A GIS-based protocol for the simulation and evaluation of realistic 3-D thinning scenarios in recreational forest management

This study introduces a GIS-based protocol for the simulation and evaluation of thinning treatments in recreational forest management. The protocol was implemented in a research study based on an area of recreational forest in Alishan National Scenic Area, Taiwan. Ground survey data were mapped to a GIS database, to create a precise, yet flexible, GIS-based digital forest. The digital forest model was used to generate 18 different thinning scenario images and one image of the existing unthinned forest. A questionnaire was completed by 456 participants while simultaneously viewing the scenario images. The questionnaire was used to determine the scenic beauty preferences of the respondents. Statistical analysis of the data revealed that the respondents preferred low density, upper-storey thinning treatments and a dispersed retention pattern of the remaining trees. High density upper-storey treatments evoked a strongly negative reaction in the observers. The experiment demonstrated that the proposed protocol is suitable for selecting an appropriate thinning strategy for recreational forest and that the protocol has practical value in recreational forest management.

► A protocol was developed to create and evaluate multiple forest thinning scenarios.
► The core algorithm integrates object-based GIS and SBE methods.
► The protocol can create additional thinning scenarios if required, at no extra cost.
► The thinning regime selected by the protocol has minimum aesthetic impact.
► The proposed protocol can satisfy the needs of recreational forest management.