Home About Research Publications People What's New Links Contact Us   UW   Precision Forestry Cooperative (PFC) Executive Advisory Board Meeting Minutes February 26, 2001 - Seattle, Washington The second meeting of the PFC convened at 10:00 am, at the University of Washington Waterfront Activities Center, Seattle, Washington. Present Hans-Erik Anderson, Bruce Bare, Wade Boyd, Dave Briggs, Dave Crooker, Suzanne Flagor, Jim Fridley, John Gorman, Linda Kaye, Bruce Larson, Edwin Lewis, Bruce Lippke, Rex McCullough, Megan O'Shea, Mac Parks, Charley Peterson, Michael Renslow, Gerald Schreuder, Doug St. John, Bryce Stokes, Paula Swedeen, Don Theoe, Eric Turnblom, and Maurice Williamson. Agenda Item #1- Precision Forestry Definition and Mission The board reviewed and approved the following definition of Precision Forestry: Precision Forestry uses high technology sensing and analytical tools to support site-specific economic and environmental decision making for the forestry sector. After a quick review of PFC's mission, goals, and objectives, the order of the mission statement was reversed for greater clarity. The board suggested PFC include a statement covering its scope, along with PFC's mission, goals, and objectives. The statement was made that the PFC needs to appeal to a broad spectrum of interests in forest resource management. There was discussion about what role the PFC may have in communicating to the public that there is advanced technology in forestry. The PFC needs to make it their objective to get these technologies available to small and large landowners. Agenda Item #2-Status of the Precision Forestry Cooperative Budget- Word in Olympia is that this budget season will be tight and it will be a challenge for the PFC to attain full funding similar to the UW's other ATIs ($500,000/year). Bruce Larson has been working with the UW administration to secure full funding. Any support the Board could provide the PFC would be welcomed. Current Projects- The question was asked: is it the goal of the PFC to promote existing technology or develop new technology? Generally it was agreed that it must be both, but at this time, the PFC needs a quick success, and strong public recognition. For more detailed information on the projects, please refer to the handouts in your notebooks. RFID- The PFC has developed RFID technology to be used in the identification of individual trees, and is now looking to develop a commercial partnership to make RFID available in the forest sector. LIDAR- Hans Anderson did an overview of his research development of an analysis process using LIDAR data to predict forest attributes; both at stand level and at an individual tree level. It was suggested that LIDAR or RFID could be the quick success PFC is looking for. Integrated Global Position Systems (GPS) and Inertial Measurement Units (IMU)-PFC hopes to be doing field trial in the spring. Future Direction-The PFC needs to focus on developing partnership outside the University of Washington, and look into projects where industry can be involved. The availability of monies for fire science programs could generate research that industry would support. Other suggestions included using LIDAR for stream location. In general, 3 questions must be asked for any future project or direction. Is there technology that is missing? Can we foster it? Can we implement it? Agenda Item #3-Precision Forestry Symposium Update Kane Hall, University of Washington, June 18-20, 2001. The agenda was handed out, and the board was asked to help promote the Symposium using the PFC Symposium handouts and the PFC's web page. http://www.cfr.washington.edu/research.pfc/ Agenda Item #4-Role of Executive Advisory Board Reviewed the Board's role as described in the booklet. Agenda Item #5-PFC Faculty Position Update The Cooperative is looking for a Director who would be a member of the faculty. The search committee is chaired by Dr. Gerard Schreuder and includes Rex McCullough, Bruce Bare, Denise Wilson, and Darlene Zabowski. Any help from the Board in getting the word out would be appreciated and an e-mail copy of the position description was sent to all board members for distribution. Board members interested in meeting with prospective candidates should contact Dr. Schreuder at gsch@u.washington.edu. Agenda Item #6-List of Potential Research Projects The group listed what they thought were relevant technologies. Each Advisory Board Member was given 3 votes and asked to rank the technologies. Votes Technology 12 LIDAR 7 Visualization 7 Stand Structure Analysis Data 6 Habitat 4 Forest 3 Multi-Spectral Imagining 2 GPS/IMU Navigation 2 Measuring Tree Character 1 Soil Character 1 RFID 0 Chemical Sensing The group listed what they thought were relevant focus areas. Each Advisory Board Member was given 2 votes and asked to rank the focus areas. Votes Focus Areas 7 Stand Structure 4 Forest Health 4 Operations 2 Riparian Areas 2 Stream Initiation 2 Habitat 1 Slope Assessment 0 Forest Assessment   Agenda Item #7-Direction From the Board The board will help prioritize the PFC research areas and assist in getting organizations engaged in the PFC. It was brought up that research being done by other organization such as the Cooperative Monitoring Evaluation and Research (CMER), Stand Management Cooperative (SMC), or the Center for Streamside Studies (CSS) could compliment PFC's. Agenda Item #8-Action Items Doug St. John will contact CEMR, CSS, and the SMC to investigate collaborative opportunities for research PFC will continue to pursue full funding · E-mail Board information on the faculty position and the Symposium Follow up on fire management research possibilities Update PFC's Mission, Goals, and Objectives in all publications and documents. Meeting adjourned at 2:30. Next meeting date has not been set.   The Precision Forestry Home Page is provided by the College of Forest Resources. © 2000 - University of Washington, Precision Forestry Cooperative, including all photographs and images unless otherwise noted.