One of the most important parts of our lives is forests, which cover about one-third of all land on Earth. They provide us with oxygen, nourishment, shelter, and fuel. They help prevent erosion and enrich soil, producing rich topsoil that’s required to grow plants and crops and prevent landslides and floods.
Forests further play an important role in oxygen production, carbon dioxide absorption, climate regulation, biodiversity habitat, medicinal resources, water cycle maintenance, natural disaster mitigation, livelihood support, psychological well-being, and recreational spaces.
Despite this, deforestation—the purposeful clearing of forested land—continues to be a significant issue worldwide.
The Tragic Ongoing Loss
While deforestation has been happening throughout history, the rate it has been happening in recent centuries has simply skyrocketed. For instance, in the last three centuries, 1.5 billion hectares of forest, which is an area bigger than the US, has been destroyed.
Meanwhile, in the last twenty years, a total of 76.3 million hectares (Mha) of humid primary forest have been lost globally. This makes up 16% of the total tree cover loss during this period.
This permanent razing of forested land is done by people, corporations, and governments for various reasons, such as housing and extracting resources.
According to a study from earlier this year, food production was the leading driver of deforestation. On analyzing the factors that are driving deforestation in 40 tropical and subtropical countries through the lenses of production/supply, trade/distribution, and consumption/demand, the researchers found that between 2000 and 2018, about 90% of global forest cover changes were due to agricultural (crop and pastureland) expansion.
Besides agriculture, urbanization, and natural and human-caused wildfires play a significant role in forest loss. While we continue to destroy our forests, at the same time, research indicates that these forests, like the Amazon, which have been a carbon sink, are now shifting to a net carbon source. What this means is they are emitting more CO2 than they are absorbing, indicating the urgent need to protect our remaining forests.
The world’s largest rainforest has actually been under a lot of pressure from deforestation and climate change. A recent study estimated that by 2050, 10% to 47% of Amazonian forests will face “compounding disturbances that may trigger unexpected ecosystem transitions and potentially exacerbate regional climate change.”
All the forest loss we have been seeing, driven by intensive human activity and climate change, threatens biodiversity, natural resources, and our quality of life.
The effect of deforestation hasn’t even been completely analyzed yet. Recently, the University of Otago’s research found that in response to deforestation, New Zealand’s native stoneflies have changed their “warning” colors. This isn’t even all; an MIT study found that 10% of human-made mercury emissions into the atmosphere each year are the result of global deforestation.
Scientists have generally focused on studying deforestation as a source of global CO2 emissions, with mercury being neglected. While plants take up mercury from the atmosphere much like how they do CO2, the chemical element doesn’t really have an essential biological function for plants, so it just gets absorbed by the soil.
Now, researchers have found that 200 tons of mercury is being emitted into the atmosphere as a result of deforestation, which is even higher in tropical and subtropical countries.
So, to help protect forests, researchers from Kaunas University of Technology (KTU), Vytautas Magnus University in Lithuania, and Linnaeus University in Sweden came together to develop Forest 4.0, an intelligent forest data processing model that incorporates advanced tech like big data, AI, Internet of Things (IoT), and blockchain.
This system provides a more transparent forest governance model and allows for real-time monitoring of forest conditions and sustainable resource accounting.
“Imagine buying a table and knowing exactly from which forest and tree it originated. This is exactly the outcome of the proposed forest data management model.”
– Rytis Maskeliūnas, a professor at KTU who helped develop Forest 4.0
Blockchain and IoT, in particular, are playing a crucial role in Forest 4.0, offering transformative potential for management and conservation.
The blockchain, as per the paper, was used for the secure storage of certification and traceability data. While blockchain technology promotes transparency and integrity in forest management, real-time data from sensors, drones, and monitoring systems help make decisions in fire management, sustainable harvesting, and wildlife monitoring.
A Multilayered Approach to Forest Management
Technological innovations have had a tremendous impact on all spheres of our lives, so they should also be utilized to protect our forests, improve their smart management, and care for the future of nature.
The forest sector faces numerous challenges related to the level of digital maturity, lack of digital competence, supply change issues, and the need for service innovation and adoption of AI methods. And integrating digital technologies into forest operations can help address these challenges.
Advancements in technology, particularly geospatial and data analysis, have already been helping with deforestation monitoring. They allow for detection and response to forest cover changes across vast areas with great preciseness.
