Managing forests virtually

Did you know that there are over 240 special one-hectare forest sites called marteloscopes in 26 countries that are used for field-based training and education of forestry professionals, students, forest owners, policy makers and even the broader public? This unique set of sites is brought together by the Integrate Network, facilitated by EFI.

In a marteloscope, all trees are numbered and measured, and their locations are mapped. In addition, the sites are inventoried for microhabitats such as cavities, injuries and wounds, deadwood, as well as deformations, bird nests etc., which can serve as shelter or home for different plants and animals.

Using collected information in virtual forest management

The information collected in marteloscopes can be used in the Integrate+ Trainer mobile app developed by EFI software developers and researchers. With the app, users can perform virtual management exercises and compare alternative forest management strategies in the forest. The user receives immediate feedback from the application on the effects of tree selection on both the harvested and remaining tree stand which illustrates the consequences of different management practices. The app thereby supports in educating its users on integrating biodiversity conservation in managed forests.  

In a recent project coordinated by Karelia University of Applied Sciences, and implemented together with the Finnish Forest Centre, EFI further developed the app to enable forest owners to assess the impact of forest management decisions on timber production, biodiversity and carbon storage. The app now calculates the volume, economic value, biodiversity impacts, and carbon balance based on the data from the stand. Additionally, it predicts the development of the remaining tree stand after 20 years.  

The app is now available from Google Play 

Be sure to watch also the video, where passers-by give their best guesses as to what a marteloscope is.