user requirements study - universiteit twente · - vissers datamanagement, wageningen, the...

April 1999 ITC In cooperation with FAO IKC N NIVR IBN-DLO WAU DOFI NEO Fokker Space BV NLR TNO-FEL Vissers Datamanagement

Ministry of Economic Affairs Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Netherlands Development Assistance Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries

USER REQUIREMENTS STUDY

FOR REMOTE SENSING-BASED SPATIAL INFORMATION

FOR THE SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF FORESTS

FINAL REPORT

USER REQUIREMENTS STUDY FOR REMOTE SENSING-BASED SPATIAL INFORMATION FOR THE SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF FORESTS FINAL REPORT Prepared by International Institute for Aerospace Survey and Earth Sciences [ITC] - A. de Gier - E. Westinga - S. Beerens Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations [FAO] - P. van Laake National Reference Centre for Nature Management [IKC Natuurbeheer] - H. Savenije On the basis of Technical Documents prepared by staff members of the collaborating organizations April 1999

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USER REQUIREMENTS STUDY FOR REMOTE SENSING-BASED SPATIAL INFORMATION FOR THE SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF FORESTS Preamble and acknowledgements This study originates from problems observed in relation to information availability for decision-making purposes in sustainable forest management as a result of experiences gained in international programmes and processes over the past decades worldwide. A solution to the problems observed in the supply of information was suggested through the FAME (Forest Assessment and Monitoring Environment) concept comprising an end-to-end forest assessment and monitoring system. This is an integrated system, with functions for image data input, transmission, acquisition, processing, modeling and archiving, including the education and training required for these purposes. This FAME concept was developed by a number of institutes in the Netherlands and was positively received by, among others, the FAO and by the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE) from Brazil both expressing keen interest to collaborate with the Netherlands in the further development of this concept. The study aims to address the following issues: - Assessment of requirements for spatial information in order to support sustainable forest management; - Preliminary evaluation of the extent to which these requirements for spatial information can be met by existing

and planned remote sensing systems; - Identification of the requirements for, and components of, an improved information supply mechanism in the

form of an “end-to-end” information system. Three Ministries of the Government of the Netherlands have sponsored the study: the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Netherlands Development Assistance – NEDA) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries. The study was carried out by the International Institute for Aerospace Survey and Earth Sciences (ITC) of Enschede, the Netherlands, in cooperation with: - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Rome, Italy - National Reference Centre for Nature Management (IKC Natuurbeheer), Wageningen, the Netherlands - Institute for Forest and Nature Research (IBN-DLO), Wageningen, the Netherlands - Wageningen Agricultural University (WAU), Wageningen, the Netherlands - DO Forestry International (DOFI), Bennekom, the Netherlands - Netherlands Geomatics and Earth Observation BV (NEO), Lelystad, the Netherlands - Netherlands Agency for Aerospace Programmes (NIVR), Delft, the Netherlands - National Aerospace Laboratory (NLR), Amsterdam, the Netherlands - Fokker Space BV, Leiden, the Netherlands - TNO-Physics and Electronics Laboratory (TNO-FEL), The Hague, the Netherlands - Vissers Datamanagement, Wageningen, the Netherlands The study results have been incorporated in the “User Requirements Study – Final Report”. This Final Report is based on the detailed study results contained in a number of technical documents as follows: 1. International user identification and platform creation

[DOFI/J.M. Heering] 2. Design of the user needs assessment study

[ITC/E. Westinga] 3. Forest functions, management principles and information requirements

[IBN-DLO/H. Diemont] 4. User needs assessment for spatial forest information; results and analysis

[ITC/E. Westinga; IKC N/H. Savenije] 5. Spatial data requirements in sustainable forest management; A study in four tropical countries

[FAO/P. van Laake] 6. Remote sensing applications for forest management

[ITC/Y. Hussin] 7. User requirements versus existing capabilities

ITC/W. Bijker] 8. Proceedings of the international workshop on the preliminary results of the user requirements study

[DOFI/R. Rowe & J.M. Heering] This study would not have been possible without the collaboration and support of the user community. A special word of acknowledgement and appreciation is therefore due to those who actively participated in the interactive questionnaire survey, the country studies, the international workshop or other activities.

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Abbreviations and acronyms AfDB African Development Bank AsDB Asian Development Bank APFC Asian-Pacific Forestry Commission ATO African Timber Organization CCAB-AP Comisión Centro-Americana de Bosques, Areas Protegidas CCRS Canadian Centre for Remote Sensing CIFOR Center for International Forestry Research CILSS Comité Interafricain de la Lutte contre les Effets de la Sécheresse au Sahel COICA Coordinadora de las Organizaciones Indígenas de la Cuenca Amazónica DOFI DO Forestry International ECOWAS Economic Organization of West African States EFI European Forest Institute ELCI Environmental Liaison Center International ENVISAT Environmental Satellite EOS-AM Earth Observation System – AM ERS European Remote Sensing Satellite EU European Union [Commission of the European Union] FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FAME Forest Assessment and Monitoring Environment FRA Forest Resources Accounting FSC Forest Stewardship Council GEF Global Environment Facility GFIS Global Forest Information Service GFW Global Forest Watch GILS Global Information Locator Service GIS Geographical Information System GO Government Organization GPF Global Programme on Forests (UNDP) GRID Global Resource Information Database IADB Inter-American Development Bank IBN-DLO Institute for Forest and Nature Management [Min. of Agriculture, Nature Management and

Fisheries, the Netherlands] ICRAF International Center for Research in Agro-Forestry IFF International Forum on Forests IGAD Inter-Governmental Authority on Drought Control and Development in Eastern Africa IGO Inter-Governmental Organization IIASA International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis IKC-N National Reference Center for Nature Management INPE Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais IPF/CSD Intergovernmental Panel on Forests / Commission on Sustainable Development IBRD International Bank for Reconstruction and Development IRS Indian Remote Sensing Satellite ITC International Institute for Aerospace Survey and Earth Sciences ITTO International Timber Trade Organization IUCN The World Conservation Union / International Union for the Conservation of Nature IUFRO International Union of Forestry Research Organizations JERS Japan Earth Resources Satellite LANDSAT Land Satellite LISS Linear Imaging Self-Scanning NEDA Netherlands Development Assistance NEO Netherlands Geomatics and Earth Observation NFAP National Forestry Action Plan Nfp national forest programme NGO Non-Governmental Organization NIVR Netherlands’ Agency for Aerospace Programmes NLR National Aerospace Laboratory NOAA AVHRR National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration – Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer NTFP Non-timber Forest Products PAN SPOT Panchromatic mode

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RADARSAT Radar satellite RESPAS Remote Sensing Processing and Archiving System SADC Southern African Development Community SAR Synthetic Aperture Radar SFM Sustainable Forest Management SPOT Système Pour l’Observation de la Terre TCA Tractado de Cooperación Amazónica TFAP Tropical Forestry Action Plan TM LANDSAT Thematic Mapper TNO-FEL TNO – Physics and Electronics Laboratory UNCED United Nations Commission on Environment and Development UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNEP United Nations Environment Programme URS User Requirements Study WAU Wageningen Agricultural University WCFSD World Commission on Forests and Sustainable Development WCMC World Conservation Monitoring Center WFI World Forestry Institute WRI World Resources Institute WWF Worldwide Fund for Nature XS SPOT Multispectral mode

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USER REQUIREMENTS STUDY – FINAL REPORT FOR REMOTE SENSING-BASED SPATIAL INFORMATION FOR THE SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF FORESTS Contents Page Preamble and acknowledgements i Abbreviations and acronyms ii – iii Table of contents iv Executive summary v - x 1. Introduction 1

1.1 Background 1 1.2 Context 2 1.3 Study objectives 2 1.4 Study execution 3 1.5 Report structure 3

2. Study design 4

2.1 Study process 4 2.2 Forest functions and management principles 4 2.3 Classification and identification of users 5 2.4 User needs studies 5 2.5 Inventory and evaluation of remote sensing capabilities 7 2.6 Creation of an international user network 7 2.7 International workshop 8

3 Information needs 9

3.1 Study findings 9 3.2 User group priorities 10 3.3 Sources of information 10 3.4 Deficiencies in information availability 11 3.5 User needs in perspective 11

4. Capabilities of remote sensing-based systems 13

4.1 Inventory of remote sensing-based information systems 13 4.2 Key system requirements 13 4.3 Data capture 15 4.4 Data acquisition and distribution 16 4.5 Processing of data and the use of information 16 4.6 State-of-the-art of remote sensing capabilities for forest management 17