For instance, multispectral and hyperspectral satellites allow for remote sensing, while LiDAR provides 3D data on forest structure and SAR pierces through cloud cover for consistent monitoring in tropical regions. Drones are another latest technology that is being utilized for high-resolution imagery for targeted areas.
Then there’s machine learning, which has been a great help in automating the processing of voluminous imagery and data. They use algorithms to identify deforestation patterns with accuracy that goes beyond 90%.
A study conducted by researchers from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi MARA, and Rabdan Academy utilized deep learning architectures, such as FCN, SegNet, DeepLabV3, U-Net, and ResNet and found them to be effective in detecting deforestation even in complex and irregularly shaped forest regions. The researchers noted:
“In the face of escalating environmental concerns, it is imperative that we harness the potential of cutting-edge technologies to counteract the effects of deforestation.”
Now, with the goal of creating a ‘smart forest,’ scientists have created Forest 4.0. For its smart and sustainable forest management system, it actually took a multilayered approach.
The first layer is that of Data Collection and Management, which is pretty self-explanatory. This layer is responsible for collecting and handling data from different sources, such as wireless sensor networks, remote sensing, and in-situ monitoring systems.
Wireless sensor networks include various IoT devices that measure factors like temperature, tree sap, and soil moisture, which are all connected by data transmission; as such, nobody has to actually go into the forest and manually take all the measurements.
The system also features an IoT solution with sensors that look like birdhouses and are installed in trees.
“These devices send data to a central system, where it is analyzed using AI algorithms within the data analysis layer.”
– Egidijus Kazanavičius, a professor of KTU Centre of Real-Time Computer Systems, who developed the hardware
So, the Data Analytics layer makes use of big data analytics to obtain insights from the data that was collected in the first layer. By utilizing machine learning and predictive analytics, this layer provides decision-making assistance.
In the Monitoring and Assessment Layer, all the data analysis findings are put to use in order to monitor and examine the health of forests, biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and ecosystem services. Visualizing and analyzing outcomes can also help with decision-making.
The information from all this assessment is important for the next phase, the Forest Management Layer, where the output helps with monitoring, reforestation, and conservation.
The technological infrastructure layer meanwhile provides the underlying technological infrastructure to support the other levels of the architecture, like the blockchain, wireless sensor networks, and the Internet of Things.
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New Tech Revolutionizing Forest Management
When all the data gathered on environmental conditions are put to use in the real world, the IoT system can evaluate forest health, monitor fire risks, and even offer protection against pests, diseases, or illegal activities.
The data in question points to air quality, humidity, and temperature, which are captured by sensors, but a smart monitoring system is more than just these sensors.
For instance, cameras that are already installed in the forest can also be used. Maskeliūnas explained that by accessing camera images and looking at things like browning needles, the IoT could discover the impact of insects on trees, use spots on leaves to identify disease and reveal illegal logging by encrypting sounds.
The use of new technologies in the Forest 4.0 model can further help improve the efficiency, profitability, and sustainability of forest businesses in addition to optimizing resource use and reducing waste.
This isn’t all; the system also provides supply chain traceability management thanks to the use of decentralized digital ledger technology, i.e., blockchain, that provides immutable data of records for anyone to verify, hence ensuring transparency and data integrity.
With the help of blockchain, the system enables the monitoring of processes at all stages, from the forest to the sawmill and even the final product.
“The technology works without the authority and provides a transparent, secure, and unchangeable record of everything that happens to the forest and its production, reducing illegal logging and ensuring sustainable practices.”
– The professor of KTU Faculty of Informatics (IF)
Incorporating technologies like intelligent machines, digital survey tools, and Radio-frequency identification (RFID) into the timber supply chain further improved efficiency and safety by providing data to better understand management decisions’ impact on timber quality, forest health, and other factors. Using digital technologies, the researchers noted, can help with cost savings by strengthening cooperation and information exchange.
While the model holds promise by offering numerous benefits in improving forest resource management and monitoring on a large scale, the researchers are facing challenges in implementing it. These issues contributing to the slow widespread adoption of digital technology in forest management include a lack of standards, interoperability, high initial investment, and the sector’s slow approach to innovation. According to Prof. Maskeliūnas:
“It is assumed that it is better to opt for expensive and complex solutions, while smaller and cheaper sensors are given less attention. We should be glad that a solution costing a few hundred euros is able to collect and send data by itself.”
