Esc

General System description

System name: Ecological Site Classification Acronym: ESC

Brief overview

The system enables the appropriate choice of tree species or NVC woodland type on the basis of site climate and soil quality. Built into the tool are methods to assess soil quality from soil type and indicator plants.

tool encourages decision maker to discover new problems or opportunities by exposing to new information or results
tool helps decision makers in recognizing upcoming problems for which solutions have been developed previously
tool allows decision maker to actively create new knowledge when faced with a new problem and to develop novel solutions
tool allows decision maker to capture knowledge, making it available to decision makers who are seeking solutions from previously solved problems

System origin

The system was developed in the 1990s but the origins can be traced to a publication by Anderson in the 1950s and earlier works that identified relationships between site quality and vegetation.
Development led by Duncan Ray.
Currently free to use at stand scale via web.
GIS versions applied in consultancy work.
Some use in public/private sector and in education. Well known.

Support for specific issues

Is the system designed to take into account specific uses? E.g. guidance on ways to characterize biodiversity, economic-biodiversity tradeoff analysis methods, risk assessment methods, landscape analysis methods, timber harvest effects, climate change effects, biological effects (pests, pathogens, invasives), fire,...

Support for specific thematic areas of a problem type

Silvicultural
Certification
Conservation
Restoration
Development choices / land use zoning
Policy/intervention alternatives
Sustainability impact assessment (SIA)

Capability to support decision making phases

Intelligence (gives user detailed site analysis - climate and soil parameters)
Design (provides site analysis in context of many themes)
Choice (allows user to vary species choice, management options)
Monitor (highlights risks which in theory could encourage monitoring)

Related systems

Describe (and/or link to) other systems related

Conifer Timber Quality Model
EMIS
Forest Gales
Harpps

Data and data models

Typical spatial extent of application

Web based tool operates at stand scale, ca 1-5 hectares, batch GIS tool has generated regional and national scenarios.

Forest data input

Location via OS GB six figure grid reference, eg NT090950. User also supplies an FC soil type (eg 1g, 4, 7bz), lithology/geology, vegetation (indicator plants), results from soil survey (soil texture, rooting depth, soil class (dry|wet) and humus form. More data increases the accuracy of the analysis.

Type of information input from user (via GUI)

User selects one or more tree species for detailed analysis from an intermediate screen.

Models

Forest models

Growth, wind hazard, timber quality, planting windows, fertiliser, species suitability (ESC), cultivation, risk and brash/stump models.

Social models

N/a

Decision Support

Definition of management interventions

Timing of planting, fertilisation, rotations, species choice.

Prescription enumerating all selected possibilities at stand level, coarser information in GIS layers.

Typical temporal scale of application

Allows full lifecycle analysis of a rotation 30-80+ years.

Types of decisions supported

Management level
- strategic decisions
- administrative decisions
- operating control decisions
Management function
planning decisions
- organizing decisions
- command decisions
- control decisions
- coordination decisions
decision making situation
- unilateral
- collegial
- Bargaining / participative decision making

Decision-making processes and models

Logic modeling
Operations research modeling
- Direct approaches
- Heuristic manipulation of simulation models
Multiple criteria/ranking
Other

Output

Types of outputs

Stand version generates tables in HTML, thematic maps can be generated via a batch tool for visualisation in GIS, assuming suitable soil data is available.

Spatial analysis capabilities

integrated capabilities
GIS links via batch tool. Limitations in this context due to availability of digital soil maps.
provides standard data import/export formats
allows spatial analysis, batch tool generates thematic layers

Abilities to address interdisciplinary, multi-scaled, and political issues

Evaluate interactions between different basic information types (biophysical, economic, social). Produce coordinated results for decision makers operating at different spatial scales facilitate social negotiation and learning

System

System requirements

Java library deployed on Linux and Windows. UI available at stand level via web, or batch system via command line.
Utilises many open source Java libraries, GRASS GIS or ArcGIS required for batch stage. Data currently managed in Oracle database or as raster files.
Beta trial

Architecture and major DSS components

3 tier architecture ( UI, Models, Data)

Web based UI using JSP, HTML, CSS

Also desktop batch tool for GIS processing using Java.

