Various constraints that have been discussed above apply to the development and use of GIS in general in developing countries, and also specifically for the forestry sector. Here we will briefly discuss the potential application of GIS for tropical forestry. Some applications have been done in several places in tropical countries, but basically operationally GIS applications are still far from optimal when compared to the ability of GIS to support planning and management of tropical forests.
As known, inventory and monitoring are the foundation of good forest management.The main obstacle in the inventory and monitoring are the limitations in data retrieval, because the vast area, the difficulty of reaching the area, the length of time required and limited human resources.GIS, especially with the PJ, which can reach a large area with a relatively high frequency support is a breakthrough in the aspects of inventory and monitoring.
But in the developing practice of inventory and monitoring using GIS is still very far from optimal.Protection of forests due to human activity, fire, weeds and diseases is an important aspect of tropical forestry.GIS application in this particular aspect is to study forest fires. But most of these projects are research projects rather than planning and operational management.
Commercially, the most important forest product is timber.Deforestation is considered a negative impact on the environment requires good planning.The spatial forest modeling using GIS is very helpful in the planning and harvesting strategies, but the application is mostly used in developed countries, and in general are still in research stage.
Forest rehabilitation, especially considering the large area of damaged forests, are aspects that are in need of attention as well as highly complex with a low success rate. GIS can help the problem of forest rehabilitation in the stage of research and mapping the location, the selection of suitable species, breeding locations and other infrastructure as well as in monitoring and evaluation stage.However, projects or research relating to the application of GIS for forest rehabilitation is very little, although in developed countries even.
As mentioned above, in recent decades is the tendency of shifting the focus from industrial forestry towards environmental protection and its benefits to local communities.Information is actually a requirement to determine the direction of the implementation of community-based forest management.Socio-economic information in particular is very important information.Use of GIS in this aspect, both in developing countries and in developed countries, is still very minimal.
In the aspect of forest conservation and biodiversity, to determine priority areas and hotspots of biodiversity are the most fundamental things. GIS application for this, both in developed and developing countries, there are enough.
Tropical forests have a significant role in global climate change.GIS is a very useful tool in climate change research, namely in terms of organizing data, in the form of global databases, and spatial analysis capabilities for modeling.GIS application for research on climate change growing rapidly, but for developing countries is still very limited.
Spatial databases will be increasingly important in terms of supporting decision making related to forest management. Some global database that covers an area of tropical forests has been available, which include databases on topography, wet tropical forests, global climate, global climate change, satellite imagery, and soil conservation.
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