In addition to legislative and governance obstacles, hesitancy among the stakeholders due to potential data exposure further raises concerns about trust and privacy in digital technology usage.
Technology like blockchain also brings complexity to the equation, though the growing adoption of crypto assets and successful development of fintech is helping overcome the obstacles and driving its usage.
Digital technology, however, is gaining a lot of importance in European forest management, where it is used to tackle the challenges of sustainable practices.
In countries like Germany, these solutions have already begun to gain acceptance, which showcases the Forest 4.0 model’s potential to become a global standard and help promote responsible and sustainable forest management.
For effective implementation of the system, the authors noted the need for collaborative efforts with government, commercial sector, civil society, and academic institutions to overcome the challenges. Clearly defining the roles and obligations of the parties involved meanwhile will help maximize benefits.
Calling the use of innovative digital technology in forest management “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” to improve the transparency, efficiency, and sustainability of the industry, the scientists emphasized the need for policymakers and practitioners to collaborate in order to “capitalize on these innovations for the benefit of forests and society.”
As for Forest 4.0, Maskeliūnas called it “the fourth industrial revolution in forestry, with the goal of a non-flammable, lush forest full of animals.”
Companies Helping with Forest Prevention
Now, let’s take a look at a few companies that are developing and providing these technologies that are being utilized in forest protection.
1. Trimble Inc. (TRMB +0.15%)
This technology company specializes in geospatial technologies, including GPS, GIS, and remote sensing tools that are used in environmental monitoring and forest management. Trimble’s core technologies in positioning, modeling, connectivity, and data analytics enable improved productivity, quality, safety, transparency, and sustainability.
Trimble Inc. (TRMB +0.15%)
With a market cap of $17.82 billion, TRMB shares are currently trading at $72.97, up 37.16% YTD. It has an EPS (TTM) of 5.99 and a P/E (TTM) of 12.18. For Q3 2024, the company reported a revenue of $875.8 million, which was down 9% on a year-over-year basis, while annualized recurring revenue was $2.19 billion, up 13% Y0Y.
2. Palantir Technologies Inc. (PLTR -1.03%)
Known for its big data analytics platforms such as Foundry, Palantir integrates datasets for environmental monitoring and sustainability projects. It further offers Edge AI that can be deployed on spacecraft to detect entities or areas and measure their changes over time.
Palantir Technologies Inc. (PLTR -1.03%)
With a market cap of $152.74 billion, PLTR shares are currently trading at $67.63, up 290.68% YTD. It has an EPS (TTM) of 0.20 and a P/E (TTM) of 339.30. For 3Q 24, the company reported revenue of $725.5 million and net income of $143.5 million, which was up 30% and 101%, respectively, from the same quarter last year. Palantir’s profit margin for the quarter, meanwhile, was 20%.
3. Honeywell International Inc. (HON -1.28%)
Honeywell builds automation, energy, and sustainable solutions, and its IoT-enabled sensors and systems can be utilized for environmental monitoring and management. Recently, it expanded its partnership with Qualcomm to allow for improved data capture and analytics.
Honeywell International Inc. (HON -1.28%)
With a market cap of $151.46 billion, HON shares are currently trading at $233.10, up 11.07% YTD. It has an EPS (TTM) of 8.66 and a P/E (TTM) of 26.90 while having a dividend yield of 1.94%. For 3Q 24, the company reported sales of $9.7 billion, which was up 6%, while the operating margin was 19.1% and the segment margin 23.6%. Free cash flow at the end of the quarter was $1.7bln. During this period, Honeywell also made two acquisitions, one involving CAES Systems for $1.9 billion and the other being the LNG business of Air Products for $1.8 billion.
Conclusion
Deforestation is clearly a big problem, which continues to become bigger with each passing year, creating an urgent need for consumers, corporations, and the government to come together and work towards finding effective solutions.
Extensive forest reforestation — which is restoring tree cover to deforested areas, has been found to be the most feasible way to achieve gigatons of carbon removal and meet nature-based sustainable development goals, though achieving it at scale requires cost-effective methods.
Advanced technologies, like AI, IoT, big data, and blockchain, are now also providing effective ways for precise monitoring, efficient resource management, and enhanced transparency in forestry practices. So, by utilizing these advancements alongside reforestation efforts, we can fight deforestation effectively and create a future where our forests are not just protected but thriving!
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