Models are implemented in java and EMIS libraries assemble these in order to answer user questions. These can be called independently if necessary.

Highly modular, components based on themes eg species suitability, wind hazard, etc.

Some simple web service interfaces developed using document literal style WSDL/SOAP and REST.

Basic dataflow is location accesses site climate data, this and other user input data are then processed by the various models to generate outputs.

Usage

Used in education, public and private sector forestry and research.

Computational limitations

Typical processing time for Scottish Forest District 6-8 hours (vector-raster intersection step takes 5-6 hours, models execute over 4000 components in about 1 hour, but this varies according to species etc). Large scale spatial intersections sometimes exhaust machine memory with ArcGIS.

User interface

Web UI requires some understanding of soil types, OS grid references, reference to geological maps. Interpretation of information can be challenging so support is being developed.

Documentation and support

None to date. Support available via email.

Installation

Prerequisite knowledge: Requires web browser. Server installation requires specialised skills and tools. Batch mode requires some configuration on host machine.

Web browser for stand version. GIS batch tool requires Java 1.4, Grass and related ESC datasets. A spatial version also exists based on ArcView/Spatial Analyst.

Server installation requires J2EE server such as Tomcat or Oracle Application Server and an oracle database.

References

Cited references

External resources

General System description

System name: Ecological Site Classification

Acronym: ESC

Brief overview

The system enables the appropriate choice of tree species or NVC woodland type on the basis of site climate and soil quality. Built into the tool are methods to assess soil quality from soil type and indicator plants.

Contents

1 General System description

1.1 Brief overview

1.2 Scope of the system

1.3 System origin

The system was developed in the 1990s but the origins can be traced to a publication by Anderson in the 1950s and earlier works that identified relationships between site quality and vegetation.

1.4 Support for specific issues

1.5 Support for specific thematic areas of a problem type

1.6 Capability to support decision making phases

1.7 Related systems

Establishment management information system (EMIS)

2 Data and data models

2.1 Typical spatial extent of application

ESC can be applied at stand level (1 hectare) via a web interface or landscape scape via a GIS batch tool, assuming suitable data exist.

2.2 Forest data input

The inputs are site location, which derives climate data from a database (and very coarse resolution soil data).

2.3 Type of information input from user (via GUI)

Ideally the user supplies the results of a soil survey and on site vegetation.

3 Models

3.1 Forest models

Uses species suitability models and various tools to calculate soil properties from plants and/or soil profile information.

3.2 Social models

n/a

4 Decision Support

4.1 Typical temporal scale of application

Has limited capability to project suitability indexes into future climates to 2080.

4.2 Types of decisions supported

Planning decisions eg

Tree species to plant on site. Site type/quality assessments.

4.3 Decision-making processes and models

5 Output

5.1 Types of outputs

Species suitability responses against climate and soil factors.

5.2 Spatial analysis capabilities

GIS visualisation available via offline batch tool.

5.3 Abilities to address interdisciplinary, multi-scaled, and political issues

Can identify sites for restoration to pre afforestation status.

6 System 6.1 System requirements

Stand tool - user requires web browser ( tested on IE6 and Firefox )

6.2 Architecture and major DSS components

Three tier architecture facilitating desktop or server deployment. Key components are web UI, batch UI, model codes and data.

6.3 Usage

Utilised by forest planners in public/private sector, students and researchers.

6.4 Computational limitations

Very light to run, but can take sometime to process large quantites of data.

6.5 User interface

Stand tool uses HTML/CSS. Command line batch mode to generate GIS results and GIS extension to ArcView.

6.6 Documentation and support

In development, support via FC training courses and bulletin.

6.7 Installation