Smart forestry – a forestry 4.0 approach to intelligent and fully integrated timber harvesting

Forestry in general and the wood supply chain in particular are facing a wide range of challenges. Digitalization seems to be able to provide a remedy, but the forest-based sector's high degree of heterogeneity and the large number of actors hampers the search for solutions – in Germany and beyond. In the presented Smart Forestry approach, we apply concepts from Forestry 4.0 to achieve intelligent and fully integrated timber harvesting. It is based on digital twins that are networked and orchestrated in an Internet of Things. First, we reengineer existing forestry processes, identify the relevant objects and messages, and specify templates for digital twins. The necessary Internet of Things technologies are selected and enhanced for use in forestry. Finally, we build first prototypes of the target system that are the basis for upcoming reference experiments in practice – from the forest owner via production in the forest and logistics to the timber buyer.