5. Constraints in obtaining spatial information 18

5.1 Study findings 18 5.2 Analysis 18

6. Synthesis 21 6.1 Conclusions 21 6.2 The FAME concept revisited 22 6.3 Recommendations 23

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Executive summary Background Interest in sustainable forest management, which has been observed globally over the past two decades, has increased the need for proper decision-support systems. The effectiveness of decision-support systems for sustainable forest management is jeopardized by problems related to the availability of relevant information within operational constraints, such as timeliness, affordability and accessibility. Problems of this nature have been under discussion for a very long time and were confirmed in Agenda 21, chapters 11 and 40 and Annex III (UNCED, 1992). The problems were also addressed in various FAO activities (nfp, FRA), in the regional hearings of the World Commission on Forests and Sustainable Development (WCFSD), and the European Union studies and more recently by the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests (IPF) and the Intergovernmental Forum on Forests (IFF). A solution to the problems observed in the supply of information was suggested through the FAME (Forest Assessment and Monitoring Environment) concept comprising an end-to-end forest assessment and monitoring system. This is an integrated system, with functions for image data input, transmission, acquisition, processing, modeling and archiving, including the education and training required for these purposes. One of the features of FAME is the capability of receiving the data required for decision-making autonomously and in a standardized way. This FAME concept was developed by a number of institutes in the Netherlands and was positively received by, among others, the FAO and by the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE) from Brazil both expressing keen interest in collaborating with the Netherlands in the further development of this concept. The Netherlands’ Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries subsequently decided to sponsor a study to assess the need for remote sensing-based spatial information in general and possibly the need for a dedicated “end-to-end system”. They commissioned the International Institute for Aerospace Survey and Earth Sciences (ITC), in cooperation with a number of other organizations including the FAO, IKC Natuurbeheer, NLR, DOFI and others, to carry out a study into user requirements for remote sensing-based spatial information for the sustainable management of forests. This document presents the findings, conclusions and recommendations resulting from this study, which was carried out in the period May 1997 – February 1999. Objectives The User Requirements Study focused on: - Assessment of requirements for spatial information in order to support sustainable forest

management; - Preliminary evaluation of the extent to which these spatial information requirements can be met by

existing and planned remote sensing systems; - Identification of the requirements for, and components of, an improved information supply

mechanism in the form of an “end-to-end” information system. Context The User Requirements Study was carried out in the following context: - The main point of departure for this study was the overall objective of sustainable forest

management. For the purpose of this study defined as “managing forest resources and associated lands to meet the social, economic, ecological, cultural and spiritual needs of present and future generations” (FSC, 1996)

- This study focused on remote sensing options for data and derived information supply. It is fully understood that spatial data obtained through terrestrial surveys are in many cases indispensable. For some specific purposes, terrestrial surveys are (still) the only way of ultimately providing the information required for example on socio-economic parameters.

- This study concentrated explicitly on information requirements as an essential prerequisite to achieving sustainable forest management. It is, however, fully recognized that other factors of an institutional, legal, and political nature may be equally important.

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Study design A first step in the study was the definition of forest functions (production, conservation, protection and conversion) in order to specify management principles and information requirements from a theoretical perspective. This exercise accentuated the multi-functionality of forests and forest management, implying that information requirements will also be of a comprehensive nature. A classification and identification was subsequently carried out of users of spatial information for sustainable forest management (differentiating between the level of administrative operation, type of organization and type of decision-making authority). Actual user information needs were obtained through: - A literature study of the most relevant documentation on the subject; - An interactive questionnaire survey among 224 stakeholders/users and - Detailed country studies in Brazil, Nepal, Malaysia and Costa Rica (a study planned in Cameroon

could unfortunately not be carried out for organizational and security reasons). An inventory was made of the existing and planned remote sensing-based information systems. A preliminary evaluation was carried out of the capabilities of these systems vis-à-vis the identified requirements in order to assess the extent to which the spatial information requirements, obtained through the user needs study, can possibly be met. The entire study process was supported by the active involvement of the users including the creation of an international user network by means of participation in, and presentation of, the study at regional and worldwide meetings of a variety of forestry organizations. The preliminary results of the study were presented at an international workshop in November 1998 at ITC in Enschede, the Netherlands, in which 57 experts from twenty countries and a variety of both national and international organizations participated. Information needs The study has revealed a substantial and urgent global need for spatial data and information on forests. The need for information is particularly observed at a local level (including forest communities and forest management units) and at sub-national levels (including provincial and state authorities). All themes that require spatial information are relevant, irrespective of level. This applies to land and forest cover, forest function allocation, forest types, forest health, bio-diversity, biomass for carbon sequestration, forest products and stand parameters. Forest fire themes mentioned are fire detection, fire damage and fire hazard. Furthermore, land tenure, forest dependent communities and socio-economic parameters are indicated. Site information needs include topography, hydrology, soils and geomorphology. Most important are the themes of land and forest cover, and forest degradation. The information requirements in all cases refer to both “state” and “change” parameters. At local and sub-national levels, nearly all themes have a high priority. At global, supranational and national levels, a specific priority was observed for information on bio-diversity and carbon sequestration. Information is currently derived from a variety of sources. These include secondary sources, such as line agencies (for site information such as topography, soils, hydrology and land tenure) and primary sources such as terrestrial surveys (for forest products, bio-diversity, stand parameters and forest health, growth and development) and remote sensing, both aerial photography and satellite imagery (for land and forest cover/composition, forest types and fire damage) or combinations of these sources. The study has further revealed a considerable discrepancy between the demand for and supply of information. The interactive questionnaire survey indicated that 80% of the respondents need more data and information, either more recent, more specific or more detailed.

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The identified user needs reflect existing and short-term information needs as currently perceived by the users. Within the various user communities a considerable difference exists with respect to the experience with and awareness of the usability of remote sensing derived information, resulting in a wide range of perceptions. Moreover information needs are not static. They will change as new technologies are developed and users become aware of application possibilities. They will also change in conjunction with changing policies and the development and redefinition/refinement of the concept of sustainable forest management. Capabilities of existing and planned (satellite-based) remote sensing technology The user needs, formulated in forestry terms, were translated into user requirements, using technical terms, as demands to an information system. Capabilities of existing remote sensing-based information systems were subsequently compared with (i.e. evaluated against) these technical requirements. This comparison/evaluation has revealed that LANDSAT TM, SPOT XS and aerial photography are currently potentially the most suitable options available to meet the priority information requirements for land and forest cover, forest types and fire damage assessment, although substantial limitations do still exist. These optical satellite systems and aerial photography are able to provide some information on the requisite scale. LANDSAT TM and SPOT XS are most suitable for smaller scales (1:50,000 and smaller), although SPOT XS might supply information on 1:25,000 scale. Aerial photography is more suitable when more detail (larger scale) is required. NOAA-AVHRR is the best option at the moment for forest fire assessment on small scales (1:1,000,000 and smaller). All the systems mentioned above, however, lack the ability to penetrate cloud covers. Although not claimed as a major problem in the questionnaire survey and country studies (but this might be due to a lack of experience in the use of imagery), this problem is frequently mentioned in literature and was confirmed at the international workshop. Satellites equipped with radar sensors, such as ERS-1 and RADARSAT-1, do not have this problem but both lack the ability to accurately distinguish between essential land cover classes. From the point of view of affordability, aerial photography is exceptionally expensive if acquired for the sole purpose of forestry, while high resolution optical satellite remote sensing imagery is prohibitively expensive for many users. Satellite-based radar data and low resolution optical data from NOAA-AVHRR appear to be the least expensive but both lack the ability to meet the requirements. The evaluation reveals that there is neither now - nor likely to be in the immediate future - a remote sensing-based information system that can meet all information requirements identified in the study as being essential for forest management. Furthermore, the evaluation concludes that the information needs can only partially be satisfied through satellite remote sensing. Aerial photography, terrestrial survey, and secondary data sources are equally important. This will remain the case even when satellite imagery with higher spatial resolution becomes available. Constraints in information supply The study has revealed a considerable discrepancy between the demand for data and information for certain themes and the ability of existing systems to meet that demand. This indicates a considerable under-utilization of existing data sources, caused by a variety of constraints of e.g. a political, institutional, operational and technical nature. The study shows that accessibility to and affordability of existing data and information are the major constraints mentioned by all users. Elimination of these two constraints would satisfy the first priority needs for information on land and forest cover, and forest degradation. Lack of user-friendly technology, inadequate data quality, cloud cover and lack of standardization in methods for data collection and analysis, are also mentioned as constraints of relatively minor importance. There is, however, no proof at present that imagery exists of all geographical areas of interest. This means that availability problems may still exist in addition to the usability, timeliness, accessibility, frequency (number of images per year) and continuity problems.

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Further analysis has revealed weak policies and organizations, and inadequate staffing and staff capabilities, which prevent proper management and operation of spatial information systems at a national level and below. At a national level, there is a lack of an information strategy for data dissemination and decentralized data management and use (i.e. an information infrastructure). There is no system that accommodates and integrates data of a diverse nature, such as remote sensing data, terrestrial observations, and socio-economic data, from a variety of sources and of different qualities. The distribution of (remotely sensed) data is the weakest part of the chain, from data acquisition to delivery of the information to the desk of the user. There are no international protocols to facilitate open exchange of data between users at all levels. The FAME concept revisited At the start of the study, the FAME concept was taken as departure point. This concept is to serve operational forest monitoring and includes all components necessary to enhance sustainable forest management worldwide: the development of an end-to-end system, comprising simple PC-based receiving stations, data processing and archiving functions, optionally integrated with a GIS, the associated education and training, as well as a satellite with a dedicated sensor, covering the world’s entire surface. In view of the findings of the study, this concept has been revisited and elaborated resulting in the following specific characteristics which have to be taken into account for the further development of the concept and, more specifically, the end-to-end information system which is part of the concept: - In sustainable forest management information is required on a large number of themes that cannot or

cannot entirely be derived from satellite remote sensing, e.g. socio-economic and political information and NTFP, bio-diversity, degradation, health and stand parameters. This implies that the system will use a variety of space-borne, airborne, terrestrial and existing secondary sources.

- Different users require different themes of information originating from different sources (usability). Depending on the user, the timeliness, frequency, affordability and accessibility criteria will differ.

- The accessibility of data is regarded as being essential: both spatial data to the users, as well as terrestrial data from users to higher levels (aggregation). This encompasses physical distribution as well as the policy and institutional framework for decentralized data management.

