[ForestryTools] QGIS Forestry Plugin

Tue Aug 14 08:42:10 PDT 2012

Jake,

I've added your suggestion to the Forestry Tools page:
http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Forestry_Tools

I'm currently transferring all of my R code to Python, and finding a way to
pull information and generate reports from Spatialite. I'll then begin
looking for help in translating everything into interacting with QGIS.

Glad to see you're out and about and feeling better!

--
all the best,
Lee Mueller
ISA Certified Arborist MI-4148A
Registered Forester #46043

On Tue, Aug 14, 2012 at 9:20 AM, Jake Maier <j.m at jmforestry.com> wrote:

> Lee,****
>
> You may already have all the ideas you can handle in connection with our
> forestry project, but I wanted to run this by you as I think the idea might
> help as a part of the cruise layout module.****
>
> I’m just laying out a cruise and I have a 300 feet wide and 3000 feet long
> tract to survey (along a road). I want to implement a zigzag pattern with a
> point every so many feet on that zigzag and I thought that may be a good
> application  for our gis module. I found out it’s not easy to do that by
> hand. ****
>
> If you could define the width of the tract and the angle of the zigzag and
> the number of points you wanted in that tract, then you may be able to
> optimally cover the area of that tract.  If you just want a straight cruise
> line, like in traditional traverse cruising, you put in an angle of zero.
> If you want to cover the width of the tract optimally, you would put in an
> angle of 45d.****
>
> Again I’m not sure if that fits into your line of thinking about the
> forestry module, but I thought to run it by you. ****
>
> Jake****
>
> ** **
>
> *From:* Lee [mailto:muellerl at gmail.com]
> *Sent:* Monday, July 23, 2012 9:25 AM
> *To:* Jeff Hamann
> *Cc:* forestrytools at lists.osgeo.org; mhomann at telia.com; Tyler Mitchell;
> Noli Sicad; Magnus Homann; Jake Maier; Jeremy Hill Hill; Aaron Weiskittel;
> Max Uhlenhuth
> *Subject:* Re: QGIS Forestry Plugin****
>
> ** **
>
> *Gang:* What are your suggestions, or do you have examples of successes
> with the following, or other similar items?
> "once the infrastructure is built for contributing, arguing, and resolving
> issues, the "how" will be easier."
>
> *Jeff: *Could you clarify this?
> "maintain an open and transparent set of procedures for performing sample
> processing and inventory reporting tasks"
>
> Do we want to adopt a "mission statement" or "goal" for the project,
> something we can all aim for? Maybe a list of guidelines or structure we
> want our community to abide by? It seems this mailing list will be used for
> primary communication, do we need anything else? Are we fine with a
> consensus driven approach to development, or do we want to look at
> formalizing some sort of decision-making process?
>
> Personally, I think drafting some set of guidelines and mission would be
> useful for me. At least it helps me understand where everyone else is at,
> and what direction I need to head in. I think the mailing list is likely
> the most effective method of communication, and I'm fine with a consensus
> driven approach. However, I do think some sort of agreed upon guidelines
> and mission will help that along. Perhaps additionally a set of questions
> that we want to test all ideas against... "Does this meet our goal? Is this
> somehow advancing the use of QGIS among forestry professionals? etc."****
>
>
> --
> all the best,****
>
> Lee Mueller
> ISA Certified Arborist MI-4148A
> Registered Forester #46043****
>
>  ****
>
>  ****
>
>
>
> ****
>
> On Wed, Jul 18, 2012 at 5:32 PM, Jeff Hamann <
> jeff.hamann at forestinformatics.com> wrote:****
>
> I suggest we focus on the development of a very small set of features that
> perform the most basic operations for the plugin (plot layout, sample
> processing, vol calcs, simple report).****
>
> ** **
>
> I think we'll need work on developing the community first, then once the
> infrastructure is built for contributing, arguing, and resolving issues,
> the "how" will be easier. ****
>
> ** **
>
> As several existing software packages don't expose their data processing
> procedures, I recommend that one of the goals for the project is to
> maintain an open and transparent set of procedures for performing sample
> processing and inventory reporting tasks. As part of the development
> process (CMake based) we would require particular tests be passed as well.
> More sophisticated components (yield table generation and harvest
> scheduling) can be developed concurrently, or as separate plugins, as the
> project moves forward. ****
>
> ** **
>
> I can donate some of the initial code for a basic sample processor
> (currently an old R package hack) and chunks of R code that didn't make it
> into the Springer book, where applicable. Most will  need to be ported to
> Python or C++ for the add-in. ****
>
> ** **
>
> I don't see the project on github yet. ****
>
> ** **
>
> Is that where it's going to be hosted?****
>
> ** **
>
> We'll need a one pager for using git won't we?****
>
> ** **
>
> Respectfully,****
>
> Jeff.****
>
> ** **
>
> ** **
>
> Jeff Hamann, PhD
> PO Box 1421
> Corvallis, Oregon 97339-1421****
>
> 230 SW 3rd Street Suite #310****
>
> Corvallis, Oregon 97333****
>
> 541-602-5438 (c)****
>
> 541-754-2457 (h)****
>
> jeff.hamann[at]forestinformatics[dot]com****
>
> jeff.d.hamann[at]gmail[dot]com****
>
> http://www.forestinformatics.com****
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_informatics****
>
> ** **
>
> To ensure that your email is processed, include a subject entry in your
> email.****
>
> ** **
>
> ** **
>
> ** **
>
> ** **
>
> On Jul 18, 2012, at 9:21 AM, Lee wrote:****
>
>
>
> ****
>
> I've added Max Uhlenhuth to our emails based on the interest he provided
> in the talk:forestry tools page. He's a founder of SilviaTerra
> <http://www.silviaterra.com/>who developed the free phone applet
