Difference between revisions of "Forestry Tools"
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== Overview == | == Overview == | ||
| + | A variety of forestry software is currently available and employed by the forestry industry. However, this software is generally expensive, closed-source, and not customizable. These factors have led to increasing challenges such as translating between formats, exchanging data, lack of metadata, poor understanding of the tools used, and for some a frustration with the inability to customize options, rules, equations, and tools. | ||
| − | + | Foresty Tools will be a QGIS plug-in designed to give forest resource managers and planners another option for analyzing forestry data. Over time, it is hoped that it attracts a wide base of users and contributors and becomes increasingly comprehensive to address all facets of forestry management and decision-making. Forestry Tools will be initially designed to serve the needs of field-level foresters. | |
| − | + | Forestry tools is: | |
| + | * Free and Open-Source. | ||
| + | * Well documented. | ||
| + | * Useful to the basic field-level forester. | ||
| + | * Using the most commonly used forestry methodology. | ||
| + | * Easy to use. | ||
| + | * Understandable to the computer literate, but not necessarily technophiles. | ||
| + | |||
| + | === Inventory Setup and Analysis === | ||
| + | Forestry Tools will utilize user-defined vector files and basic criteria to generate inventory sample locations. Depending on need, these plots can be randomly located, or stratified by stand, management unit, or forest boundaries located within the vector file. Users can define sampling intensity as well as the required plot buffer distance (so plots do not stack or locate too close to one another). Once a satisfactory layout is achieved, QGIS can export the plots to GPX files. | ||
== General Categories == | == General Categories == | ||
Revision as of 05:38, 27 May 2013
What open source geo products have tools that may be specially useful for foresters and resource managers? A discussion started on the QGIS-User list led to starting this page.
Interested? - add your name and area of interest, availability, expertise, to the Talk:Forestry_Tools page.
Overview
A variety of forestry software is currently available and employed by the forestry industry. However, this software is generally expensive, closed-source, and not customizable. These factors have led to increasing challenges such as translating between formats, exchanging data, lack of metadata, poor understanding of the tools used, and for some a frustration with the inability to customize options, rules, equations, and tools.
Foresty Tools will be a QGIS plug-in designed to give forest resource managers and planners another option for analyzing forestry data. Over time, it is hoped that it attracts a wide base of users and contributors and becomes increasingly comprehensive to address all facets of forestry management and decision-making. Forestry Tools will be initially designed to serve the needs of field-level foresters.
Forestry tools is:
- Free and Open-Source.
- Well documented.
- Useful to the basic field-level forester.
- Using the most commonly used forestry methodology.
- Easy to use.
- Understandable to the computer literate, but not necessarily technophiles.
Inventory Setup and Analysis
Forestry Tools will utilize user-defined vector files and basic criteria to generate inventory sample locations. Depending on need, these plots can be randomly located, or stratified by stand, management unit, or forest boundaries located within the vector file. Users can define sampling intensity as well as the required plot buffer distance (so plots do not stack or locate too close to one another). Once a satisfactory layout is achieved, QGIS can export the plots to GPX files.
General Categories
What types of workflow or features are required for managing forests? Think broad, and then we can get into specifics in each category.
GPS traversing
General data capture to record paths, boundaries and locations using GPS.
- Ability to turn it on/off
- Ability to capture multiple types of features
Design and capture
Block, road, treatment areas
- Connect various attributes to GPS collected information
- Custom input forms
Mobile map platform
Following current and planned locations
- Map layer control on/off
- Zoom, pan, query
- Basic feature calculations - length, area, sum attributes
- Show GPS,
- Auto panning map via GPS
- Edit stand boundary and sale boundary shapefiles
Inventory collection and analysis
Backend database and front end collection of inventory details
- Offline database, with inventory schema
- Platform for mobile data collection and input
- Auto form generation for particular feature types
- Syncing with master db when back online
- Generation of reports such as stand tables, stocking tables, and associated information.
- Predict future devlopment of standing volume etc.
- Perform economic analysis with specifed user input
- Ability to calibrate based on localized growth and yield tables.
- Support for a varity of cruise methods. (Point, fixed plot, etc.)
- Support for a variety of volume tables. (Scribner, Doyle, International 1/4, Carlson Method).
Sample plot reconnaissance and survey
- Generate plot schemes based on sampling intensity needs, and other input criteria (random vs. systematic, etc).
- Zig Zag schema based on tract width/length.
- Relate/connect plot/survey locations with inventory to allow for plot re-use in subsequent more intensive sampling efforts.
Terrain/slope/area/distance computation and measurements
- Ability to work in, use and display acres/hectares rather than just sq ft/m and miles/km.
Time-analysis
- What has the development of the different stands been over the years?
- Compare pictures taken previously to visualize changes
- Linking stands over time (splitting, changing borders)
- Change detection
Surveying
- From old style surveying techniques, calculate positions of corners/markers in GPS datum
Additional Resources
- Sign up for the mailing list at Forestry Tools Mailing List