Geospatial approaches for formulating multisystem silviculture in the tropical forests

Abstract

The Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry (MoEF) issued regulations that allow the use of multiple silvicultural systems throughout a single period of a forest management work plan, known as multisystem silviculture (MSS), to increase the productivity and economic value of forests. However, certain technical issues still need to be resolved before an MSS can be successfully implemented on-site, particularly in terms of scheming the silvicultural system and selecting the appropriate site. This study developed silvicultural systems based on the modelling of geospatial data on current land cover, forest function, slope, and erosion risk. In this study, forest harvesting techniques (prohibited, selective, and clear-cutting) and regeneration approaches (natural, enrichment, and line planting) were formulated by overlaying four thematic maps and applying modelling rules. For specific locations, overlay thematic modelling maps of forest harvesting and regeneration techniques have been verbalized as MSS, such as selective cutting with enrichment planting, selective cutting with line planting, clear-cutting with intensive planting, and many other systems. The results of this geospatial modelling will assist forest managers in creating forest management plans with MSS within particular forest objectives. Additionally, this study supports policymakers in rising technical procedures for implementing multisystem silviculture.