Reforestation: the re-establishment of a forested land use on areas that were previously converted from a forested to non-forested land use

e-RTS Internet-accessible data entry and query application Data is “housed” in a relational database Designed to serve as a central repository for

reforestation data Managed and served by the LMV Joint Venture Office

as a service to Joint Venture partners

The LMVJV Reforestation Tracking System

Reforestation is a common LMVJV partner conservation action that is inherently spatial and temporal

Document the collective contributions of multiple programs / organizations to meet landscape goals and objectives

To assess partnership progress and inform adaptive approach to conservation, need to know

Where was it done? How much was done? How was it done? Where are the high priority places?

e-RTS: Example of a value-added service required to achieve NABCI goal: “regionally based, biologically driven, landscape-oriented” conservation

Spring 2004 MBM Notebook: Revised LMVJV Business Model, pg 4

Why an LMVJV Reforestation Tracking System?

Why an LMVJV Reforestation Tracking System?

Partner Landholdings

Assess and inform the collective contributions to LMVJV landscape goals both spatially and temporally

Forest Core

Forest

Why an LMVJV Reforestation Tracking System?

Assess and inform the protection and management of “core” habitat for area-sensitive wildlife

Why an LMVJV Reforestation Tracking System?

Higher

Lower

Ref

ores

tati

on

Pri

orit

ies

Forest Property Boundaries

Assess and inform the restoration of the most environmentally sensitive portions of the landscape

e-RTS takes advantage of two information technologies to help track a common conservation practice comprehensively and efficiently

The relational database design The Internet

A relational database is good for Efficient storage of data Efficient access to “answers” that can be gleaned from

specific questions (e. g., queries) Efficient data maintenance

Internet applications for data entry and access are good for

Efficient entry of data Maintenance of data quality during data entry Maintenance of data standards User-friendly data access

Why this kind of Reforestation Tracking System?

Beneficial Results Comprehensive data set: Foresters chose the set of

tracked parameters Common set of parameters: Foresters chose data

standards Improve landscape planning, assessment, and

evaluative research Centralized: Reduce individual organization’s costs for

hardware, software and personnel to design, build, and maintain system

Efficient / Convenient: Reduce data entry time and speed access to data summaries Reduce program costs Increase use of data for land management decisions

Why this kind of Reforestation Tracking System?

Data entry system Guides user through data entry process Prevents common data entry errors Increases data entry speed Insures standardization of data Improves data quality Facilitates data updates Improves data accessibility

Data entry via e-RTS web interface

What has it taken to get us where we are now?

Skilled Personnel

Provided By

Task

Forestry experts Partners

Identified tracking parameters and data standardsBuilt short-term Access solutionDemonstrated this solution at Spring 2000 MBMRecognized opportunity to better use technology

IT experts Partners Initialized relational database design

Database designer & developer Office

Built the data tables, based on input from foresters, and “wired” the relationships between the tables

Web application programmer Office Programmed functionality and data

management into e-RTS web interface

Forestry experts Partners Beta-tested web application and approved e-RTS

Management Board Representatives Partners Designate individuals responsible for data

entry and data quality by each partner