Inventory and Decision Support Software
Calculators
This software has been developed by Forest Growers Research for sensitivity analysis of growth modelling and testing management regimes, to derive future production and income in radiata pine and Douglas fir, also available for other species listed.
Information leaflets
Tree Grower articles
- New radiata pine calculator
Harriet Palmer, August 2018
Farm foresters can now test out different management options for existing or planned radiata pine plantations with a new on-line calculator – the Forecaster Radiata Pine Calculator. This is a… - Radiata pine for the next generation
Michael Watt and Harriet Palmer, February 2018
Finally, payday is approaching for many forest owners, as woodlots and forests planted in the 1990s reach harvest age. For growers planning to replant with radiata pine, and any new planters,… - Improving small plantation and woodlot inventory using remote sensing - how you can help
Jonathan Dash and Michael Watt, May 2017
Small plantations and woodlots comprise around 36 per cent of the total New Zealand plantation estate. Growers of these woodlots include an estimated 14,000 small-scale and medium-scale forest owners and… - Eyes in the Sky
Michelle Harnett and Jonathan Dash, May 2017
Lit up like a Christmas tree is a good description of a laser-generated image of a forest. Stunning images aside, research in New Zealand and overseas is showing that the… - Keeping records of your woodlots - MyLand record system
Graham West, August 2014
MyLand Land Record System is a new NZFFA sponsored system which will help you locate your property on a map over the web. You will be able to draw around… - Recognising site quality for forest productivity
Michael Orchard, November 2010
If we were a big organisation looking to buy the optimal piece of land for forestry production, we might go to the fertile pumice lands of the Bay of Plenty… - Using Forecaster to maximise your forest investment
Jeremy Snook, May 2010
Forecaster is a software system used to estimate the value of tree crop returns based on predicted log out-turns. It works by modelling the effects of site, silviculture and genetics… - Mapping the productivity of radiata pine
David Palmer, Michael Watt, Mark Kimberley, Barbara Höck, Tim Payn and David Low, May 2010
Forest owners, investors and policy makers all want to know the spread and productivity of New Zealand’s current and future radiata plantation. David Palmer, a geo-spatial analyst at Scion, has… - Improving forest inventory for the woodlot owner
Chris Goulding and Marika Fritzsche, May 2010
Forestry is unusual compared with other crops in that planning should be carried out over the long term. The boom in new planting in the 1990's was carried out mainly by… - GPS and mapping tools for farm forestry
Harriet Palmer, Don Wallace and Ross Browne, February 2008
Ever wondered where your property boundaries really are? This was the question facing Don and Lynne Wallace, Wellington Branch members, when they bought a steep Kapiti Coast block recently. The… - Practical hints for measuring trees
Allan Laurie, February 2006
Fundamental to the future decision about harvest is the need to understand how the woodlot is performing in terms of annual tree growth. Growth performance is mainly expressed in height… - Measuring radiata pine and forecasting yields
Dave Crawley, May 2007
Measuring radiata pine and forecasting yields has become a highly specialised area and there is now an increasing array of software and tools required to stay on the top of… - Tree planter's record system
Euan Mason, May 2005
Tree planters record system (TPRS) software has been developed by the Farm Forestry Association with the support of the Sustainable Farming Fund. This software aids record keeping while ensuring that… - MARVL pre-harvest inventory system
Jim Cooke & Rob Webster, May 2005
No, MARVL is not shorthand for one of the wonders of the world but something much more prosaic. MARVL is an acronym for ‘method of assessment of recoverable volume by… - Version 2 Calculators: Upgrading the business of farm forestry
Piers Maclaren & Leith Knowles, May 2005
Download the Radiata calculator version 4 (NZFFA members only) » Is farm forestry a business or is it just a hobby? These days livestock farmers go to considerable trouble to… - GIS and indigenous forest management
Roger May, February 2005
A geographical information system (GIS) is a computerised mapping system which can be used for map production, operational planning, spatial analysis and record-keeping. The advantages of GIS The use of…
Headlines
- New free online forest productivity calculator for small growers March 2018
A new online calculator for radiata pine and Douglas-fir productivity is now available, free of charge. The Forecaster Calculator was built for owners and advisors of small forests, who… - How much wood has my woodlot got? May 2015
Scion seeks small woodlot owners to help test a new tool that will provide simple recommendations to assist management of small-scale forest stands. Decision support tools that provide management recommendations… - Research at Scion - The changing face of forest monitoring April 2015
Preliminary results demonstrate the potential for unmanned aerial vehicles to greatly improve our understanding of the health and productivity of New Zealand forests. The sight of drones flying over New… - How to create good kmz (google earth) files November 2013
On this page: [Create a polygon in Google Earth] [Saving your .kmz file] [Editing a .kmz polygon in Google Earth] Print this page Create a polygon in Google Earth 1.…
Other sources of information
- A dynamic framework for spatial modelling Pinus radiata soil water balance (SWatBal) across New Zealand
FRI Bulletin No. 234, Palmer, D. J., M. S. Watt, B. K. Höck, D. J. Lowe and T. W. Payn (2009). - How Much Wood Has Your Woodlot Got?
Forest Research Bulletin No. 217, Maclaren, J. P. (2000)
Practical guide to woodlot inventory, aimed at farm foresters. Somewhat dated (eg excludes use of electronic technology such as GPS and Vertex). - Field guide for sample plots in New Zealand forests
FRI Bulletin No. 186, Ellis, J. C. and J. D. Hayes (1997). - A three-dimensional formula for coniferous log volumes in New Zealand
FRI Bulletin No. 20, Ellis, J. C. (1982). - Predicting final branch size in thinned radiata pine stands
FRI Bulletin No. 3, Inglis, C. S. and M. R. Cleland (1982). - Stand assessment by log grades using MARVL
FRI Bulletin No. 132, Manley, B. R., C. J. Goulding and M. E. Lawrence (1987). - Sampling and measuring procedure for tree volume and taper equation construction and testing
FRI Bulletin No. 138, Gordon, A. and J. Penman (1987). - Simple experimental design for forestry trials
FRI Bulletin No. 71, Andrew, I. (1986). - Log volume tables for tapers of 0.4cm/m to 2.2cm/m
FRI Bulletin No. 20 Supplement, Ellis, J. C. (1982). - Inventory Practice for Managed Forests
Goulding, C. J., & Lawrence, M. E. (1992). FRI Bulletin No. 171 (pp. 50). Rotorua, NZ: NZ Forest Research Institute.
Handbook aimed at professional foresters. Could still be of value to farm foresters keen on accurate forest inventory. Somewhat dated (eg excludes use of electronic technology such as GPS and Vertex).
