, Models and methods, MBMS, decision support techniques
|Optimisation algorithm=nonlinear programming
+
|Forest models=yield models
|MCDM methods= Analytical Network Process (ANP)
+
|Knowledge management methods=workflow, database, best practises/lessons learned,
+
|Forest models= yield models
+
 
|Ecological models=N/A
 
|Ecological models=N/A
|Social models=quantitative non-industrial forest owner typology, qualitative non-industrial forest owner typology
+
|MCDM methods=Analytical Network Process (ANP)
|Data mining=N/A
+
|Optimisation package=N/A
 +
|Optimisation algorithm=nonlinear programming
 +
|Risk evaluation=N/A
 
|Uncertainty evaluation=frequentist statistics
 
|Uncertainty evaluation=frequentist statistics
|2D map interface=Yes
+
|Planning scenario=what-if analysis
|3D map interface=No
+
 
}}
 
}}
{{DSS description, Support for knowledge management processes
+
{{DSS description, Support of knowledge management process
|Tool dissemination=workshop, scientific and technical publications
+
 
|Supported KM processes=Knowledge Storage, Knowledge Transfer
 
|Supported KM processes=Knowledge Storage, Knowledge Transfer
|Integrated KM techniques to analyze and apply knowledge=
+
|Integrated KM techniques to identify and structure knowledge=
|KM tools used during the development of the DSS=Workflow, Database, Best Practices
+
|Integrated KM techniques to analyse and apply knowledge=
|Kind of knowledge and information processed=Explicit Knowledge
+
 
}}
 
}}
{{DSS description, Support for participatory planning
+
{{DSS description, Support of social participation
 
|Participatory planning tasks supported=N/A
 
|Participatory planning tasks supported=N/A
 +
|Stakeholder identification support=
 +
|Planning criteria formation support=
 +
|Planning process monitoring and evaluation=
 +
|Planning outcome monitoring and evaluation=
 
}}
 
}}
{{DSS description, Development process
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{{DSS description, User interface and outputs
|Number of forest specialists in the development team=7
+
|User access control=no
 +
|Parameterised GUI=Yes
 +
|Map interface=2D
 +
|GUI technology=Html + Javascript
 +
}}
 +
{{DSS description, System design and development
 +
|Software development methodology=to be filled
 +
|Development start year=2009
 +
|Number of development years (100% equivalent)=1.5
 
|Development team size=12
 
|Development team size=12
|User access control=no
 
 
|Team profiles=researchers in forest management and geomatics, GIS expert, computer science expert
 
|Team profiles=researchers in forest management and geomatics, GIS expert, computer science expert
|Software development methods=to be filled
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|Number of forest specialists in the development team=7
|User-friendliness of GUI=only multiple choice closed options, on-line help
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|Number of users participating in specification=0
|Number of developer months=18
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|KM tools used during the development of the DSS=Workflow, Database, Best Practices
|Development cost=&gt;10‘000€
+
|Stakeholder identification support=
|Percentage of HR cost=90
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|Planning criteria formation support=
|Technical documentation=Yes
+
|Number of users on participating in specification=0
+
 
}}
 
}}
{{DSS description, IT environment & IT requirements
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{{DSS description, Technological architecture, integration with other systems
 +
|System type=extension (based on standard software), stand-alone GUI
 +
|Application architecture=N/A
 +
|Communication architecture=web-based tool
 
|Operating system=Linux/Unix, Windows, OS X
 
|Operating system=Linux/Unix, Windows, OS X
 
|Programming language=C++
 
|Programming language=C++
|System type=extension (based on standard software), stand-alone GUI
 
