This study aimed to investigate the effects of differences in shooting and flight conditions for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on the processing method and estimated results of aerial images. Forest images were acquired under 80 different conditions, combining various aerial photography methods and flight conditions. We verified errors in values measured by the UAV and the measurement accuracy with respect to tree height and volume. Our results showed that aerial images could be processed under all the studied flight conditions. However, although tree height and crown were decipherable in the created 3D model in 64 conditions, they were undecipherable in 16. The standard deviation (SD) in crown area values for each target tree was 0.08 to 0.68 m2. UAV measurements of tree height tended to be lower than the actual values, and the RMSE (root mean square error) was high (5.2 to 7.1 m) through all the 64 modeled conditions. With the estimated volume being lower than the actual volume, the RMSE volume measurements for each flight condition were from 0.31 to 0.4 m3. Therefore, irrespective of flight conditions for UAV measurements, accuracy was low with respect to the actual values.
Abstract:The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Sustainable Green Ecosystem Council (SGEC) are deployed as forest certification schemes in Japan. This study aimed to identify the reasons that enterprises choose the FSC or the SGEC scheme and the effects of certification. A questionnaire survey was conducted on 126 forestry enterprises with certification as of May 2014. The results of questionnaire tabulation found different reasons for choosing FSC (high reliability of the international certification system) or SGEC (examination costs and difficulty of acquisition, certification acquisition by neighboring enterprises in the region, and guidance and information from familiar people and enterprises). The results suggest that choosing FSC or SGEC depended on international or domestic emphasis, reliability, cost, and difficulty of acquisition. Both schemes reportedly improved management planning, environmental impact assessments, and monitoring, but increased timber value was not reported. Japanese consumers' understanding of forest certification should be enhanced and attention to forest management certification in Japan should increase because the SGEC now offers international certification. If SGEC certification is easier to obtain than FSC certification, and FSC is relatively expensive, the SGEC forest area should continue to expand.
We explore the organizational, environmental, and economic effects of sustainable forest management (FM) certification by SmartWood (SW), one of the certification bodies accredited by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) to carry out certification in Japan. We closely investigated three enterprises: the Yusuhara Forest Owners' Cooperative, Yamanashi Prefectural Forest, and Ryujin-mura Forest Owners' Cooperative. Interviews with representatives of these entities provided crucial empirical information regarding the influence of certification on environmental assessment, rare-species protection, landscape-management planning, management objectives, and forest supervision. Attainment of FM status improved environmental awareness and engendered positive changes in assessing and managing forests and other natural resources but simultaneously imposed heavier economic costs.
The purpose of this study was to compare the present condition of forest management in Asian countries using results of evaluations from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification bodies. In recent years, the number of FSC-certified forests has increased in Asia. Our investigation examined certified forests in Asian countries, which, as of 2009, accounted for 2.39% of total global certified forest area (2,761,603 ha). Materials were taken from summary evaluations published by each FSC certification body on its respective website. The FSC uses 10 principles and 56 criteria in its evaluation. We investigated the items that the FSC certification bodies consider to be areas that require improvement. Of these principles and criteria, the following were cited by the certification bodies as RI (requiring improvement) in nearly all Asian countries: principle four, "community relations and worker's rights"; principle six, "environmental impacts"; principle seven, "management plan"; and principle eight, "monitoring and assessment". In addition, there were differences corresponding to each country with respect to the other principles and criteria. Laos, Indonesia, and Malaysia in particular were found to have a number of problems. Thus, while there were differences in the principles that qualified as RI in each country, there were also common weak points that require improvement throughout the continent. Asian countries should be mindful of these deficiencies and take measures to improve them, in order to achieve sustainable forest management practices.
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