Technology has become a very important part in the forestry field, becoming even more indispensable, as it helps a continuous integration of data and an adaptation to the new requirements of the market.
Forestry 4.0 is based on the concept of Smart Forestry, which means the processes are becoming more and more automated, independent or semi-independent equipment is used, data can be transmitted in real time and stored online, being available to anyone and anywhere, and some of the decisions can be made by systems or even robots with AI (artificial intelligence). In short, the integration of technology as much as possible in forestry.
Source: https://www.woodbusiness.ca/
The main purpose of this initiative is to contribute to the reactive and resilient growth of the forest supply chain through solutions that can be implemented, but also to develop new predictive and prescriptive models that automatically generate corrective actions when deviations from the initial plan. (Gingras and Charette 2017).
Technology can help both forestry staff and forest owners to access a large amount of information, more efficiently and faster than in the past. The analysis, interpretation and conversion of raw data into information can be done more efficiently and faster using high-performance software and equipment, which helps to better manage the forest and the ecosystem. The forest is best managed when you have as much information as possible about it.
Drones, scanners, gps, smart devices (tablets, phones), state-of-the-art computers, robots, software and much more can be used to improve and simplify forestry work and more.
In practice in our country, forestry 4.0 is suitable as follows:
- Collecting data from remote controlled sources, by remote sensing (satellites, planes, drones, etc.), being a much more efficient and fast method than the traditional alternatives.
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Data collection using smart devices (tablets, phones, scanners, gps, etc.)
- Data processing using various software (QGIS, AgiSoft, CloudCompare, Microsoft Excel etc.)
- Planning and design
- Making the final products and their integration in the forestry activities (reports, statistics, maps, portals, etc.)
Advantages of integrating technology in forestry:
- improving forestry practices
- process automation
- fast and efficient management of large amounts of data
- good support in decisions making
- simulation and project development
- planning strategies, prevention and protection measures
- monitoring of large areas
- provides a basis for decision making
However, even though technology has evolved more and more and is increasingly used in forestry, people's activities in the forest environment have also multiplied, due to the close link between man and nature, which has existed since the beginning of time.
Bibliografie:
Gingras, J.-F. and F. J. P. a. C. M. Charette, Canada (2017). "FPInnovations ‘Forestry 4.0 Initiative."