From opinion to insight: how digitalisation is transforming forestry

Restructuring society in a sustainable direction is difficult. This may seem like an unnecessary point to make, given the often contentious debate we are currently witnessing on sustainability issues and the transition, but I do have a point in bringing it up. My point is this: the very fact that the transition is difficult, places greater demands on our ability to manage complexity and to resolve issues where there are no easy answers.

Forests are a prime example of this. This is where climate policy, biodiversity, industrial development and local interests converge, in a landscape that changes over time. To make sound decisions given this complexity, it is not enough for us to agree on comprehensive climate targets. We need detailed, reliable and shared knowledge.

This is where digitalisation can play a crucial role.

Within Mistra Digital Forest, digital tools and data-driven methods have been specifically developed in order to provide a better basis for decision-making in the interests of more sustainable forestry. By combining remote sensing, machine data, sensors and advanced analytical methods, it is possible to monitor the condition of the forest in close to real time, and at a level of detail that was previously unattainable. This provides new opportunities for understanding the way in which different forestry strategies affect the climate, natural values and production.

One concrete example is the work on high-resolution forest data and decision support, where satellite imagery and AI-based analysis are used to map the forest. This type of knowledge makes it possible to tailor measures to local conditions, rather than simply relying on general assumptions. This could involve identifying areas where carbon sequestration can be enhanced, where natural values require special consideration, or where there is an increased risk of storm damage or pest infestation. In this way, precision becomes a direct enabler in the management of complex issues.

Digital solutions can also have an impact on transparency and legitimacy. Traceability is a particularly important area in this regard. Within Mistra Digital Forest, several projects have focused on the development of digital traceability throughout the entire forest value chain, from the forest stand to the finished product. By linking data from forestry, transport and industry, it becomes possible to track how and where the raw material has been produced, under what conditions and with what consequences. Transparency and credibility increase the potential of generating a green premium for responsible forestry.

This type of traceability is particularly relevant at a time when demands for sustainability, climate reporting and accountability are on the rise, not least at EU level. For policymakers, this means better opportunities for monitoring policy instruments and regulations. For the business sector, it creates the conditions for demonstrating actual sustainability, rather than simply making general commitments. And for society at large, increased transparency can help build trust in an area that is often characterised by strong divisions, and even by outright trench warfare.

In addition, digital tools can also strengthen political decision-making processes. Through scenario modelling and integrated analytical tools, it becomes possible to highlight the consequences of different policy choices within forestry policy. This may involve the balancing of climate considerations and biodiversity against production interests, or assessing the regional and economic impacts that changes in management practices might have. When decision-makers have access to more nuanced data, there is a greater opportunity to design policy instruments that are both effective and legitimate.

At the same time, we have to be honest about the fact that there are limits to what digitalisation can achieve. Technology can never replace political priorities or value-based decisions. It cannot tell us how much biodiversity we are prepared to prioritise, how we ought to weigh up the short-term against the long-term, or what risks we are willing to take in order to meet climate targets. However, it can highlight the consequences of our choices, and in doing so make our decisions more informed and perhaps even more democratically grounded.

We will continue to have our disagreements, but with more sophisticated evidence on which to base our decisions – it’s as simple as that!

Perhaps this is exactly where the most important contribution of digitalisation to the green transition lies. Not in the promise of simple solutions, but in the ability to better manage complexity. The forest is not a problem to be ‘solved’, but a living system that must be managed over time, and in conditions of uncertainty and change. Similarly, the green transition is not a linear process, but an ongoing negotiation between different goals, different interests and different areas of expertise.

If digitalisation is used wisely – with traceability, transparency and with collaboration at its core – it can become a crucial enabler for forest management that both contributes to climate targets, and also strengthens public confidence in how forests will be utilised in the future.

The fact that this is difficult is not a sign of failure. On the contrary, it is a sign that we are taking the task seriously. Digitalisation can help us to see more clearly, but we still need to decide on the direction together.

Maria Wetterstrand

Member of the Mistra Digital Forest Programme Board