- Human and institutional capacity building is necessary to enable users to incorporate spatial information into decision-making processes.

At a national level, an information strategy that will provide the policy and institutional framework in which it is to operate, including research, training and education, must support the end-to-end information system. Internationally an end-to-end information system is to be supported by international protocols for the exchange of data. The proposed end-to-end information system and the environment in which it is to operate can be schematically presented as follows:

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The implementation of an end-to-end information system of this kind has been referred to as an information infrastructure. A number of major components in the information infrastructure can be identified, i.e. data generation, capture, transmission, reception and distribution, data processing, data integration and capacity building: - Data generation and capture: For several themes in sustainable forest management there is currently

synoptic spatial data available, in particular data on forest cover, forest types and for fire damage assessment. It still has to be established whether there are currently adequate spatial data available to meet the requirements of operational forest monitoring systems for all geographical areas of interest. Although the necessity was not established during the study, a dedicated satellite sensor might address the gaps in synoptic spatial data supply on forest degradation, forest production and bio-diversity. However, the study revealed that in order to improve information supply in the short and medium terms, priority should be given to a better and more widespread use of existing technologies rather than to the establishment of a new dedicated satellite sensor system. The latter might become an option in the information infrastructure in the longer term.

- Data transmission, reception and distribution: To improve accessibility to synoptic spatial data, data acquisition (transmission and reception) and distribution mechanisms are essential and they should therefore be part of the information infrastructure. Another important functionality that these mechanisms should support is the flow of locally generated data (such as terrestrial observations) upwards to users at national and international levels. This component only refers to physical mechanisms for data distribution; policy and institutional aspects are included in the information strategy.

- Data processing: Many users of spatial information will not have adequate capacity (human, equipment and software) to handle raw spatial data. Geometric and radiometric correction, geo-referencing, re-sampling and primary classification are examples of basic operations on spatial data that require expert knowledge and specific hardware and software. The spatial data will have to be processed to a degree that suits the purpose of the user. Consequently, the degree to which data must be prepared is variable, between users and purposes. The processing could take place either by specialized agencies (data brokers) that directly communicate with the users, or it could be incorporated as automated procedures in the physical systems supplied to the user.

- Data integration: The users make use of a multitude of data from different sources, of which synoptic spatial data is only one. All of these have a potential function in decision-making and they should therefore be appropriately integrated with the spatial data in order to arrive at proper conclusions. The integration should be transparent to the user.

- Capacity building: Institutional capacity at both policy and technical levels has to be increased to integrate the information system into operational procedures for planning, management and monitoring and to ensure its sustainability within an organizational infrastructure. Staff qualities at all levels need to be compatible with these requirements, requiring large staff development inputs of an organizational and technical nature. Creation of awareness and formal education and training needs have to be identified and corresponding programmes set up. National and international linkages of institutes engaged in capacity building should be further developed and optimized.

Recommendations The User Requirements Study has clearly revealed a substantial and urgent need for improved information supply, in terms of quantity, quality, detail and recentness. It has also made clear that substantial relevant data and information already exist but that these are not accessible for various reasons. Efforts should therefore be made to make these data and information available through the establishment of mechanisms for international data exchange and information strategies. This needs to be supported by the development of new technology to make existing data and information available. Development of technology to meet the information requirements that cannot currently be met by existing sensors has no priority for the majority of users at this stage. The study has further created an interactive process and network of persons and organizations at all levels from the world forestry community which share the same concerns about information supply.

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In order to make use of the momentum created by the study, the following recommendations are proposed for appropriate follow-up action, both nationally and internationally: 1. Put a supranational mechanism or mechanisms in place through an international protocol for the

improved exchange of data and information between users without impeding existing information supplies. Currently there are no mechanisms for the exchange of (spatial) data between users, within and between levels. The distribution of synoptic spatial data (e.g. from satellite imagery) and the aggregation of local and national data into data sets for use at regional and international levels should be included in the mechanism.

2. National governments should formulate and implement an information strategy for decentralized data management for sustainable forest management. Creating awareness plays an important role in improving the data supply. Political leaders and the general public should become more aware about the need for a sustainable use of the forests and the role that information plays in planning, management, assessment and monitoring. This increased awareness should result in commitment that can resolve part of the bottlenecks encountered in the distribution of existing data, by permitting general use of spatial data and by providing sufficient financial resources to acquire and process data. Many countries have policies and procedures that prohibit or limit the distribution or use of spatial data. The information strategy should provide the framework in which this flow of data is possible, while simultaneously safeguarding other national interests.

3. The developed information strategies should be implemented. This could be done by validating and further tailoring the revisited FAME concept through pilot projects. These should encompass the complete flow of information from data generation and capture to the presentation of information to the user. The pilot projects serve to develop and validate a physical implementation of an information infrastructure for a limited number of users (with different profiles) in a relatively short period. Initially these will make use of existing technology and products. Specific user-friendly technology may have to be developed for the users, providing integration of the different data sources. For satellite imagery, local receiving stations could be installed and reduced prices for images should be negotiated. Existing data sets should become more accessible. Capacity building material will have to be developed. In the meantime research has to be carried out to further elaborate the possibilities and limitations of existing and planned systems (availability, usability, frequency etc.) and to assess detailed requirements for technology to be developed. In addition, refinement of user needs and prioritization should be continued. The necessity of developing technology or data products that are not currently available should be guided by the findings from the pilot projects. This also applies to the actual development of new technology and/or data products, aiming at covering the identified gaps in information supply. Even when initiated at present, such development would only give results in the longer term.

4. Capacity building modules have to be developed and applied for the different categories of users of the information systems. The users of the end-to-end system will require training in the operation of the system. Their organizations may have to adjust their working procedures and decision-making to incorporate the

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information infrastructure. The different management operations (planning, monitoring etc) require different kinds of training.

In view of the clear perspective that emerged on the desirability of an operational end-to-end system and its main characteristics for supporting sustainable forest management at local and national levels, it is of key importance to maintain the current global interest in the revisited FAME concept and its implementation. The many (inter) national initiatives in the field of spatial data management and sustainable forest management and the technological developments can provide additional inputs or components to the end-to-end system during its further development.

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1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background Increased interest in sustainable forest management, which includes inventory, planning, monitoring and control, both nationally and internationally, has increased the need for proper decision-support systems. The timely availability of information is a basic prerequisite for the quality and effectiveness of such systems. Information required for these systems comprises both spatial parameters (geo-referenced information such as the area and location under different types/qualities of forests) and non-spatial parameters (e.g. availability of staff and budgets). Problems related to information availability for these decision-support systems have been observed for many years and have been confirmed in UNCED 1992, Agenda 21, chapters 11 and 40 and Annex III. UNCED’s action programme D states for example that “effective and equitable availability of information generated at local, provincial, national and international levels …. should be ensured”. A variety of studies carried out worldwide have confirmed the findings of UNCED. Although remote sensing is generally acknowledged as being used worldwide for forest management, constraints such as usability, availability, accessibility, affordability, timeliness, frequency, cloud cover, data comparability (standardization) and dedicated hardware and software are invariably mentioned. In 1997 the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests restated the importance of accessibility to information, emphasizing the need to review and improve information systems. Follow-up discussions between the International Union of Forestry Research Organizations (IUFRO), Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), World Conservation Monitoring Center (WCMC), World Forestry Institute (WFI), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and European Forestry Institute (EFI) resulted in the idea of a Global Forest Information Service (GFIS), using the Internet as a main communication tool. The issues related to improved information supply for sustainable forest management have raised the interest of several institutes in the Netherlands, eventually resulting in the concept of an “end-to-end” system of information supply for sustainable forest management under the name “FAME – Forest Assessment and Monitoring Environment”. This FAME concept was positively received by various organizations including the FAO and the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE) from Brazil both expressing keen interest in collaborating with the Netherlands in the further development of this concept. All organizations mentioned above recognized that actual user requirements had to be identified and confirmed in sufficient detail. It was furthermore recognized that it was necessary to evaluate the extent to which existing and (short-term) planned (remote sensing) systems could already fulfil the information needs for sustainable forest management. At the same time it was realized that an assessment was warranted as to whether an “end-to-end” concept would indeed be the best solution. FAME is described as: an operational forest monitoring programme including all components necessary to enhance sustainable forest management worldwide, involving education and training and the development of an end-to-end

system, comprisingof very simple PC-based receiving stations, data processing and archiving functions, optionally integrated with a GIS, as well as a satellite with a dedicated sensor, covering the world’s

entire surface.

A study was subsequently commissioned by the Netherlands Government to provide more insight into the various issues under the title "User Requirements Study for remote sensing-based spatial information for the sustainable management of forests" [further referred to as “User Requirements Study” or “study”].


1.2 Context The User Requirements Study has been carried out in the context of a number of premises and definitions: The main point of departure for this study has been the overall objective of sustainable forest management. For the purpose of this study the definition of the Forest Stewardship Council was used.

Sustainable forest management “managing forest resources and associated lands to meet the social, economic, ecological, cultural and spiritual needs of present and future generations” (FSC).

