All About Data Management

By Jennifer Hunt (Content Writer) and Stephen Eddins, Managing Director, Technical Services

At first blush, it may seem as if a boots-on-the-ground approach to forestry is all that is needed. After all, a forester or land manager can note changes in the landscape, identify and diagnose the presence of pests or diseases, oversee a harvest and planting schedule, and more. However, the reality is that something crucial is missing from this approach: data management. In fact, data is a critical part of making smart land management decisions and can give a forester details about more than just forest composition. In our latest blog post, we explore the process of data management, the information available at our fingertips, and how this impacts landowners with tracts of all sizes.

As with any land management project or consultation, we start by learning what the landowner’s objectives and goals are. This is largely dependent on the landowner type, as non-industrial private forest (NIPF) landowners have different objectives than industrial landowners. Then, we gather inventory, spatial, and historical silvicultural treatment information so we can better assess the trees and vegetation on a tract, as well as previous treatments, including thinning, prescribed burning, chemical applications, fertilization, and more. After an initial data upload into our Inflor forest management information system (FMIS), the data management team coordinates with field service providers and landowners to set guidelines and deadlines. From there, the team will perform ongoing monitoring and maintenance with updates to spatial, inventory, and current silvicultural treatments. The team will utilize growth and yield procedures that have been integrated into our FMIS to project the inventory forward. Finally, they will provide output to the client via spatial data, data cubes (Excel), reports (PDF), key performance indicators, and dashboards.

One of the most notable changes in forestry is the breadth of data available at our fingertips, including the ease with which foresters can input information into a database. Handheld GIS instruments, including applications on mobile phones, make sharing field information simple and straightforward. Our FMIS holds extensive client data and allows us to report at a global level across all assets or at a regional level for specific properties. From there, we can drill down much deeper.

• Administrative attributes describing the ownership, location, species, land use, and multiple classification descriptors.
• Terrain-based attributes, including site type, physiographic region, and dominant soil characteristics.
• Inventory information, including site index, trees per area, basal area, stand volume information, and cruise details.
• Historical silvicultural information, including thinning, genetic material, fertilization, site preparation, chemical release, and pre-commercial treatments.
• Stand-level spatial information, which can be customized to include attributes specific to the region.
• Data cubes that can show historical, current, or future inventory values and much more.
• Reports that can summarize property information at a single point-in-time or compare snapshots across a period of time (quarter, year, etc.)

Having granular details like this allows the team to provide detailed information to field managers and landowners so that they can make data-driven decisions, including harvest planning, reforestation, silvicultural treatments, and considerations for forest health, wildlife, and conservation efforts.

Not only does the data allow us to advise stakeholders, but it also gives us a platform to house and easily share workflows and task lists with each team member. According to Stephen Eddins, Managing Director of Technical Services, “Our data management team serves as a critical link between land management operations and reporting responsibilities. Through close collaboration with field service providers, technical teams, and client stakeholders, we ensure the delivery of timely, accurate, and reliable information that supports informed decision-making across timberland investments.” Our in-house collaboration and array of service lines allow us to not only advise our clients but also operate as a one-stop shop for landowners in regions all across the country.

At AFM, we understand the importance of giving our clients the best possible information to assess their land assets. In addition to our talented field foresters and personnel, we have technical services teams in resource planning and biometrics that can provide a data-driven look into a landowner’s property, illustrating specifics in easily consumed reports and spreadsheets. We would be honored to help you better understand your land, one acre at a time.