New forestry modelling tool

The headline for this article on Science Daily caught my eye.  I know we have at least one member in the wood products industry.  If you know anyone who works for the Forest Service or a forestry company, you might pass this along:

A New Model to Simulate Forest Growth
Universidad Politecnica de Madrid (11/17/07)

The Universidad Politecnica de Madrid School of Computing Algorithm Engineering Group has developed Vorest, a simulator model for the evolution of a forest. Vorest is a forestry engineering research aid that allows researchers to examine what impact the space trees take up has on forest development.

Vorest bases its simulation process on the fact that any tree is surrounded by an influence region of variable size that determines the future growth of the tree. Vorest automatically calculates the influence regions and offers a wide range of option for deciding how growth should be simulated based on the region. The simulation provides two types of visual representations. The first models the influence regions of each tree at any point during their lifespan. The second visual output generates a detailed representation of what the tree might really look like in its natural environment, including a detailed 3D scene of what the forest really looks like.

Users can manipulate the scene using textures to improve soil appearance or by configuring the SkyBox representation, which produces a basic but effective 3D background effect. Forest simulation models are used by forest managers and forestry researchers to describe the dynamics of a forest, including changes the forest or tree may experience during its lifetime. The models also help predict the long-term effects a forestry management intervention is likely to have on timber production and the future condition of the forest.

Read the full article at:

http://www.sciencedaily.com:80/releases/2007/11/071117111207.htm