The focus of this study has been the extent to which remote sensing-based spatial information can provide viable contributions to achieve sustainable forest management. It is understood that remote sensing is not the only option to obtain spatial data. Other sources such as terrestrial surveys are in many cases of equal or greater importance. For certain purposes terrestrial surveys are (still) the only way of ultimately providing the information required for decision-making, such as for socio-economic parameters. Remote sensing-based information has in these cases been assessed as alternative or complementary to terrestrial surveys. In any case these terrestrial data are required for ground validation of remote sensing-based spatial information. This study initially concentrated explicitly on information requirements as an essential prerequisite of achieving sustainable forest management. From the start of the study it was clear that other factors of an institutional, legal and security nature were of equal if not greater importance to achieve these objectives. These other factors, however, have not been the principal subject of analysis in this study, although during the analysis/synthesis phase of the project, attention was given to these aspects. During the study many contacts were established with ongoing similar initiatives (and the groups and organizations behind them) dealing with information supply. These initiatives confirm that this need is one that is generally felt in the forestry community. Much benefit was derived from their experiences and the results have been incorporated in the (design and analysis of) this study where necessary. For the purpose of clarity, the concepts of “data” and “information” have been clarified as follows: “Data” comprise raw figures and facts, such as pixel values on a satellite image. Data are not suitable for decision-making. For this purpose the data need to be processed and transformed into information,

e.g. into a forest cover map, with the detail required for decision-making at the specific level ( e.g. a local forest manager). This information may also be transferred to the next higher level of decision-

making in the organization, where it may be aggregated with other sources of information and data to support proper decision-making at that level.

1.3 Study objectives The objectives of the study may be summarized as follows: - Assessment of requirements for spatial information in order to support sustainable forest

management; - Preliminary evaluation of the extent to which these spatial information requirements can be met by

existing and planned remote sensing systems; - Identification of the requirements for, and components of, an improved information supply

mechanism in the form of an “end-to-end” information system.


1.4 Study execution

The study, including an extensive period of administrative preparation, was carried out in the period May 1997 – February 1999. It was conducted by a consortium of organizations with the International Institute for Aerospace Survey and Earth Sciences (ITC) in a coordinating role, together with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), National Reference Center for Nature Management (IKC N), DO Forestry International (DOFI), the National Aerospace Laboratory (NLR) and several other organizations in the Netherlands. 1.5 Report structure The results of the study have been reported in a series of eight Technical Documents (listed in the preamble). This final report is based on a synthesis of the information derived from these Technical Documents. Chapter 2 describes the design of the study, based on the original project proposal and Technical Documents 2 and 3. Chapter 3 presents the spatial information needs for different user groups according to theme, scale and frequency. The content of this chapter is mainly based on Technical Documents 4, 5 and 8. Chapter 4 summarizes the evaluation of capabilities of existing and planned remote sensing systems to meet present information requirements and is based on Technical Documents 6, 7 and 8. Chapter 5 presents the study findings on the (constraints in) accessibility to data and information, based on Technical Documents 4, 5 and 8. Chapter 6 provides a synthesis of the findings including conclusions and recommendations for follow-up.


2. STUDY DESIGN 2.1 Study process A schematic overview of the subsequent steps (the process) which were undertaken in the study is presented in Figure 2.1. These steps are elaborated in the subsequent paragraphs. Figure 2.1 User Requirements Study - Flow of activities

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2.2 Forest functions, management principles and information needs Information needs are very much related to the forest functions to be sustained. Forests are in principle multi-functional. Although not always compatible with each other under all circumstances, each individual function is important for society. With increasing insights and recognition of the importance of forests and their ecological function during the past decades, the concept of sustainability has broadened its content to include a wide range of ecological, social, economic and cultural functions. The emphasis now is increasingly placed on the multi-functional use of forests. Hence, the overall principle in modern forestry has evolved from “single-purpose management” to ”multi-purpose management”, aiming at an optimum combination and integration of forest functions. Whatever the specific purposes of management in a specific situation, it will have to be economically, socio-culturally and ecologically sustainable. Forest areas all over the world are very heterogeneous, biologically, socially and culturally. There is a large variety of natural and man-influenced forest types, each with its specific composition, ecological functioning and carrying capacity. These forests are used by different users for different purposes under a


plurality of ownership conditions and socio-economic settings. Hence the specific optimum combination of forest functions is very location specific. In forest management planning, forests are usually classified according to their main function: production, protection and conservation. Furthermore forests are sometimes also classified as conversion forest since the area has been earmarked for conversion into another land use. There is consequently a diversity of forest management situations, each of which may be expected to have different needs for spatial information. 2.3 Classification and identification of users It was clear from the start that user involvement would be the key to successful completion of the study. The users were the main source of information for, and throughout, the study. Different criteria for classification of user groups have been identified: a) Level of (administrative) operation: worldwide, regional, national, local (management unit) b) Type of organization: governmental, non-governmental (profit / nonprofit) c) Type of decision-making authority (purpose for which information is needed): policy (strategic

planning); financing, resource management. On the basis of the first three criteria, the relevant users (organizations) were identified as summarized in Table 2.1. Users were consulted in all major ecological zones: tropics, dry zones, wet zones, temperate and boreal zones, with the emphasis on tropical regions. 2.4 User needs studies The actual user needs studies consisted of three elements: literature study, questionnaire survey and country studies Literature study: Interesting information was already obtained at a very early stage from literature and documentation on similar initiatives. The latter was the case for a number of geographical regions such as Europe, which allowed for a limitation of the geographical scope for both the questionnaire survey and the country studies. A total of 28 relevant documents were studied in detail. Questionnaire survey: A questionnaire survey was designed and distributed via contact persons and via e-mail and fax among potential user respondents from a list prepared on the basis of information provided by FAO, IKC N, IBN and ITC. Initially 496 persons and/or organizations were selected (worldwide in all major ecological zones with the emphasis on tropical regions) for inquiry, 95 of which appeared to be difficult or impossible to reach. Eventually 401 invitations to complete the questionnaires were distributed; a total of 150 persons replied (15 by fax and 135 by E-mail). This is a response of 37 %. Through an announcement made on the Internet, a further thirteen participants sent in a completed questionnaire, in most cases shortly after the site became accessible. Through interviews at the XI World Forestry Congress in Antalya, Turkey, a further fifteen completed questionnaires were obtained, while via contact persons in six countries a total of 57 persons were interviewed. In total 235 questionnaires were completed of which eleven were not considered suitable for further analysis. Consequently a total of 224 questionnaires were used for analysis. Country studies: User needs and organizational set-ups for forest management were studied in detail in four different countries, namely Brazil, Nepal, Malaysia and Costa Rica. A study planned in Cameroon to study forestry in semi-arid regions did not materialize due to logistic and security problems. In each of the four countries an inventory was made of the information flows between users at different levels. In addition, the management principles and information requirements in relation to forest functions were described for different organizational levels to serve in the synthesis of the study results.


Table 2.1 Main categories of users of spatial information for forest management 1

LEVEL WORLDWIDE REGIONAL NATIONAL LOCAL TYPE IGO NGO IGO NGO GO NGO GO NGO Policy development/ Policy Influencing

- FAO-NFP Support Unit,

- UNEP - ITTO - Convention on

Bio-diversity

- WRI, - WWF - IUCN - WCMC - CIFOR - ICRAF - Wetlands

International

- Regional NFP- Coord.-Unit

- TCA - CCAB-AP - SADC - IGADD - ATO - Mekong River

Commission - Niger basin - Helsinki/Montreal

processes, etc

- ELCI - COICA - Rainforest

Movement - EFI

- Ministry of Planning

- Forest Departments

- National NFAP-coordination units

- Environmental & Conservation NGO’s,

- Rural Development NGO’s

- Federations of local & indigenous communities

- Consumer org. of forest products & services

- media

- Regional & local govt-bodies

- farmer groups, - user groups

Financing

- World Bank - AsDB - AfDB - IBRD

- Green funds - national “green funds”

Forest resource management

- WWF - FSC - IUCN

- Forest Departments

- Land Management boards

- Departments of Parks & Wildlife

- Certifying bodies, - National IUCN &

WWF-bodies

- Regional & Local Forest Offices

- National Park managers,

- community-based organizations – forest concessions,

- private forest owners

- non-profit managing bodies (foundations)

1 The listing of specific (categories of) organizations, particularly under “worldwide” and “regional” must be considered exemplary rather than exhaustive.


2.5 Inventory and evaluation of remote sensing capabilities In order to compare existing information requirements with the possibilities of information supply from available remote sensing systems and other systems, which are in the process of being developed for operational use in the near future, an inventory was drawn up of these systems. This inventory covered most space-borne and airborne optical and radar sensors. User needs (expressed in forestry terms) were simultaneously translated into user requirements expressed in technical terms. A "user need" is a need for the supply of data or information on a certain topic. This includes the way the data is delivered, the speed and frequency of delivery, reliability and processing to produce the required information. A "user requirement" is specified as the corresponding quantified demand made to a system. Once the user needs had been translated into user requirements and the inventory had been drawn up of the systems with their capabilities, both were compared. An evaluation was carried out in order to assess the extent to which user requirements can be satisfied with existing or planned remote sensing-based systems. During the course of the study, it became clear that constraints in the distribution of spatial information were of such importance that more attention to these aspects was warranted. This applied to constraints of a technical nature, but even more so to constraints of institutional, legal or political origins. 2.6 Creation of an international user network In 1997 the decision was taken by the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests (IPF) that every country should continue to develop and conserve its forests and forest lands in the context of the national forest programmes (nfp). For that reason it was felt from the start that the User Requirements Study should draw on the expertise and knowledge of national experts involved in the nfp-process efforts to develop forests and forest lands in a sustainable way. At the same time it was recognized that improvement of forest management can only be effectively pursued through national institutions and local forest/land use managers. Throughout the course of the study a wide range of organizations and individuals were approached to solicit support for the study. In order to benefit from the views and considerations of national forestry experts, the study was introduced at three regional meetings, in Asia, Africa and Latin America, organized by the FAO to enhance the implementation of the IPF recommendations. The audience consisted of national experts involved in the planning and implementation of nfps. In addition to this major target-group, the study was also introduced to international organizations with a mandate or stake in the development and conservation of forests.

