Most foresters may never have the need or desire to learn SQL, and that’s okay. Nevertheless, I think there are good business reasons for learning the language of relational databases. Foresters who know SQL have an appreciation for how data is stored, why it’s important for data to be clean […]
The forester’s role isn’t disappearing, its rapidly changing. Over the next five to ten years, technology will shift the job from boots-on-the-ground data collection and monitoring toward data interpretation, strategic decision making, and cross-disciplinary collaboration. The forester will need to know how to leverage technology on the job to get […]
Timber inventory (i.e., timber cruise) data can be stored in various ways. I find that it’s best to store this type of data in a relational database. A Geospatial database is another suitable choice after the data is cleaned and ready for analysis. Processing bottlenecks can occur when timber cruising […]
Harvest scheduling is a resource planning process aimed at deciding what areas of the forest (i.e.; stands) to harvest and when. On a small scale, Forest Managers may simply rely on experience, memory, and/or field notes when planning harvests. However, on a larger scale, this is inefficient and highly frowned […]
In 1991, the USDA Forest Service, Southeastern Forest Experiment Station created a set of stem-profile taper models for 58 southern species and species groups. The Research Paper, known as SE-282, can be downloaded here. The research demonstrates how profile models are used to “predict stem diameter at any height” and […]
Machine Learning (ML) is one of the new buzz words in the field of Data Science. I see machine learning articles, tutorials, and blog posts on websites and LinkedIn almost daily. So what is it, and does it have realistic applications for the forest industry now, or is it just […]
Foresters occasionally use inexpensive consumer grade GPS units for simple mapping tasks and navigation in the field. Many of these, such as the Garmin GPS Map series, retail for less than $300. I have owned several of these Garmin units myself , and have found them to be an invaluable […]
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