Forest inventory

Objectives of Forest Inventory

Basic Data and information is required, if a renewable natural resource - such as forest - ist to be managed in a reasonable and sustainable manner. Forest inventory is the activity of data collection, that helps generating the required information base of the forest resource within an area of interest.

The information requirements regarding forest resources, are as manifold as are the interest in forest as a resource and as an ecosystem. Interested parties are above all decision makers and researchers in forestry and related fields. Forest owners, forest managers and forest politicians are those who demand information about the forest resource, but also regional planners, wood industry, conservation biologists, tourism people etc. When the group of actually and potentially interested parties can clearly be identified, it is straightforward to plan an inventory such that their specific needs are met. However, frequently one has to plan an inventory in a flexible manner, to serve many different potentially interested experts - without yet knowing all of them exactly.