Applying digital transformation in forest management and protection

As one of the localities with a large forest area, with more than 557,500 hectares, forest cover reaching 62.3%, in recent years, the Forest Rangers of Thai Nguyen province have always focused on applying technology and digital transformation to support effective forest monitoring, management and protection.

Forest Ranger Station No. 14 updates forest developments on smartphones

Forest Ranger Station No. 10 performs the tasks of forest management, protection, forest development and forest fire prevention and fighting in 5 communes: Cho Moi, Thanh Thinh, Yen Binh, Tan Ky, Thanh Mai of Thai Nguyen province. The total forest area that needs to be managed is more than 46,500 hectares, of which there are more than 29,100 hectares of natural forest and nearly 21,000 hectares of planted forest.

The area is large, the terrain is complex, and the ranger force is small, so operations face many difficulties. In recent years, the unit has increased the application of technology in professional activities, thereby gradually improving the effectiveness of forest management and protection.

Currently, to update forest data, instead of using paper maps and handheld GPS, officers of Forest Protection Department No. 10 use MapInfor software and FRMS software (specialized software) to update and monitor forest developments. On smartphones, Forest Protection officers install Vtools and FRMS Mobile software to measure distance, area, and perimeter directly on the map, determine current location and actual viewing direction. The software also helps to enter data, save field photos, share data and export files quickly, and use satellite light interpretation to detect deforestation early.

At Forest Ranger District No. 10, automatic forest fire warning signs are installed. Through the collection and processing of meteorological data (temperature, humidity), automatic signs promptly issue warning levels, especially in emergency cases, timely warnings can be given. Managers can control the signs through an application on a smart mobile phone.

Using flycam helps to predict the direction of forest fire spread.

At Forest Ranger Station No. 14, the work of managing, updating and monitoring forest resource developments using FRMS software has been used regularly, maximizing efficiency.

If in the past, to update forest developments, it was necessary to use handheld GPS and paper maps, now, through FRMS software, from the digital map of the forest status of the previous year, exported from FRMS software, Forest rangers use MapInfo software, Global mapper to convert it into a map file with coordinates to open on smartphones, helping to view each forest block directly on the phone. When going to the field, it is possible to draw a forest block on a digital map, determining the location.

Mr. Phan Quoc Thu, Acting Head of Forest Protection Department No. 14, Thai Nguyen province said: We determined that updating and monitoring forest developments in plots requires high accuracy. Currently, the application of digital transformation technology has supported the local Forest Protection force to update boundaries, planning, update basic data, then transfer data to computers for digitization.

The application of digital transformation not only helps the Thai Nguyen Provincial Forest Rangers to “look further and wider”, but also opens up a direction for modern forestry development. The real-time data monitoring and updating system not only helps the Forest Rangers grasp the current situation and promptly detect violations, but also supports the people and local authorities to join hands in protecting the forest.

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/kinh-te/202509/ung-dung-chuyen-doi-so-trong-quan-ly-bao-ve-rung-17e3c27/