Uptake and barriers to the use of geospatial technologies in forest management

Background: A survey was conducted to assess the uptake, and barriers to use, of geospatial tools and technologies amongst New Zealand's plantation forestry sector. Methods: Responses were received from 17 companies representing 63% of New Zealand's plantation forest by area. A wide range of company sizes were surveyed (net stocked areas ranged from 4,000 - 200,000 hectares), and 7 of the 17 have international operations. Results: Survey results suggest that freely available topography, climate, and soil datasets have limited utility, as forest management at the operational level requires higher resolution, remotely sensed data. The most common supplemental data are aerial photography or satellite imagery. High spatial resolution was more highly valued by respondents than spectral diversity (i.e. number of channels); only six companies regularly use imagery containing an infrared band. LiDAR data has been used regularly by only three New Zealand forestry companies, while another six have tried it, suggesting it is an emerging technology in New Zealand. The use of generic GIS software was common amongst all respondents (14 use the ESRI product ArcGIS, three use MapInfo produced by Pitney Bowes). The utility of ArcGIS, in particular, was enhanced by locally developed extensions designed to address specific operational tasks performed regularly by New Zealand's forestry companies. Conclusions: While it is clear that geospatial data and tools are generally adopted by New Zealand's forest industry, cost-related barriers prevent their widespread adoption. Interestingly, a lack of staff knowledge was also conceded an impediment to uptake, alluding to the importance of tertiary education in the geospatial sciences and continuing education for practitioners.