Computers and forestry
This issue of Unasylva considers a selected few of the many ways in which computers and related technology are becoming a part of and influencing the process of sustainable forestry.
A first question is whether computers are, in fact, becoming an intrinsic part of forestry. On the one hand, it is certain that, worldwide, the majority of people with direct links to the forest (particularly forest dwellers and users in developing countries) have no direct access to computers, and probably never will have. In fact, one startling statistic suggests that at least half of the world's population has never used a telephone. Any discussion of computers and forestry must be tempered by this reality; computers are not universal and are not a panacea for the challenges facing world forestry.
On the other hand, however, at many levels of the sector, computers are truly revolutionizing the analytical processes that underlie forestry. In planning, computers are providing the technical means to address in a practical manner the increased recognition of the multiple factors that influence the success or failure of forest management. Modelling approaches based on computers can handle a variety of options and scenarios that would be unthinkable without them.
Computers are revolutionizing resource assessment. In the field, data collection is being made more efficient through the use of hand-held computers that link directly to larger units. And computer-driven analysis packages can produce updated statistics virtually as soon as the raw data is collected, a stark contrast to the multiple-year lag time that characterized even the best operations in the recent past. At the highest technological levels, global information systems combine data from various sources, including satellite imagery to produce new visions at both macro and micro levels.
Increasingly, on-the-ground forest management decisions are being taken with the aid of computer technology. Planting, thinning and treatment regimes are all being managed with the aid of computers. The philosophical change that has led harvesting and processing from wasteful and often destructive practices to precise, efficient operations has been facilitated through the incorporation of computer technologies. The day when a tree may be selected, harvested and processed to meet a single end user's specific needs through the aid of a computer may not be far off.
Last but certainly not least, the virtually unlimited possibilities in terms of information exchange presented by the Internet - the so-called information highway - are now being tapped by forestry. Perhaps one of the most exciting opportunities in this regard is that of policy discussion and debate at the international level.
The articles in this issue of Unasylva make no attempt to cover the breadth of ways in which computers are being used in forestry. Rather they provide a sampling of philosophical and practical approaches.
The first article, by D. Richardson, considers the opportunities presented by the Internet for forestry within overall rural development. An important point made by this article is the need to avoid widening the gap between information "haves" and "have-nots".
D. P. Dykstra, Deputy Director-General for Research at the Center for International Forestry Research, considers some of the emerging information technologies that are becoming important for forestry. His article examines how these tools are improving strategic and tactical planning as well as operations management and control.
In an accompanying short article, K. D. Singh describes the efforts of the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department to introduce computers, and particularly a geographic information system (GIS), into their forestry management programme. A poignant message comes through in this article: computer technology cannot simply be melded into an existing system; rather its introduction requires a rethinking of the entire system of decision-making and control processes inherent in forest management.
From January to May 1996, FAO organized an electronic conference, entitled Addressing Natural Resource Conflicts through Community Forestry, which linked more than 450 participants from 55 countries. The article by A. Sherwood presents an overview of this experience, particularly from the point of view of the potential of the electronic conference medium.
One of the many exciting opportunities presented by computers is that of distance learning. The article by J. A. Berdegué and R. D. Hart presents concrete examples of electronic applications that could be used to improve higher education in forestry, particularly in the context of developing countries.
In the final article in this issue focusing directly on the theme of computers and forestry, T. E. Burk, P. J. Cameron, S. D. Lime and S. Lane describe an Internet-based system of forest fire prevention and suppression planning.
The next issue of Unasylva will appear in September 1997 and will be a special double issue focusing on the upcoming World Forestry Congress in Antalya, Turkey. To help set the stage for the congress, the present issue features an interview with the Turkish Minister for Forestry, Halit Dagli.
