The process of resource planning and management generally employs modeling objective scientific data into information used to make decisions about resources. The phenomena of this process is no matter how far down in the process or how prevalent the objective science is, eventually a resource manager will make a subjective decision about the information's relative worth. Resource models, often referred to as planning tools are merely transforming data into indices where the true tool (the human brain) models a relative value of suitability, sustainability or some other management objective. Applications such as GIS are notoriously accused of being thoughtless answer machines (black boxes) when in fact their primary use is simply to create indices for evaluation by the human brain or display efficiently the results of a valuation system performed by the human brain. Virtual reality is being touted as the next great spatial management tool, when in fact it only displays highly interactive versions of proposed or existing worlds. The decision engine (or tool) is more than likely still the planners brain. Computer breakthroughs like expert systems and artificial intelligence may come close to being true "tools" but are also truly black boxes. Many of the current uses of technology in resource planning and management (such as GIS) only move the subjective decision further away from the reality of the situation. Even more alarming is GIS technology's ability to completely hide subjective decisions. On the other hand, GIS technology if used creatively has the inherent capability to demonstrate at exactly what point in the model human valuation influenced a proposed resource action. It is possible to identify when the indexing of scientific data stops and the subjective valuation begins. GIS technology at that point can become a tool for accountablility if nothing else. The paper and presentation will demonstrate through academic case studies how critical thought processes are taught in the Department of Landscape Architecture utilizing and ArcInfo while emphasizing the documentation of subjective valuation.
Plantation forestry is an intensive land management practice for short rotation exotic timber species grown under South African climatic conditions. For this reason, the management and utilization of accurate natural resource and operational information is of utmost importance to the efficiency of the business. Furthermore, Mondi's forestry landholdings are geographically dispersed, which increases the complexity of creating and updating the spatial database by means of smooth and efficient information flows. The process of planning, establishing, and maintaining an Integrated Forestry Database (IFDB) based on a combination of UNIX ArcInfo and desktop ArcView technologies is described. Details of the processes followed during the user requirements analysis, the system design, and the customization stages are provided. A comprehensive description of the functionality of the ArcView software which was customized specifically for efficient forestry management and reporting is given. Finally, aspects of the implementation of the IFDB system across five regional sites and sixty remote sites are highlighted and the progress to date is reported on.
Changing attitudes toward national forests have increased demands to manage forests in a socially acceptable and ecologically sustainable manner. As an alternative to clear-cutting on the Ouachita National Forest, research was initiated to study seed-tree, shelterwood, single-tree, and group selection cutting methods in pine-hardwood stands. An ecosystem management research team developed a replicated stand-level study that involves monitoring activities in the following areas: silviculture, wildlife, biodiversity, visual quality, recreation, water quality, soils, cultural resources, insects, diseases, harvesting, and management economics. Information is being collected by more than fifty researchers over a five-year period. In order to evaluate the effects of different management strategies and their interactions with forest resources, all the data must be in a common format and available to all researchers. A data support system was developed that incorporates a geographic information system (GIS), global positioning systems (GPS), and computer network technologies. This allows researchers to integrate both spatial and tabular data from more than 2,000 plots. Initiation of this data support system involved the development of a conceptual design which allows all phases of the research to tie together into a spatial model. ArcInfo and ArcView served this need. Individual observations, statistics, tables, graphics, photographs, aerial photos, maps, etc., are tied together by common spatial coordinates. When this database support system is fully developed, researchers will be able to investigate interactions between their data and that of others by overlaying different themes and analyzing various projects. An ArcView/Avenue interface is being developed to allow for easy access to the various components of each database topic. Data are being stored on optical CD-ROM disks in a format that is accessible to many platforms. Electronic access will provide support and integration of all research activities. Researchers not only can share information resources, but can graphically visualize many facets of the forest ecosystem and its changes under various management strategies. The methodology used to develop and configure this large, relational database into an easily accessible form usable in an interactive GIS program should be transferable to other areas of natural resource management.