> plothound among other interesting forest inventory methods.
>
> We can begin the discussion here, and move over to the mailing list once
> it's up and running.
>
> Noli posed the following:
> I think you start discussion details on what you want for this plugin.
> You know what you want.
>
> So I'll start the chatter.
>
> Right now, there's a few of us interested in allocating personal resources
> to developing this plugin. We're involved for a variety of reasons, but I
> think we all see a need and see it as a tool for engaging the forestry
> community in utilizing QGIS more effectively. Moreover, there are few
> effective, approachable, and free/open-source complete inventory and
> analysis software packages available to the average forester. So, that's
> the end goal.
>
> We have to start somewhere. I feel it is important to begin with a
> foundation that is useful enough to create interest or buzz. Hopefully it
> will become noticed enough to interest others enough to leverage additional
> resources (manpower, etc). From this standpoint, I think we need the VERY
> basic functionality of a forest inventory analysis package.
>
> That would be:
> - Allocating inventory plots to stands.
> - Aggregating information from those plots to calculate stand tables and
> volume tables.
> - Link the generated reports to stands in stand vector file.****
>
>    1. Let's say I have a 40 acre parcel. I use aerial photographs to
>    pre-draw 2 stands in a standard vector layer. ****
>    2. I then use the forestry plugin to place 20 plots across the two
>    stands in a new vector file. ****
>    3. I collect basic forest inventory data (Plot #, species, dbh, logs
>    or ht or sticks, etc), bring it back, and place it in an accessible format
>    like .csv. ****
>    4. This should probably then be loaded into a database which links
>    with the stand vector file. ****
>    5. Forestry plugin links the plot #'s in the inventory file, to the
>    plot #'s in the vector file, and assigns stand numbers based on their
>    locations within the stand vector file.****
>    6. Forestry plugin uses this linkage, to aggregate the plot's
>    information to generate a stand table (trees per acre by species and size)
>    and volume table (volume per acre by species and product) for each stand.
>    ****
>
> I think this is the basic functionality that would generate a bit more
> interest in our project. The above is obviously simplified to illustrate a
> purpose. We can begin getting into a host of questions such as: which
> cruise method is used? Which formula for  volume calculation? What about
> custom fields in inventory? How about aggregating volume in a stand, rather
> than per acre? How about species specific volume calculation methods? These
> are all valid questions for a complete, robust, useful plugin. Ones we will
> have to address as we progress. However, for the time being, I think we
> need something that shows the promise of being useful and comprehensive. We
> can then go back and add additional features as we begin to develop the
> framework. I think if we can at least accomplish the above, we're in a
> great place to begin to show some real promise for further development such
> as forest estate planning, economic analysis, and field collection.****
>
> *Does the above seem to be the basic "first release" necessary? Are there
> elements missing? Extra elements? Does it completely miss the boat? Does it
> meet your vision for what this needs to be? Does it seem like a good
> platform to begin work from?*****
>
> Then...****
>
> *Where is the best place to start? How do we divvy the work? And how are
> you willing to help?*****
>
> Again, I'm not at all familiar with the inner workings of QGIS or python.
> My past experience has been in C/C++ and moreso PHP. Therefore, I think the
> first steps to wrap my head around this is to sit down and begin writing
> some of the python functions necessary for volume calculation and handling
> the import of an inventory file. As we start to get into database linkages
> and GIS file handling, I'll be out of my element, but I'm willing to learn
> in conjunction with other's work or mentorship.****
>
>
> --
> all the best,****
>
> Lee Mueller
> ISA Certified Arborist MI-4148A
> Registered Forester #46043****
>
>  ****
>
>  ****
>
>
>
> ****
>
> On Tue, Jul 17, 2012 at 10:13 PM, Lee <muellerl at gmail.com> wrote:****
>
> Looks like the process has been started to get us a mailing list on osgeo,
> which is where all the QGIS mailing lists are housed.
>
> Based on the above opinions, It likely makes sense to use github to host
> the code.
>
> I'm going to compile some thoughts over the next few days and begin the
> discussion on where we need to start in earnest.
>
> Thanks gents.****
>
>
> ****
>
>
> --
> all the best,****
>
> Lee Mueller
> ISA Certified Arborist MI-4148A
> Registered Forester #46043****
>
>  ****
>
>  ****
>
>
>
> ****
>
> On Tue, Jul 17, 2012 at 10:08 PM, Jeff Hamann <
> jeff.hamann at forestinformatics.com> wrote:****
>
> I second that. ****
>
> ** **
>
> If we're making a plug-in, I would piggyback on whatever QGis does. ****
>
> ** **
>
> Respectfully,****
>
> Jeff.****
>
> ** **
>
> ** **
>
> Jeff Hamann, PhD
> PO Box 1421
> Corvallis, Oregon 97339-1421****
>
> 230 SW 3rd Street Suite #310****
>
> Corvallis, Oregon 97333****
>
> 541-602-5438 (c)****
>
> 541-754-2457 (h)****
>
> jeff.hamann[at]forestinformatics[dot]com****
>
> jeff.d.hamann[at]gmail[dot]com****
>
> http://www.forestinformatics.com****
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_informatics****
>
> ** **
>
> To ensure that your email is processed, include a subject entry in your
> email.****
>
> ** **
>
> ** **
>
> ** **
>
> ** **
>
> On Jul 17, 2012, at 6:28 AM, mhomann at telia.com wrote:****
>
>
>
> ****
>
> If possible, align with QGis development and communication set up?
>
> Magnus****
>
> ** **
>
> ** **
>
> ** **
>
> ** **
>
> ** **
>
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