As such, the views of forestry and/or remote sensing experts of the following organizations were solicited: the International Institute for Applied Systems Science (IIASA), the World Conservation Monitoring Center (WCMC), the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the International Timber Trade Organization (ITTO), the International Center for Research in Agro-Forestry (ICRAF), the World Bank, the World Resources Institute (WRI), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Canadian Center for Remote Sensing (CCRS), the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) and the World Commission on Forests and Sustainable Development (WCFSD). Furthermore, the FAO – which has provided the NFAP/nfp process with coordination and support since 1985– was asked to be a partner in the study and their ideas were incorporated in the questionnaire used. The International Union of Forestry Research Organizations (IUFRO), the World Forestry Institute (WFI), the Global Forest Watch (GFW) and the World Conservation Monitoring Centre (Forest Resources Accounting -FRA) are all developing information supply systems and all draw on existing information. These organizations/projects may play a role in the follow-up to the study.


2.7 International workshop On completion of the activities, the preliminary results of the study were presented and discussed at an international workshop at ITC in Enschede, the Netherlands, from 23-25 November 1998. Fifty-seven experts from twenty countries, twenty government organizations, six international NGOs, five international organizations, five universities, five private sector organizations and four local NGOs attended. Participants represented a wide range of information users from local to global levels. Discussions focused on three areas: information needs, constraints in obtaining data/information and options for improving data/information supply. The results of this workshop were integrated with those obtained through the literature study, questionnaire survey and country studies and the composite synthesis has been incorporated in this Final Report.


3. INFORMATION NEEDS 3.1 Study findings The study indicates a substantial and urgent worldwide need for spatial data and information on forests for the purpose of sustainable forest management. The need for information is particularly observed at local (forest communities and forest management unit) and sub-national (incl. provinces and states) levels. The literature review, the questionnaire survey and the country studies reveal that all user groups require information, generally on the same themes. This finding (summarized in Table 3.1) was endorsed by the international workshop. In terms of importance, however, information on land and forest cover (including general land use classes such as agriculture) and forest degradation have the highest priority at all user levels. Other forest themes mentioned are forest function allocation, forest types, forest health, bio-diversity, biomass for carbon sequestration, forest products and stand parameters. Forest fire themes mentioned are fire detection, fire damage assessment and fire hazard assessment. In addition, information needs on land tenure, forest-dependent communities (especially on location and boundaries of settlements) and socio-economic parameters are indicated. Site information needs include topography (incl. digital terrain models), hydrology, soils and geomorphology. In general, users at all levels consider information on both state and change parameters of the different themes to be important.

Table 3.1 Ranking* of the relative importance by theme for the different user levels

Theme Global Supra-national

National Sub-national

Local

Land and forest cover 1 1 1 1 1Forest degradation 1 1 1 1 1-2Forest function allocation 3 (1) 3 (1) 1 1 2 (1)Forest types 2 (1) 2 (1) 1 1 1Biodiversity 1 1 1 2 3 (1)Biomass data for carbon sequestration 1 1 1 2 3Land tenure 3 3 1 1 2Fire damage 2 2 1 1 1Fire hazard 3 2 2 1 1Fire detection 2 2 2 1 1Forest health 3 3 1-2 1-2 1Forest products 3 2 2 1 1Forest-depending communities 3 3 2 1 1Stand parameters 3 3 3 2 1Site parameters 3 3 2 2 1Socio-economic parameters 3 3 2 2 1

* 1 = high, 2 = moderate, 3 = low; The numbers between brackets are the ranking expressed by NGO representatives, if this differed from the ranking by GO representatives.


3.2 User group priorities Themes Although the users at all levels generally mention the same themes on which they need spatial information, they sometimes also indicate quite significant differences regarding the relative importance of these themes. Users at a local level (incl. forest management units and municipalities) and at a sub-national level (incl. provinces and states) particularly indicate a need for all the themes mentioned with high priority. They show less interest in information on forest change in relation to the users at national and global levels. Information on bio-diversity and biomass data for carbon sequestration is given high priority at global, supranational and national levels. These general findings reflect the tasks and responsibilities of users/organizations at these various levels. Those at the lower levels are generally involved in operational management, while those at a higher level are generally more involved in policy development and influencing. The study also reveals that few users manage forest from a single-function perspective. The majority of the users indicate information needs as a basis for multi-purpose forest management. This may be due to increased awareness on the part of users of the content of the modern concept of sustainable forest management. Only slight differences are found in terms of information needs between the groups of users who indicate that either conservation or production is the only purpose of (their) forest management. Scale and frequency The study further clearly shows that in addition to the differences in thematic priorities for the different user levels, there are significant differences in the required scales of information. In general the most appropriate scales indicated by the different user levels are: - Global 1:1,000,000 to 1: 10,000,000 - Supranational 1:1,000,000 - National/sub-national 1: 50,000 to 1: 250,000 - Local 1: 1,000 to 1: 25,000 The required scale is usually very much related to the size of the area of interest. This does not automatically relate to the level at which organizations operate. The area of interest of a state/province of a large country may be the same as that for a national level organization in a small country. There is a tendency for a decrease in the need for precision and detail of information from local to global levels. In this respect it would be desirable if information could be aggregated from the lower to higher user levels but this is currently not the case in practice, and is often neither possible nor feasible. The recentness and the required update frequency of spatial information are apparently more related to the theme of the information than the level at which the information is needed. Information on forest production and stand parameters is basically needed (for selected areas) on an annual basis. Where forest fire damage assessment is concerned, information updates are usually required every 1-3 months. In the case of forest fire detection, information is required on a daily basis. Information on land and forest cover and land use and vegetation/forest types need a variety of update frequencies varying from 1 to every 5 or 10 years. 3.3 Sources of information Some specific themes, such as topography, soils, hydrology, geomorphology, socio-economic and land tenure, are generally obtained from line agencies other than forest departments. Other themes, as for example in fire hazard assessment, are derived from primary data layers or decided by governments, such as forest function allocation.


A large amount of information, for instance on forest products (including NTFP) and on bio-diversity, has (so far) only been obtainable from terrestrial surveys, although limited data can be derived from remote sensing techniques. Information on forest degradation, health, stand parameters and biomass (for carbon sequestration) is only partially obtained by remote sensing; most of these data are basically collected by means of terrestrial survey. General assessment of land and forest cover, forest types and fire damage is generally obtained (apart from areas with semi-permanent cloud cover) from existing satellite imagery in combination with terrestrial surveys. Forest fire detection with NOAA satellite imagery is operational and seems to work well. Information on forest dependent communities is derived from terrestrial surveys. The location and boundaries of their settlements are derived from aerial photography. In principle this will be possible in the near future using satellite imagery of high spatial resolution. 3.4 Deficiencies in information availability The interactive questionnaire survey reveals that 80 % of the respondents need more and better data and information. More specifically, 54 % of all respondents require more recent data, 51% forest information on certain themes and 27 % more detailed data and information. These findings have been confirmed by the results of the literature review and the country studies. Users at a local level (incl. forest management units and municipalities) particularly ask for recent and detailed forest information. This is quite similar to the needs at a sub-national level (incl. provinces and states). Users at a local level also indicate the need for additional topographical information, terrestrial data and data on bio-diversity. Only slight differences are found in terms of additional information needs between the small groups of users who indicate that either conservation or production is the only purpose of forest management. The organizations explicitly involved in conservation apparently use fewer remote sensing images and request detailed information on forest area/land cover and forest classes more frequently than those involved in production. The conservation organizations express a greater need for additional data on bio-diversity, while users primarily involved in production indicate that they already make more use of data on bio-diversity. Those involved in forest production use more terrestrial survey data and had more complaints regarding the data quality. When comparing continents, the users from Africa, Asia and Latin America more often express a need for recent data and for training and institution building compared to the users in Europe and North America. Users in Latin America seem to have a greater need for new technologies, whereas users elsewhere look more for improved information (quality). Users from Latin America also show more interest in change data and time series. Users with policy development and policy influencing responsibilities appear more in need of information on changes than users concerned with forest management. Government organizations indicate slightly more a need for change data, while NGOs indicate a greater need for additional detailed information at a field level. 3.5 User needs in perspective The user needs as presented in the preceding paragraphs must be considered as a reflection of existing and short term information needs as perceived at this moment by the different users involved in sustainable forest management (as defined at this moment). Information needs are not static however. Needs change for different users at different levels. Needs are changing with regard to emerging technologies, changing policies and new insights and knowledge on forests and forest management.


It is also generally known that new technologies and awareness of application possibilities of new technologies may result in changing requirements. A certain supply-driven nature is undeniable in this respect. With respect to changing policies, national commitments to legally binding conventions (e.g. Conventions on Climate, Desertification and Bio-diversity), to soft law arrangements (e.g. Agenda 21) and the practice of sustainable forest management will have an effect on information requirements. Policies such as these are being translated into principles, criteria and indicators to assess these sustainable forest practices (e.g. Montreal Process, Helsinki Process and Tarapoto Proposal). New features include understanding the multi-functionality of forests, coping with the multi-disciplinary needs of forest management, taking an integrated approach (regarding forest land as part of overall land use) and being aware of climate change implications of management practices. Sustainable forest management is an integral part of comprehensive natural resource management; this implies needs for other data/information from both terrestrial and remote sensing data, particularly with regard to indicators that are to be used for assessing the viability of these management practices.