|Communication architecture=web-based tool
 
|Database=Access
 
|GIS integration=ESRI
 
|Optimisation package=N/A
 
|Application architecture=N/A
 
|Format of the input data=database
 
|Format of the output data=GUI, pre-programmed summaries
 
|Internal data management=database, temporary files
 
|Data validation=missing/wrong data, error handling
 
|GUI technology=Html + Javascript
 
 
|Scalability=Yes
 
|Scalability=Yes
|Spatial analysis=N/A
+
|Integration with other systems=N/A
 
|Related tools=N/A
 
|Related tools=N/A
|Integration with other systems=N/A
 
|Computational limitations=N/A
 
 
}}
 
}}
{{DSS description, Commercial information
+
{{DSS description, Ongoing development
|Can be used commercially=No
+
|Adaptation effort (man years)=parametrised by the user
 +
}}
 +
{{DSS description, Documentation
 +
|Website=http://www.foreste.provincia.tn.it/organizzazione/org_index.htm
 +
|Manual=Yes
 +
|Technical documentation=Yes
 +
|References=Scrinzi et al., 2008; Wolynski et al., 2009;Colle et al., 2010
 
}}
 
}}
[[Category:Not finished articles]]
 
[[Category:Decision support system]]
 
[[Category:Italian DSS]]
 
[[Category:2009]]
 
[[Category:Forest vegetation management]]
 
[[Category:Forest level]]
 
[[Category:Tactical and operational planning]]
 
__TOC__
 
=== General System description ===
 
 
System name: Sistema Informativo Provinciale per l’Assestamento Forestale in Trentino
 
 
Acronym: SIPAFIT
 
 
 
== Brief overview ==
 
== Brief overview ==
 
SIPAFIT is the forest management system used by the Forest Service of Trentino Province articulated in several sub-systems (and relative instruments and tools) which support the different steps of the management decision chain.
 
SIPAFIT is the forest management system used by the Forest Service of Trentino Province articulated in several sub-systems (and relative instruments and tools) which support the different steps of the management decision chain.
Line 147: Line 140:
 
|-
 
|-
 
|Creating the sample network
 
|Creating the sample network
|SAMSIZE outputs, geodatabase, .LAUNCHER SW tool (Model Builder and Python in ArcGIS environment).
+
|SAMSIZE outputs, geodatabase, .LAUNCHER sw tool (Model Builder and Python in ArcGIS environment).
 
|It is possible to choose between random or systematic (on a squared grid) sample distribution, with different density among the strata
 
|It is possible to choose between random or systematic (on a squared grid) sample distribution, with different density among the strata
  
 
|-
 
|-
 
|Ground inventory
 
|Ground inventory
|.LAUNCHER outputs, RELASKOPE mobileGIS SW (VBscript and applet programming in ESRI Arcpad environment).
+
|.LAUNCHER outputs, RELASKOPE mobileGIS sw (VBscript and applet programming in ESRI Arcpad environment).
 
|
 
|
  
 
|-
 
|-
 
|Inventory data control and processing
 
|Inventory data control and processing
|.CONTROL and .PROCESS SW tools (VBA in Excel/Access environment)
+
|.CONTROL and .PROCESS sw tools (VBA in Excel/Access environment)
 
|
 
|
  
 
|-
 
|-
 
|Result reporting
 
|Result reporting
|.REPORT SW tool (VBA in Access environment); thematic maps in vector and raster format
+
|.REPORT sw tool (Vba in Access environment); thematic maps in vector and raster format
 
|
 
|
 
|}
 
|}
Line 170: Line 163:
  
 
== System origin ==
 
== System origin ==
Forest administration of the Province of Trento (North-Eastern Italian Alps, 400,000 ha of forest area, more than 50% of the province total area) has recently changed its inventory system from total census (full callipering, which had been progressively reduced in area, for cost reasons) to sampling methods (Scrinzi et al., 2011). Besides, the needs for a modern and efficient forest management require more information about an overall “description” of the forest, but at the same time can tolerate less accuracy in timber production estimates. A comprehensive system was developed to support the forest managers, the forest owners and the consultants (professionals who perform forest management plans), in each step of the forest planning.
+
Forest administration of the Province of Trento (North-Eastern Italian Alps, 400,000 ha of forest area, more than 50% of the province total area) has recently changed its inventory system from total census (full callipering, which had been progressively reduced in area, for cost reasons) to sampling methods; besides, the needs for a modern and efficient forest management require more information about an overall “description” of the forest, but at the same time can tolerate less accuracy in timber production estimates. A comprehensive system was developed to support the forest managers, the forest owners and the consultants (professionals who perform forest management plans), in each step of the forest planning.
 
