Modern forest management systems provide advanced controlling, planning, monitoring and analysis tools and procedures. Rational decision making for Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) and spatial planning needs reliable and trustworthy up-to-date information based on technical, ecological, economic and social data. An information system is one tool that can be instrumental for informed decision making in forestry. The scope of DFRIMS will be to collect, store, process and analyse data of planned Forest Management Units (FMU) and of district’s forest areas. The challenge is not only to provide continuously updated data on all forest functions but also to customize the system according to regional and local conditions. Forecasting tools regarding the steady growth process of forests hold the possibility to calculate alternative scenarios of sustainable management including various market strategies and management objectives for all forest functions. These tools will also provide data to support REDD+ activities that help to mitigate climate change and to adapt forest resources to climate change through silvicultural treatments and reforestation if necessary. The information system will also provide accumulated data for a Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) system and political decision-making at the provincial and national level by supporting a defined reporting system. Linking the DFRIMS concept to the institutional and administrative structures of FMUs will ensure that the information provided by the District Forest Resources Information System is used where it is needed.

For more information, please contact:
Dr. Markus Müller
Senior Advisor on Geographic Information Systems and REDD+
Email:    markus.mueller@giz.de