Forest Variables

Decision-ready analytics within your GIS in real time.   On demand data science  enhances the ability to plan, decide and optimize capital.

Which stands are the most productive? Are thins being timed right? Where should budgets be allocated to maximize returns? 

Asset managers need defensible, data-driven means to make decisions.  However, organizations find that performing analysis efficiently with consistent results is a significant challenge. Common challenges faced are: 

  • Exploring asset performance is complicated, time consuming and often leads to more questions than answers.
  • Data exists but is difficult to use for analysis. 
  • The data for analysis is scattered across different systems.  
  • Analysis efforts are one-offs with results which quickly become out of date. 
  • There is a lack of resources to analyze with confidence.
  • Commercial software options for timber analysis are limited.  
Tools Like Microsoft’s Power BI are Designed for Data Science

Today’s technology provides powerful tools to transform operations but most operations have yet to fully embrace modern technology. 

As foresters and computer scientists, we worked to bridge the divide and deliver new analytical capabilities which provide operations transformative value.   

  • Forest Variables (FVs) provide an analytical foundation for an operation to make improved planning, forecasting and financial decisions. 
  • FVs are metrics and numbers like Quadratic Mean Diameter (QMD), statistics, site productivity (site index), inventory completion status, mortality, stocking, volumes, tree height regression, localized tree taper (and more). 
  • FVs are computed in place, within your infrastructure so there are no files to manage.
  • FVs represent a completely new way of thinking and are predicated on the adoption of modern, cloud-based computing.
Forest Variables Python Code Snippet

In today’s operations efficiency is key.   Most don’t have resources for a complicated in house system, or teams of analysts putting weeks into reports.

Working closely with forestry experts and leveraging recent technology advances is a new approach.   We can dramatically simplify the delivery of answers to everyone in an organization.      

  • Establish data quality standards within a Web GIS.
  • Enable automations like acres computations to reduce manual – easy to miss – updates and reduce user input. 
  • Configure spatial dimensions so FVs summarize, query and slice by geographic units such as districts, ownerships or tracts. 
  • Define local conditions such as species taper or local site index functions. 
  • Enable Forest Variables (FVs) to update when input data changes.
Forest Variables Output to a Web GIS