76 | Sector Focus: Software
SUMMARY
■AI software can sort and interpret data sets, making analysis faster, simpler and more accurate
■It can provide more accurate carbon and timber supply estimates
■CollectiveCrunch can predict future risks from bark beetle infestations
■AI is delivering more accurate measurements and predictions than any other method
BIG DATA, BIG ADVANTAGES
Rolf Schmitz, co-founder of CollectiveCrunch, explains how data collection software systems and AI can benefit timber management
The forestry industry is facing a variety of challenges ranging from the increasing effects of invasive pests and natural disasters to the modern desire for carbon credits. Forest owners and managers must monitor their land and collect data about their forests to make informed decisions, and the traditional methods of hand-counting and in-person inspections simply aren’t fast or accurate enough to meet their needs.
As has been the case in other industries, big data collection and analytics can provide the answers and surety forest owners need to plan for the future and ensure long-term success and sustainability of their lands. This
type of mass data collection is complicated and requires mastery of several cutting-edge technologies, which is why many rely on third-party companies with specific expertise and trustworthy technologies to provide accurate forest measurements. While LIDAR sensors and satellite imaging have been available for decades, their usefulness is now being boosted by the large-scale integration of multiple data layers and the addition of artificial intelligence (AI) software that can sort and interpret the resulting data sets to make analysis faster, simpler and more accurate. Innovative companies have taken notice,
such as CollectiveCrunch’s development of powerful customised AI and machines learning models that can leverage forest data to provide continuous insights into inventory, health, yield, pest monitoring, biodiversity and carbon storage capacity. The tools they provide offer major benefits for validating the harvest potential of land acquisitions and providing more accurate carbon and timber supply estimates, all while reducing the number of required field visits.
Above: Storm damage monitoring TTJ | July/August 2023 |
www.ttjonline.com
The use of programmable drones equipped with cameras and sensors is already delivering more reliable input data than in- person measurements could ever achieve, and certain felling equipment (mostly in Europe) can even measure a tree’s dimensions in real- time during the cutting and stripping process. As these technologies are adopted by more forestry owners and third-party evaluation firms, accuracy will continue to improve. AI and machine learning are so effective at analysing data because of their ability to parse vast volumes of information and detect patterns or trends that are impossible to process in human inspection. Currently, the most advanced solution from CollectiveCrunch can even predict future risks from bark beetle infestations based on historical evidence, making it one of the first predictive models available. Accuracy is another critical component for long-term forest management and financial stability, and AI is already delivering more accurate measurements and predictions than any other method. It also eliminates the
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