SIPAF and its sub-systems were initially tested on a pilot management plan in 2009, and then had several changes and improvements to tackle the problems met.
 
SIPAF and its sub-systems were initially tested on a pilot management plan in 2009, and then had several changes and improvements to tackle the problems met.
 
A total of 12 experts were involved in system design, implementation and testing (5 researchers, 4 foresters from the Forest Service and 3 consultants involved in plan preparation).
 
A total of 12 experts were involved in system design, implementation and testing (5 researchers, 4 foresters from the Forest Service and 3 consultants involved in plan preparation).
Line 177: Line 170:
  
 
== Support for specific issues ==
 
== Support for specific issues ==
SIPAFIT support consultants in field surveys, allowing an effective georeferenced description of the main (both dendroauxometric and structural) forest parameters, it support forest managers in inventory data control and processing and it support forest manager in result reporting.
+
SIPAFIT support consultanst in field surveys, allowing an effective georeferenced description of the main (both dendroauxometric and structural) forest parameters, it support forest managers in inventory data control and procesing and it support forest manager in result reporting.
  
 
== Support for specific thematic areas of a problem type ==
 
== Support for specific thematic areas of a problem type ==
Line 184: Line 177:
  
 
== Capability to support decision making phases ==
 
== Capability to support decision making phases ==
* Intelligence: the system uses a fully automatic, congruent, progressive and recordable procedure.
+
* Intelligence: the system use a fully automatic, congruent, progressive and recordable procedure.
 
* Design: forest planner input data in the inventory phase
 
* Design: forest planner input data in the inventory phase
 
* Choice: results give quantitative dendroauxometric parameters
 
* Choice: results give quantitative dendroauxometric parameters
Line 196: Line 189:
 
== Typical spatial extent of application ==
 
== Typical spatial extent of application ==
 
The typical spatial extent of application is the forest management plan.
 
The typical spatial extent of application is the forest management plan.
The spatial unit for the output depends on what extension data input refer (the forest subjected to the planning process). Definitely we can say that the typical spatial extent of application is the single real property scale.
+
The spatial unit for the output depends on what extension data input refer (the forest subjected to the planning process). Definitely we can say that the typical spatial extent of application is the single reale property scale.
== Forest data input ==
+
The forest data input are dendrometric parameters collected during the field surveys (inventory phase).
+
 
+
== Type of information input from user (via GUI) ==
+
Geographic data are input from user.
+
 
+
=== Models ===
+
 
+
== Forest models ==
+
The forest models are yield models in particular volume estimation models used in the forest management planning of Trentino Forest Service.
+
 
+
== Social models ==
+
The forest owners are public institutions, such as municipalities, administrations that manage goods of civic use, forest agencies, so they non-industrial forest owners and their goal is the land and forest protection this means that the forest exploitation is made in respect of forestry.
+
 
+
=== Decision Support ===
+
 
+
== Definition of management interventions ==
+
The definition of management interventions is made by the consultants who perform the forest plan in agreement with the forest owner.
+
 
+
== Typical temporal scale of application ==
+
Planning and operational level.
+
 
+
== Types of decisions supported ==
+
* Management and silvicultural actions.
+
* Strategic decisions.
+
* Operating control decisions.
+
 
+
== Decision-making processes and models ==
+
SIPAFIT is a system in all respects and the results that outcome hierarchy from one sub-system are preparatory for the sub-system that follows, so each element is not considered to be independent of all the others, therefore the decision criteria are accordingly not considered to be independent of one another, and the alternatives are not considered to be independent of the decision criteria and of each other.
+
 