4. CAPABILITIES OF REMOTE SENSING-BASED SYSTEMS 4.1 Inventory of remote sensing-based information systems For the purpose of the User Requirements Study, an inventory was drawn up of all existing and planned space-borne and airborne remote sensing systems and their potential ability to satisfy spatial information requirements for sustainable forest management. The systems which have been included in the inventory and which have been analyzed concerning their ability to satisfy information requirements for sustainable forest management are: - Aerial photography: panchromatic, true color, color infrared, B&W infrared - Scanning – Air: multi-spectral scanning, hyper-spectral scanning - Scanning – Space: LANDSAT, SPOT, IRS, ERS, JERS, EOS etc - Radar – Air: NASA Ames CV990, DOSAR, AIRSAR, INTERMP, INTERA - Radar – Space: ERS-1/2, RADARSAT-1/3 - Lidar / laser – Air: CCRS MkII, APR Laser, Nd-YAG Laser and several smaller systems - Videography – Air: 4CVS, USPA FPM/MAG, USDA MSCO2, Xybion a.o

systems Table 4.1 indicates whether data for the different required themes can be obtained with remote sensing techniques. Only primary data themes are considered here. In addition, the themes which are generally obtained from line agencies other than forest departments are excluded here.

Table 4.1 Application possibilities of remote sensing types.

Theme Aerial photo

Airborne scanning

Satellite scanning

Airborne Radar

Satellite Radar

Airborne Laser

Airborne Video

Land and forest cover 1 1 1 1 2 2 1Forest degradation 1 1 2 1 2 2 1Forest types 1 1 1 1 2 2 1Biodiversity 1 1 3 2 3 3 2Biomass data for carbon sequestration 1 1 3 1 3 2 2Fire damage 1 1 1 1 2 3 1Fire detection 1 1 1 x x x 1Forest health 1 1 3 x x x 1Forest products 2 2 x x x x 2Forest-depending communities 1 2 2 2 3 x 1Stand parameters 1 2 3 1 3 2 2

* 1 = wide range of application , 2 = moderate range of application, 3 = limited application, x = not suitable.

4.2 Key system requirements User needs, as obtained from the user needs study and formulated in forestry terms, were translated into user requirements, using technical terms, as demands to an information system. The capabilities of existing remote sensing-based information systems were subsequently compared with (i.e. preliminarily evaluated against) these technical requirements. It was clear from the start of the study that sustainable forest management requires a number of information themes that cannot or cannot entirely be derived from remote sensing or which are normally provided by other agencies. These themes have been excluded from further evaluation.


In the “translation” of user needs into user requirements, three categories of requirements were distinguished: - Functional requirements (e.g. type, detail and scale of information) - Performance requirements (e.g. frequency of update, operability and user friendliness) - Premises, restrictions, guidelines (referring to context aspects such as lifetime and affordability) In each of these categories a number of specific topics were listed. For each requirement category and each topic within the category, a requirement was formulated based on the user needs. The key system requirements used for the evaluation/comparison are presented in Table 4.2 In order to simplify the evaluation, a limit was set on the number of information themes. The theme that stood out as the most important in the study, “land and forest cover”, was used in the further evaluation. If forest cover classification is possible with sufficient accuracy, information on changes in forest area, deforestation, fragmentation and reforestation can also be supplied. Furthermore, fire damage information can then be supplied as well as information (to a great extent) on forest (vegetation) types. Table 4.2 Key system requirements for land and forest cover assessment

Functional requirements

Classification (level 1) Woody / non-woody vegetation; accuracy >= 90% Classification (level 2) Forest / shrub land; accuracy >= 80% Map generation Random location error <= 1 pixel Time series Stability systematic location error < 1 pixel Area of interest 10 000 - 1 000 000 km2 Image resolution Scale 1: 25 000; resolution 5-10 m * Image resolution Scale 1: 50 000; resolution 10-20 m * Performance requirements Frequency Every 6 months coverage of area of interest Accessibility Access to data of area of interest Operability Minimal number of operator actions (automation) Communicativity Worldwide quick exchange of data (e.g. Internet) User-friendliness Easily serviceable (e.g. PC-based system, well-known system parts) Premises, restrictions, guidelines Life cycle (service) At least for coming 15-25 years Autonomy Direct control over the data flow and data processing Affordability Low-cost data or front-end, low recurring costs for the (end-) user Availability Area of interest 100% covered Training/education Training programmes Impact on organization As minimal as possible Environmental Withstand harsh environments, e.g. humid tropics

* The first, smallest figure for resolution indicates the resolution related to the scale according to the generally accepted topographical standards. The second, larger figure indicates the resolution as sometimes used in mapping when more detailed data are not available.

The FAO approach has been adopted for the classification of forest cover. At level 1 of this classification, vegetation is split up into woody and non-woody vegetation, and at level 2 the woody vegetation is split up into forest and shrub land. This two-level forest cover classification is one of the key functional system requirements to satisfy user requirements for forest cover classification. The classification accuracy has also been included in the formulation of these key system requirements. For example the classification accuracy for woody versus non-woody vegetation (level 1) has been established at better than 90%, while the accuracy to differentiate forest from shrub land (level 2) has been set at 80%. Table 4.3 provides a simplified overview of the ability of existing satellite systems and aerial photographs (panchromatic) to meet identified information requirements with respect to classification,


spatial resolution, global coverage, revisit time, area coverage, cloud cover penetration, cost and life-span of the system. Table 4.3 Capabilities of the existing satellite systems and aerial photographs (for land and forest cover) Satellite LANDSAT SPOT SPOT IRS IRS NOAA ERS RADAR

SAT Aerial Photo Aerial Photo

Sensor / Scale TM XS PAN LISS PAN AVHRR SAR SAR 1:25,000 1:50,000

Woody / non-woody vegetation + + - + - - - - + + Forest / shrub land + + - + - - - - + + Scale 1 : 25 000 - - + - + - - + + + Scale 1 : 50 000 - + + + + - + + + + Global coverage + + + - - + - + - - Revisit every 6 months + + + + + + + + - - Area cover of 1000 x 1000 km + + + + + + + + - - Observe through cloud cover - - - - - - + + - - Approx. cost (US$) per 1000 km2 108 624 814 155 582 0.005 98 15 150,000 100,000 Life span > 15 years + + + + + + - - + + Note: + = capable; - = not capable The findings summarized in Table 4.3 reveal that there is no worldwide system (and sensor) which covers the requirements and overcomes the constraints mentioned by the users. The following sections provide a more detailed analysis of the capabilities of the three major parts of a complete information system (using satellite imagery) from sensor to user: data capture, data acquisition and distribution, and data processing and the use of the information. 4.3 Data capture Classes The forest classes are clearly distinguished with LANDSAT TM, SPOT XS, IRS LISS and aerial photographs. With TM more classes can be distinguished than with SPOT XS. But production of 1: 50,000 scale maps is only possible with SPOT XS. TM is more suitable for scale 1: 100,000 or lower, but is also used at 1: 50,000. IRS LISS has similar capabilities, but is not available worldwide. Aerial photographs are still the best with respect to classes and scale (detail) but in most cases are too expensive. Resolution NOAA-AVHRR is not suitable for most forest management purposes, except for forest fire detection. This is due to the low spatial resolution and the impossibility of distinguishing between woody/non-woody and forest/shrub classes. EOS-AM (planned) will only be able to cater for those users that are satisfied with a spatial resolution of 10-20 metres. Coverage In order to reach as many users as possible, a system should operate worldwide, covering all forested areas. For a global coverage, data acquisition by airborne remote sensing or field survey alone would be too labor-intensive, time-consuming and therefore expensive because of the large area, the difficulties in accessibility and the desired frequent update of data. It has to be realized, however, that for individual countries and on a national or local level, airborne sensors might play an important role because of their higher spatial resolution and more advanced sensors not yet available on satellites. These advanced airborne sensors are for example high resolution, hyper-spectral sensors and multi-band, multi-polarization radar sensors. If worldwide coverage is required, this implies that data acquisition is economically feasible by using space-borne remote sensing (combined with terrestrial validation). At this moment only LANDSAT, SPOT and RADARSAT provide global coverage.


