Comparing Accuracy of Three Methods Based on the GIS Environment for Determining Winching Areas

In forestry interventions such as thinning or selection cutting, appropriate road and skid trail networks are essential for efficient forest operations, but also for limiting damage to the residual stand and soil. Recently, multiple studies have shown the advantage of precision forestry and the use...

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Published inElectronics (Basel) Vol. 8; no. 1; p. 53
Main Authors Picchio, Rodolfo, Latterini, Francesco, Mederski, Piotr S., Venanzi, Rachele, Karaszewski, Zbigniew, Bembenek, Mariusz, Croce, Michele
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Basel MDPI AG 01.01.2019
Subjects
Accuracy
Buffers
Classification
Data collection
Design
Digital mapping
Efficiency
Environmental impact
Forest management
Forestry
Geographic information systems
Global positioning systems
GPS
Harvest
Methods
Mountains
Open source software
Planning
Roads
Roads & highways
Terrain models
Italy
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Summary:In forestry interventions such as thinning or selection cutting, appropriate road and skid trail networks are essential for efficient forest operations, but also for limiting damage to the residual stand and soil. Recently, multiple studies have shown the advantage of precision forestry and the use of a geographic information system (GIS) in forest road network planning, replacing time-consuming manual measurements and skid trail design directly in the forest. The objective of this research was to test the accuracy of three GIS-based methods, the correct distance method (CDM), real distance buffer method 12 (RDBM12) and real distance buffer method 10 (RDBM10), in estimating the area accessible for winching along skid trails. The study was carried out in two mountain areas, Fibbino and San Martino al Cimino (Italy). All the methods for determining the winching area were based on GIS and digital terrain model (DTM) maps. Additionally, control distances were measured manually in both areas and the results were compared with the distances measured using the GIS methods. The initial results showed that all the methods were useful for determining the winching area in mountain conditions. However, in conclusion, the CDM and RDBM10 methods were more accurate and can be recommended for further use and development.
ISSN:2079-9292
2079-9292
DOI:10.3390/electronics8010053