+
=== Output ===
+
 
+
== Types of outputs ==
+
The outputs of SIPAFIT are quantitative parameters that described the forest from the dendrometric and productive point of view. The outputs are also thematic maps built by GIS.
+
 
+
== Spatial analysis capabilities ==
+
SIPAFIT runs in a spatial context with no neighbourhood interrelations and at forest level as spatial scale (de facto the spatial scale corresponds to the extension of forest owned by the public administration).
+
 
+
== Abilities to address interdisciplinary, multi-scaled, and political issues ==
+
At the moment SIPAFIT addresses specifically forestry issues, it produces results for decision makers operating at the unique forest spatial scale. It facilitates negotiation among the forest owner, the Trentino Forest Service and the consultants who performed the forest plan.
+
 
+
=== System ===
+
 
+
== System requirements ==
+
SIPAFIT runs on Microsoft Windows environment, and it requires MS Access and ESRI GIS for the geographic data processing.
+
 
+
== Architecture and major DSS components ==
+
SIPAFIT is a modular system.
+
 
+
== Usage ==
+
Forest management and planning.
+
 
+
== Computational limitations ==
+
No limitations.
+
 
+
== User interface ==
+
The user interface is different according to the sub-system: in some cases the interface is typical of the ESRI GIS environment (ESRI Arcpad environment), in some cases the interface are Access tables that the user ha to fill, in some cases the interface are MS Excel table.
+
 
+
== Documentation and support ==
+
The whole description of the characteristics, functioning and usage of SIPAFIT and its sub-system are described in Scrinzi et al., 2011.
+
 
+
== Installation ==
+
The installation is different in relation to the sub-system.
+
 
+
=== References ===
+
 
+
== Cited references ==
+
Scrinzi G., Clementele F., Colle G., Farruggia C., Floris A., Torresan C., 2011. L’inventario dendrometrico nella nuova pianificazione forestale aziendale trentina (NPFAT). © 2011 Provincia Autonoma di Trento – Servizio Foreste e Fauna. ISBN 978-88-7702-322-3.
+
 
+
== External resources ==
+
* Wolynski, A., Zanin, M., Scrinzi, G. 2009. Revisione della pianificazione forestale in Trentino a cinquant’anni dall’adozione della selvicoltura naturalistica. Atti del Terzo Congresso Nazionale di Selvicoltura. Taormina (ME), 16-19 Ottobre 2008. Accademia Italiana di Scienze Forestali, Firenze, p. 928-932.
+
* Colle G, Clementel F, Floris A, Marzullo L, Scrinzi G, 2010. Strumenti evoluti di mobile GIS a supporto del monitoraggio e della pianificazione forestale. Forest@ 7: 148-157 [online: 2010-07-30] URL: http://www.sisef.it/forest@/?doi=10.3832/efor0622-007.
+
* Scrinzi G., Clementel F., Colle G., Floris A., Galvagni D., Gecele S., Marzullo L., 2008 - Soluzioni statistico-matematiche, informatiche e tecnologie per la nuova pianificazione forestale aziendale trentina. III Congresso Nazionale di Selvicoltura, Taormina 15-18 ottobre 2008. Accademia Italiana di Scienze Forestali, Firenze, p. 915-920.
+

Revision as of 16:23, 27 June 2012

Template:DSS description, Wiki quality control Template:DSS description, Name, responsible organisation and contact person Template:DSS description, Scope of the tool Template:DSS description, Concrete application Template:DSS description, Installation and support Template:DSS description, Data, data model and data management Template:DSS description, Models and methods, MBMS, decision support techniques Template:DSS description, Support of knowledge management process Template:DSS description, Support of social participation Template:DSS description, User interface and outputs Template:DSS description, System design and development Template:DSS description, Technological architecture, integration with other systems Template:DSS description, Ongoing development Template:DSS description, Documentation

Brief overview

SIPAFIT is the forest management system used by the Forest Service of Trentino Province articulated in several sub-systems (and relative instruments and tools) which support the different steps of the management decision chain. In the following table the sub-systems - which support the different steps of the management decision chain – are described.

