Monitoring crop conditions

Farmers have a hard time monitoring the state of their crops when there’s so much land to cover, and it appears forest owners have the same problem.

However, Irish software company Treemetrics is bringing technology to nature, with its 3D laser scanning techniques that provide forest owners with a detailed picture of their ‘stock’.

According to Treemetrics, the average grower or purchaser cannot accurately determine the quantity or quality of a timber sale until after the trees are harvested.

“This leads to poor decisions. It is estimated that on average worldwide, 20% of the potential value of a forest is lost in this way,” it says.

Treemetrics uses a product called Autostem, which provides both the grower and purchaser with a better method of matching standing forest areas to sawmill requirements, and offers decision-making support to forest planners and managers.

In short, Treemetrics can monitor the condition of a forest in order to match “the right forest to the right mill.”

It provides solutions for foresters and forestry organisations who want to maximise commercial and ecological returns, as well as sawmill buyers who want the highest quality of timber.

Is there an opportunity to introduce similar technology in Australia? Farmers and logging companies would welcome any development that could monitor the state of their crops and help them determine the best time to harvest.