Technology focus at World Forest Institute
From the Winter 2008 edition of Bush Telegraph Magazine.
Forests NSW Tumut-based forester, Matthew Pope, spent his time at the World Forest Institute looking at technological solutions to integrating forest information in the office and the forest. Photo courtesy Matthew Pope
Tumut-based forester Matthew Pope’s recent travels have taught him that you can bring the office into the field.
“Why not have access to all the office information in the field, and all the field information in the office, without adding mountains of paperwork or data entry?,” Matthew said.
Matthew travelled to America last year as the Gottstein international fellow at the World Forest Institute, which is based in the green city of Portland, Oregon.
The fellowship, funded by the Gottstein Trust via Forest and Wood Products Australia, Forests NSW and the Harry Merlo Foundation, combines project work with the institute’s curriculum.
Matthew’s project focused on technologies to integrate forest information between the office and field.
“The World Forest Institute provided an ideal base for me to branch out and meet with private forest companies, government organisations, software developers and hardware manufacturers,” he said.
“Time at the institute also exposed me to a diverse range of forest-based issues.”
As part of the curriculum, Matthew attended conferences on a range of subjects including urban forestry, biofuels, international forest investments and forestry education.
“The year provided an international context to forestry issues in Australia,” he said. “Not only was I able to meet and talk with American counterparts, I gained a valuable insight into forestry from other students from Nepal, Mexico, Brazil, Lithuania, Korea and China.”
Matthew’s project report is available for download from the Forests and Wood Products Australia website http://www.fwprdc.org.au
Matthew said he hopes to see some of his technological solutions implemented in Forests NSW.
Sarah Chester - Public Affairs & Media, Albury
