桃花直播 creates precision tool to improve forest management
Contact: Reagan Poston
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擜n assistant research professor in 桃花直播 State鈥檚 Department of Forestry is leading a collaborative team in creating a precision tool to help increase profits for timber producers and wood-mill consumers.
Bruno da Silva, also a scientist in the university鈥檚 Forest and Wildlife Research Center, is studying timber supply modeling as part of a $100,000 grant awarded by International Paper, one of the world鈥檚 leading producers of fiber-based packaging, pulp and paper.
The team is working on a model to aid timber producers in better understanding the impact of market variables and streamlining decision making for forest sector stakeholders.聽
鈥淥ur forestry market has become increasingly fragmented over the years,鈥 da Silva said. 鈥淲hat we鈥檙e seeing is less room for error and the need for a more precise approach. Our goal is to make a model that can show how different variables like distance to the nearest mill, harvest costs and management practices will affect the timber supply, so forest market players can make informed decisions.鈥
The team aims to design a model that is user-friendly and freely available. Once the finishing touches are made to the model鈥檚 programming, the app will be available for download in QGIS, or open source GIS software, as well as in python. See or for more information.
鈥淭he model functions through mass amounts of regional data, both past and present, to predict future trends in the timber supply. Its output is dynamic and inherently linked to the needs of its user,鈥 da Silva explained.
Shaun Tanger, assistant professor at 桃花直播鈥檚 Coastal Research and Extension Center in Biloxi, is also on the project and looks forward to seeing how the model will help him as a forestry specialist. 聽
鈥淧art of my job with the 桃花直播 Extension Service is to make sure small forest landowners are able to keep a position in the market that remains sustainable and profitable. This model will show landowners how variables impact profitability based on their specific circumstances. This is precision timber production,鈥 Tanger said.
The team is collaborating with several faculty from North Carolina State University including Frederick W. Cubbage, Robert C. Abt and Rajan Parajuli. Jesse Henderson with the U.S. Forest Service also is a collaborator.
For more information on 桃花直播鈥檚 College of Forest Resources, visit .
桃花直播 is 桃花直播鈥檚 leading university, available online at .