Cloud penetration Although not claimed as a major problem in the questionnaire survey and country studies, possibly due to a lack of experience with the use of imagery, the problem of cloud cover is listed in literature and it was confirmed at the national workshop. Cloud cover hampers all optical airborne and satellite sensors. Frequent passes of the satellite over the same area (e.g. NOAA-AVHRR) increase the probability of obtaining a cloud-free image, or give the possibility of mosaicking images to obtain a cloud-free image. However, the first solution (frequent revisit) is at the expense of spatial resolution and the second considerably increases the cost of data acquisition. But even then, some areas will never be cloud-free, so 100% global observation is not possible. Cloud cover does not hamper radar remote sensing. However, the existing radar sensors on RADARSAT 1 and 2, ERS-2, ENVISAT (planned) and JERS-1 (recently shut down) do not give satisfactory classification accuracy for forest cover mapping. This could be overcome by using a radar sensor with a different frequency and polarization, as experience with airborne radar sensors has shown. 4.4 Data acquisition and distribution The users have indicated that access to data and information is a major problem. They cannot acquire remotely sensed data or cannot access existing information in other organizations. This implies that information should ideally reach the desk of the user through autonomy in data acquisition and processing. The acquisition of satellite images in a number of areas is hampered by the absence of receiving stations. In that case it is impossible to transmit an image of an area when the satellite is not within the range of a receiving station. But even in case of satellites that have an on-board tape recorder, a satellite cannot continuously acquire data due to power constraints or scheduling prioritization. Furthermore, political and communication issues can prevent users from acquiring images from a receiving station, even if the images have been recorded and downloaded. This can be overcome by increasing the number of receiving stations, including local receiving stations for individual organizations or groups of organizations. As information systems should be low-cost and user-friendly, receiving and processing should preferably be PC-based (available and serviceable all over the world at relatively low cost) and as automated as possible. Until now, low-cost receiving stations, based on PCs, have only been available for receiving NOAA-AVHRR data. These stations cost less than US$ 25,000. The RAPIDS mobile receiving station is also PC-based and can be used for receiving data from SPOT and ERS satellites. Potentially, other satellites can be added to the capability. However, this receiving station is more expensive, about US$ 500,000. For the existing earth observation satellites, fees have to be paid for the data received. Quick exchange of data and information worldwide has also been indicated as being very important. This can be achieved by using Internet facilities, as a number of users suggested. FAO provides access to forestry databases via its forestry web-site. UNEP has its Global Resource Information Database (GRID) web-site. Several organizations such as WCMC and IUFRO are also developing worldwide information services based on Internet applications. These initiatives increase the accessibility of existing information. However, since they depend on information provided and generated by others, they are not able to cover all forested areas with the same detail, or to update information with the desired frequency. 4.5 Processing of data and the use of the information Standard image processing software for PCs is widely available. Development of dedicated program modules for automated geo-referencing and mosaicking that could be used with this software would greatly enhance the user-friendliness. Last but not least, the users indicate a need for training and institution building, mainly in the field of image interpretation and Geographical Information System (GIS) for forestry applications. It is not clear whether existing courses are not sufficiently available to the users or not sufficiently suited to their needs.


4.6 State-of-the-art of remote sensing for forest management purposes LANDSAT TM, SPOT XS and aerial photography are currently potentially the most suitable options available to meet the priority information requirements for land and forest cover, forest types and fire damage assessment. These optical satellite systems and aerial photography are able to provide information with the required accuracy of classification. LANDSAT TM and SPOT XS are the most suitable for larger areas, often referring to national level use. The considerable differences in the area of different countries does not allow generalizations in this respect, e.g. “national” for a small country is similar to “provincial or state” for a large country. Aerial photography is more suitable if detail (scale) is required. NOAA-AVHRR is the best option at the moment for forest fire assessment. All systems mentioned above, however, lack the ability to penetrate cloud covers. Although not claimed as a major problem in the questionnaire survey and country studies, due to a lack of experience with the use of imagery, this problem is listed in literature and was confirmed at the international workshop. Satellites equipped with radar sensor, such as ERS-1 and RADARSAT-1 do not have this problem but both lack the ability to accurately distinguish between essential land cover classes. From the point of view of affordability, aerial photography is exceptionally expensive if acquired for the sole purpose of forestry, while optical satellite remote sensing imagery is prohibitively expensive for many users. Satellite-based radar data and optical data from NOAA-AVHRR appear to be the least expensive but both lack the ability to meet the established classification parameters. The evaluation reveals that there is neither now - nor likely to be in the immediate future - a remote sensing-based information system that can meet all information requirements identified in the study as essential for forest management. Furthermore, the evaluation concludes that information needs can only partially be satisfied through satellite remote sensing. Aerial photography, terrestrial survey, and secondary data sources are equally important. This will continue to be the case, even when satellite imagery with higher spatial resolution becomes available.


5. CONSTRAINTS IN OBTAINING SPATIAL INFORMATION 5.1 Study findings The study clearly reveals that the amount of information available, or the information that in theory can be provided by existing (remote sensing-based) technological infrastructure and options, is not the overriding problem. Most users do not receive the information they need for sustainable forest management purposes due to other limiting factors. The study reveals that major bottlenecks in obtaining spatial information are related to accessibility and affordability of existing spatial data. This is especially the case at local and sub-national levels. This observation is absolutely clear from the user needs assessment in which 87% of the respondents mentioned constraints in the availability of information. This finding was subsequently confirmed through the literature study, the country studies and finally the international workshop where all participants emphasized the constraints issue. Accessibility In the user needs study, accessibility is referred to as a constraint by 60% of the respondents. More specifically, 46% of all respondents indicate a lack of communication between organizations, 16 % an absence of proper data distribution, 10% denial of access to information, 5% unfamiliarity with the information available and 2% do not know where to find the required spatial information. The country studies also highlight the unfamiliarity of users with regard to the spatial data products available, hence causing them to be unable to express the need to apply these products. Other users have been supplied with remote sensing-based spatial data through incidental arrangements, e.g. research programmes or international development assistance. Availability Although the respondents emphasized the accessibility to remote sensing-based data as a problem, availability per se may also be a constraint. Operational satellite sensors can only be switched on for certain periods, for instance due to power constraints. This means that with respect to the actual availability of remote sensing-based data a detailed investigation still has to be performed. Affordability In the user needs assessment, 24% of the respondents indicate the high cost of data and technology to be a major constraint. As for dissemination, emphasis is placed on problems with the flow of available data/information. Furthermore the country studies reveal that budget restrictions are the most visible constraint in the acquisition of remote sensing products. 5.2 Analysis In the workshop the findings of the study were endorsed and further analyzed. This analysis focused on identifying the nature of the different constraints (political, institutional, technical and human capacity) and at what levels (global/supranational, national/sub-national and local) and in which type of organizations (GO/NGO) the constraints are primarily caused - Table 5.1 summarizes the results of this analysis. The analysis underlines that most constraints are non-technical in nature, tending to be more political and institutional. Furthermore, the analysis reveals that many constraints have their origin in the conditions at governmental levels. Political constraints Political constraints at national levels prevent the formulation of policies and implementation of sustainable forest management programmes, including organizational structure and capacity building,


and the formulation of information strategies. These constraints include lack of political will and commitment to sustainable forest management, sensitivity to national security, centralized information control and poor working conditions. A constraint that was not revealed by the study but was emphasized at the workshop, was the absence of international access protocols that are needed to enable the open exchange of data between global and national data users. Table 5.1 Analysis of main constraints Constraint Nature of constraint Level Type of

Organization P I T H GL N L GO NGO Inadequate formulation of policies * * ** * Inadequate implementation of policies * ** ** * * Lack of political will * ** * * Over-sensitiveness regarding national security * * ** * Inadequate commitment to sustainable forest management * * ** * * * Inadequate organizational structure * * ** * * * Inadequate organizational capacity * * * * ** * * Inadequate information strategy * * * ** * * * Inadequate awareness of information systems * * * * ** * * Over-centralized control of flow of information * * ** * * Lack of standardization/compatibility * * ** * * Inadequate human capacity/training * * * ** * * Poor working conditions * * * * * Inadequate communication between levels * * * * * * * * Inadequate methods and systems * * * ** * Inappropriate technology * * * * * * * Inadequate user friendliness * * ** * * Insufficient inter-disciplinarity * * * ** * * * Shortage of accurate field data * * * * * * * Usability (inadequate data) * * * * * * * Unavailability of data * * * * * * Lack of affordability of data (cost effectiveness) * * * * * Timeliness (delay in procurement/delivery) * * * * * (P = political, I = institutional, T = technical, H = human capacity), the level of constraint (GL = global, N = national and sub-national, L = local) and the type of organization (GO = government, NGO = non-government). An asterisk (*) indicates where the constraint is primarily caused. Institutional capacity Lack of clear structures and procedures within organizations, inadequate capacities and communication are major institutional constraints at national and local levels. In the user needs assessment, 38% of the respondents indicate institutional constraints (incl. training) to lie at the root of their problems in data supply. The country studies also demonstrate the nature of the constraints: most forest organizations are not ready to use synoptic spatial data on forest resources. The old working methods still prevail, preventing any proper integration of spatial information into decision-making. Even when remote sensing-based products are available, their use is often restricted by the inadequate ability of the organization to use the data. Technology constraints In the user needs survey, 17% of the respondents suggest that the technology is not user-friendly and that the information is not adapted to the needs of the users. Poor quality of data is mentioned by 15% of the


respondents, while 10% mention lack of standardization of data collection and analysis. Constraints in data acquisition due to cloud cover are mentioned only by 4 % of the respondents. Another constraint identified is the lack of research and development to investigate proper technologies for the implementation of an information strategy for sustainable forest management and its integration into operational systems and procedures. Human constraints It is also observed that at all user levels there is inadequate awareness and knowledge of the importance of sustainable forest management, the multi-functionality of forests and forest information systems. Furthermore, inadequate human capacities and the lack of training in information handling and management are considered important constraints to be addressed urgently.


