The introduction of sustainable intensive forestry is impossible without reliable, high-quality, and accessible information about forests. In recent years, some progress can be observed in this area, however, as before, most of the information remains closed or difficult to access.
Digital technologies can help not only improve the quality of internal planning and control over forest management at the level of an enterprise or regulatory authorities but also become a driver for the transition to sustainable forestry.
Digital technologies in forestry make it possible to automatically control the precision and accuracy of the entered data and compare them with information on restrictions on forest use, including the boundaries of specially protected natural areas and moratoriums on logging.
They also help to better track the origin of wood and make the supply chain more transparent. Operational automatic analysis of remote sensing data allows for tracking changes in forests, including identifying illegal logging and wildfires.
With the proper implementation of innovative technologies like the software for forest management, forestry companies can significantly reduce the costs and time spent on production processes, including planning and reporting.
At the same time, digital technologies help to speed up the exchange of data with stakeholders and improve the quality of independent control, which is an integral part of sustainable forest management.
In this piece, we’ve gathered some of the most useful forestry tech startups that cater to the needs of this significant industry.
Timbeter
Timbeter is an easy and fast solution for Roundwood measurement and electronic data management. It’s a mobile platform with cloud storage, online inventory, and reporting system.
Using image recognition algorithms and machine learning technology, Timbeter is an efficient tool for measuring the diameter of cuts and the volume of Roundwood in a pile or in a truck.
This digital wood measurement solution uses machine learning and artificial intelligence to accurately recognize logs. As a forestry technology company that is used around the world, Timbeter aims to stop illegal logging and improve the supply of wood for both buyers and sellers using an innovative algorithm.
It enables users to measure the number, diameter, and volume of each individual log, as well as the total volume of Roundwood in a stack, on a timber truck, or in a container.
EOS Forest Monitoring
Forest Monitoring by EOSDA is a digital tool for sustainable and convenient forest management based on satellite data, mainly AI-powered satellite imagery analytics.
The platform enables forest owners, logging companies, research institutes, and other industry players to monitor forest stands remotely.
Monitoring includes detection of changes in forest health, wildfire threat identification, water stress detection, and much more. Here are some of the main features this software offers:
Monitoring.
This feature allows for silviculture improvement via advanced and remote evaluation of forest stands including such parameters as deforestation, forest cover, forest productivity, water stress, and thermal anomalies.
Weather.
This feature offers both historical weather data since 2008 and forecasts. With this information, users can analyze local weather patterns over time to make predictions regarding fires or precipitation and plan any weather-dependent actions.
Dashboard & Notification Manager.
This feature allows users to see statistical data on all of their forest stands in one table. The data is displayed for the selected period and showcases statistics regarding changes in deforestation, forest productivity, and water stress. Statistical report can also be downloaded in .pdf or .xls
Ecosia
Ecosia is an alternative search engine that donates most of its ad revenue to organizations that plant trees and save areas that have suffered from deforestation.
It takes only 45 search queries from a user to plant one tree. The company has a very transparent policy, and all financial reports are published on their website, where you can easily see what the money is spent on and how many trees are planted.
All search results and ad integrations for Ecosia are supplied by the Microsoft-powered Bing search engine, and some of the funds for saving the forests come from affiliate programs, online stores, and eco-projects.
The purpose of the search engine is the rapid greening of the planet. So far, Ecosia has planted about 130 million trees worldwide.
In addition to that, the company is involved in projects to save chimpanzees in Uganda, restore tropical forest ecosystems that have been damaged by palm oil production, and green the desert in Burkina Faso, not only helping nature but also creating jobs for locals.
CollectiveCrunch
This startup from Finland has developed an innovative AI platform called Linda Forest — a SaaS solution for accurate wood mass, wood species, and wood quality monitoring in target areas.
Linda Forest uses satellite, LIDAR and data processing, and advanced AI algorithms to predict forest stocks.
Linda Forest, forest owners can reduce their need for forest visits, access current forestry inventory data at the touch of a button, and plan their harvesting operations more efficiently.
Today, forestry companies need to plan temporally and spatially, and effectively while ensuring sustainability. And this can be accomplished only with the use of technology.
Modern tech innovations enable them to monitor and manage forest data for smart planning and forecasting. Ultimately, technology simplifies forest management efforts.
Utilizing forestry software streamlines business processes eliminates the need to hire additional personnel for tasks management, and lowers operating costs in the long run.
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