Forest management phase SIPAFIT sub-system Remarks
Correction of forest and forest compartments boundaries Geodatabase, mobileGIS software Using sampling methods, it is essential a precise knowledge of the extension and position of the forest elements (compartments, stands…).
Production of the “forest unit” map Geodatabase, mobileGIS software, LiDAR (CHM) data, digital orthophotos, forest type map, other ancillary layers This phase is essential to organize a standardized description of the forest and to build the strata on which the sample network will be launched
Dimensioning the sample size SAMSIZE (VBA in Excel/Access environment), forest strata map, data entry by the user This tool allows to produce a proper distribution of the sample among the strata according to the expected uncertainties. It is possible to simulate different sampling scenarios, in terms of forest structure variability and complexity, and exploitation temporal proximity
Creating the sample network SAMSIZE outputs, geodatabase, .LAUNCHER sw tool (Model Builder and Python in ArcGIS environment). It is possible to choose between random or systematic (on a squared grid) sample distribution, with different density among the strata
Ground inventory .LAUNCHER outputs, RELASKOPE mobileGIS sw (VBscript and applet programming in ESRI Arcpad environment).
Inventory data control and processing .CONTROL and .PROCESS sw tools (VBA in Excel/Access environment)
Result reporting .REPORT sw tool (Vba in Access environment); thematic maps in vector and raster format

Scope of the system

SIPAFIT integrates statistical and sampling methods with computer and technological resources allowing an effective georeferenced description of the main (both dendroauxometric and structural) forest parameters of the managed forest stands. SIPAF allows simulation of different scenarios in terms of forest stratification, inventory strategies and sampling intensity.

System origin

Forest administration of the Province of Trento (North-Eastern Italian Alps, 400,000 ha of forest area, more than 50% of the province total area) has recently changed its inventory system from total census (full callipering, which had been progressively reduced in area, for cost reasons) to sampling methods; besides, the needs for a modern and efficient forest management require more information about an overall “description” of the forest, but at the same time can tolerate less accuracy in timber production estimates. A comprehensive system was developed to support the forest managers, the forest owners and the consultants (professionals who perform forest management plans), in each step of the forest planning. SIPAF and its sub-systems were initially tested on a pilot management plan in 2009, and then had several changes and improvements to tackle the problems met. A total of 12 experts were involved in system design, implementation and testing (5 researchers, 4 foresters from the Forest Service and 3 consultants involved in plan preparation). During this first period of application, a number of meetings and workshops has been realized with all the users of the system. The tools have been operatively used since 2009 by the forest managers of Forest Service in the Trentino Province, and therefore their users have extended from researchers to consultants and to other stakeholders (i.e. managers and technicians of the municipalities which are the public forest owners).

Support for specific issues

SIPAFIT support consultanst in field surveys, allowing an effective georeferenced description of the main (both dendroauxometric and structural) forest parameters, it support forest managers in inventory data control and procesing and it support forest manager in result reporting.

Support for specific thematic areas of a problem type

  • Forest planning.
  • Territorial planning.

Capability to support decision making phases

  • Intelligence: the system use a fully automatic, congruent, progressive and recordable procedure.
  • Design: forest planner input data in the inventory phase
  • Choice: results give quantitative dendroauxometric parameters
  • Monitor: a field test is implemented by the forest managers in the forest surveyed by the consultants.

Related systems

Data and data models

Typical spatial extent of application

The typical spatial extent of application is the forest management plan. The spatial unit for the output depends on what extension data input refer (the forest subjected to the planning process). Definitely we can say that the typical spatial extent of application is the single reale property scale.