6. SYNTHESIS 6.1 Conclusions With respect to data and information needs, the study concludes that: - there is a substantial and urgent need for spatial data and information on forests; - all themes that require spatial information are relevant, irrespective of the level - most important are

the themes of land and forest cover and forest degradation; - information requirements in all cases refer to both state and change parameters; - at a local level (incl. forest community, forest management unit or local NGO) and a sub-national

level (incl. provinces and states) nearly all themes have a high priority; and - at global, supranational and national levels a specific priority for information on bio-diversity and

carbon sequestration is present. With respect to the capabilities of existing and planned remote sensing systems, the study concludes that: - LANDSAT TM, SPOT XS and data from aerial photography are currently potentially the most

suitable options for information on forests, although apart from the availability, the resolution of the LANDSAT data and the price of SPOT data as well as cloud-cover problems for both still exist;

- LANDSAT TM and SPOT XS are most suitable for land and forest cover, forest types and forest fire damage assessment, in particular for smaller scales;

- Aerial photography is more suitable when more detail (larger scale) is required; - NOAA-AVHRR is currently the best option for forest fire assessment; - There is neither now - nor likely to be in the immediate future - a remote sensing-based information

system that can meet all information requirements identified in the study as essential for sustainable forest management; and

- in any case, the information needs can only partially be satisfied from satellite remote sensing - aerial photography, terrestrial survey and secondary data sources are equally important - this will continue to be the case even when higher spatial resolution satellite data become available.

The study has revealed a considerable discrepancy between the demand for data and information and the capabilities of existing systems, indicating considerable under-utilization of existing data sources, caused by constraints in the data distribution. With respect to these constraints, the study concludes that: - accessibility to existing data and information is the major constraint experienced by all users - its

elimination would satisfy the first priority for information on land and forest cover and forest degradation. This does not mean that other constraints such as usability, availability, frequency, timeliness and continuity do not have to be resolved, but they will become clear when the accessibility problem has been solved;

- affordability of optical remote sensing imagery is a severe impediment for most users; - lack of user-friendly technology, inadequate data quality, cloud cover and lack of standardization in

methods for data collection and analysis are constraints, albeit of relatively lower priority; - weak organizations and inadequate staffing prevent proper management and operation of spatial

information systems at a national level and below; - at a national level, there is a lack of information strategy for data dissemination and decentralized

data management and use (i.e. an information infrastructure); - there is no system available at the moment that accommodates and integrates data of a diverse nature,

such as remote sensing, terrestrial observations, and socio-economic data, both from a variety of sources and of different qualities; and

- distribution of (remotely sensed) data is the weakest part of the chain: from data acquisition to delivery of the information to the desk of the user, there are no international protocols to enable the open exchange of data between users at all levels.

Overall it is observed that: - the User Requirements Study has set in motion a worldwide process of thinking, exchange of

opinions and discussion on the importance of addressing user needs for spatial forest information.


6.2 The FAME concept revisited At the start of the study, the FAME concept was taken as departure point. This concept is to serve operational forest monitoring and includes all components to enhance sustainable forest management worldwide: the development of and end-to-end system, comprising simple PC-based receiving stations, data processing and archiving functions, optionally integrated with a GIS, the associated education and training, as well as a satellite with a dedicated sensor, covering the world’s entire surface. In view of the findings of the study, this concept has been revisited and elaborated resulting in the following specific characteristics which have to be taken into account for the further development of the concept and, more specifically the end-to-end information system which is part of the concept: - In sustainable forest management information is required on a large number of themes that cannot or

cannot entirely be derived from satellite remote sensing, e.g. socio-economic and political information and NTFP, bio-diversity, degradation, health and stand parameters. This implies that the system will use a variety of space-borne, airborne, terrestrial and existing secondary sources.

- Different users require different themes of information originating from different sources (usability). Depending on the user, the timeliness, frequency, affordability and accessibility criteria will differ.

- The accessibility of data is regarded as being essential: both spatial data to the users, as well as terrestrial data from users to higher levels (aggregation). This encompasses the physical distribution as well as the policy and institutional framework for decentralized data management.

- Human and institutional capacity building is necessary to enable users to incorporate spatial information into decision-making processes.

At a national level an information strategy that will provide the policy and institutional framework in which it is to operate, including research, training and education, must support the end-to-end information system. Internationally an end-to-end information system is to be supported by international protocols for the exchange of data. The proposed end-to-end information system and the environment in which it is to operate can be schematically presented as follows:

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The implementation of an end-to-end information system of this kind has been referred to as an information infrastructure. A number of major components in the information infrastructure can be identified, i.e. data generation, capture, transmission, reception and distribution, data processing, data integration and capacity building: - Data generation and capture: For several themes in sustainable forest management there is currently

synoptic spatial data available, in particular data on forest cover, forest types and for fire damage assessment. It still has to be established whether there are currently adequate spatial data available to meet the requirements of operational forest monitoring systems for all geographic areas of interest. Although the necessity was not established during the study, a dedicated satellite sensor might address the gaps in synoptic spatial data supply on forest degradation, forest production and bio-diversity. However, the study revealed that in order to improve information supply in the short and medium terms, priority should be given to a better and more widespread use of existing technologies rather than to the establishment of a new dedicated satellite sensor system. The latter might become an option in the information infrastructure in the longer term.

- Data transmission, reception and distribution: In order to improve accessibility to synoptic spatial data, data acquisition (transmission and reception) and distribution mechanisms are essential and they should therefore be part of the information infrastructure. Another important functionality that these mechanisms should support is the flow of locally generated data (such as terrestrial observations) upwards to users at national and international levels. This component only refers to physical mechanisms for data distribution; policy and institutional aspects are included in the information strategy.

- Data processing: Many users of spatial information will not have adequate capacity (human, equipment and software) to handle raw spatial data. Geometric and radiometric correction, geo-referencing, re-sampling and primary classification are examples of basic operations on spatial data that require expert knowledge and specific hardware and software. The spatial data will have to be processed to a degree that suits the purpose of the user. Consequently, the degree to which data must be prepared is variable, between users and purposes. The processing could be carried out either by specialized agencies (data brokers) that directly communicate with the users, or it could be incorporated as automated procedures into the physical systems supplied to the user.

- Data integration: The users make use of a multitude of data from different sources, of which synoptic spatial data is only one. All of these have a potential function in decision-making and they should therefore be appropriately integrated with the spatial data where appropriate in order to arrive at proper conclusions. The integration should be transparent to the user.

- Capacity building: Institutional capacity at both policy and technical levels has to be increased to integrate the information system into operational procedures for planning, management and monitoring and to ensure its sustainability within an organizational infrastructure. Staff qualities at all levels need to be compatible with these requirements, requiring large staff development inputs of an organizational and technical nature. Creation of awareness and formal education and training needs have to be identified and corresponding programmes set up. National and international linkages of institutes engaged in capacity building should be further developed and optimized.

6.3 Recommendations The User Requirements Study has clearly revealed a substantial and urgent need for improved information supply in terms of quantity, quality, detail and recentness. It has also made clear that substantial relevant data and information already exist but that these are not accessible for various reasons. Efforts should therefore be made to make these data and information available through the establishment of mechanisms for international data exchange and information strategies. This needs to be supported by the development of technology to make existing data and information available.


Development of technology to meet the information requirements that cannot currently be met by existing sensors has no priority for the majority of users at this stage. The study has further created an interactive process and network of persons and organizations at all levels from the world forestry community which share the same concerns about information supply. In order to make use of the momentum created by the study, the following recommendations are proposed for appropriate follow-up action, both nationally and internationally: 1. Put a supranational mechanism or mechanisms in place through an international protocol for the

improved exchange of data and information between users without impeding existing information supplies. There are currently no mechanisms for the exchange of (spatial) data between users, within and between levels. The distribution of synoptic spatial data (e.g. from satellite imagery) and the aggregation of local and national data into data sets for use at regional and international levels should be included in the mechanism.

2. National governments should formulate and implement an information strategy for decentralized data management for sustainable forest management. Creating awareness plays an important role in improving data supply. Political leaders and the general public should become more aware about the need for a sustainable use of the forests and the role that information plays in planning, management, assessment and monitoring. This increased awareness should result in commitment that can resolve part of the bottlenecks encountered in the distribution of existing data, by permitting general use of spatial data and by providing sufficient financial resources to acquire and process data. Many countries have policies and procedures that prohibit or limit the distribution or use of spatial data. The information strategy should provide the framework in which this flow of data is possible, while simultaneously safeguarding other national interests.

3. The developed information strategies should be implemented. This could be done by validating and further tailoring the revisited FAME concept through pilot projects. These should encompass the complete flow of information from data generation and capture to the presentation of information to the user. The pilot projects serve to develop and validate a physical implementation of an information infrastructure for a limited number of users (with different profile) in a relatively short period. Initially these will make use of existing technology and products. Specific user-friendly technology may have to be developed for the users, providing integration of the different data sources. For satellite imagery, local receiving stations could be installed and reduced prices for images should be negotiated. Existing data sets should become more accessible. Capacity building material will have to be developed. In the meantime research has to be carried out to further elaborate the possibilities and limitations of existing and planned systems (availability, usability, frequency etc) and to assess detailed requirements for technology to be developed. In addition, the refinement of user needs and prioritization should be continued. The necessity of developing technology or data products that are not currently available should be guided by the findings from the pilot projects. This also applies to the actual development of new technology and/or data products, aiming at covering the identified gaps in information supply. Even when initiated at present, such development would only give results in the longer term.


4. Capacity building modules have to be developed and applied for the different categories of users of the information systems. The users of the end-to-end system will require training in the operation of the system. Their organizations may have to adjust their working procedures and decision-making to incorporate the information infrastructure. The different management operations (planning, monitoring etc.) require different kinds of training.

In view of the clear perspective that emerged on the desirability of an operational end-to-end system and its main characteristics for supporting sustainable forest management at local and national levels, it is of key importance to maintain the current global interest in the revisited FAME concept and its implementation. The many (inter) national initiatives in the field of spatial data management and sustainable forest management and the technological developments can provide additional inputs or components for the end-to-end system during its further development.