Forest Data Management

Abstract

Proper data management techniques are essential to ensuring flexible and efficient forest resource analysis options. However, little systematic attention has yet been paid to the tools and protocols that are necessary to provide robust and convenient access to data. There exists an overwhelming variety of candidate tools and file formats. This wealth of choices offers the chance to find a solution that best fits an organization’s needs. Unfortunately, this same wealth can create problems for interoperability and communication among tools and can create confusion and mistakes and ultimately lead to poor decisions.