ForDiL: Forest Digital Learning
The Société Royale Forestière de Belgique (SRFB, Belgique), in partnership with the Mendel University of Brno (MendelU, Czech Republic), the Institut Genech (UFA, France), the Institut Technique Horticole de Gembloux (ITH, Belgium) and the Centre de Développement Agroforestier de Chimay (CDAF, Belgium), has launched a new Erasmus+ project called "ForDiL" for "forest digital learning". The aim of this project is to promote the learning of continuous cover forestry (CCF) approach using digital tools.
| CCF The CCF approach is an ecosystem-based, integrative approach to favour the maintenance, the conservation and the use of forests in their multifunctionalities. This approach is based on a number of principles, such as maintaining forest cover, protecting rare species, , etc. These principles may vary according to country specificities, but are generally based on understanding, using and respecting natural dynamics of forest ecosystems, from an economic, environmental and social perspective. The SMCC approach promotes the resilience of forest ecosystems, a fundamental challenge in the face of climate change, for passing on healthy, multifunctional forests to future generations. |
The project aims to create up-to-date training content for current and future forest managers and owners, to develop their skills in this new approach to forest management in total autonomy. Several specific activities are planned, including the development of a marteloscope and atravailloscope integrating the CCF approach. The target users are forest managers, as well as students in silvicultural or forestry courses at vocational schools and higher education establishments.
| Marteloscope/Travailloscope These field teaching devices enable learners to assess the impact of operations in forest. In concrete terms, a marteloscope is a forest site, generally of rectangular shape of one hectare, where all trees are numbered, mapped and recorded. Based on this data and the results of the fictitious hammering carried out by the learner, a software program guide and evaluate the learner's choices in terms of tree felling/conservation. A travailloscope works on the same basic model, but aims to test the results of different silvicultural operations and the impacts (economic, ecological) favourable or unfavourable to irregular stand management. Trueon-field training workshops, these devices enable learners, individually or in groups, to practice in the field, take stock, compare and discuss results. |
Following a research and decision-scheme design phase, the partners are now working on developing and testing these two tools, which will then be integrated into a field-usable application. Students and teachers from the partner institutions are involved in tool testing, and in exchanges with other European students on CCF, as well as in forest stand visits.
The expected outcome of the project is an English, French and Czech application offering forestry learners and teachers/trainers a digital tool enabling them to experience autonomously the CCF approach in a virtual and practical way. This application will also guide professionals in sustainable forest management decision-making, in autonomy.
This project began at the end of 2023 and will run out for 3 years.
