December 6, 2024
(press release)
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How can the forest's value chains be optimized using information about individual trees in combination with AI and remote sensing? This is what the extensive EU research project SingleTree aims to discover, in which SCA is one of 14 expert participants. "This is a very exciting project that addresses highly relevant issues," says André Wästlund from SCA Skog's technology and digitization staff. The SingleTree project runs for four years and is funded by EU funds. The work is coordinated by NIBIO, the Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, and is supported by 14 partners from Norway, Sweden, Finland, Spain and Switzerland. "SCA represents Scandinavian forestry. For example, SLU is also involved, as well as several other universities and research institutes, along with companies at the forefront of digital technology. Everyone sees great opportunities in combining high-resolution data about the forest with AI to develop forestry," says André. AI and remote sensing SingleTree will investigate how forest value chains can be optimized using detailed information about individual trees – information obtained by applying advanced digital technology, including AI and remote sensing. The idea is to manage individual trees with precision forestry to ensure the biomass is used optimally for the right products while improving forestry's ability to adapt to climate change and increase forest resilience. "The project is very timely and gathers many world-leading researchers. This project has all the conditions to come up with concrete solutions," says Johan Viklund from the technology and digitization staff. Five work packages The SingleTree project is divided into five work packages. The first package deals with remote sensing and obtaining data about individual trees. The second package focuses on adaptive forest management, and the third package works with intelligent machines to make use of each tree's information, while work package four will address wood quality to optimize value creation from the forest. "The research and technical solutions developed in these four work packages will then be applied in the fifth work package, called LLVC, Living Lab Value Chain. This is 'living research,' and we at SCA are involved as Living Lab North. In addition, there are LLVC Central and LLVC South," explains Johan. Different forests and forestry LLVC Central is represented by the public forest administration in the canton of Bern in central Switzerland. LLVC South is represented by the Spanish foundation "Foundation Cesefor" in Castilla y León in northwestern Spain, which aims to promote forestry and forest-based industries. "There are quite different forests and different types of forestry participating. SCA is by far the largest forest owner with our 2.1 million hectares of productive forest land, while the canton of Bern manages a total of 12,000 hectares of forest land. The southern 'Living Lab' represents coniferous forests in the Mediterranean region, which is something entirely different from our coniferous forests," says André. "So we have quite different conditions when it comes to forestry. But even though the challenges are different, we can benefit from common solutions." "Our role will be to test and apply various solutions in actual operations in our forestry, ensuring that the research has a clear real-world grounding. We also share our forest data on individual trees," Johan adds. SCA Skog has already made significant progress in gathering information about individual trees. "SingleTree fits very well with our work with the SCAn tool. We use information from laser scanning of forests and harvester data combined with AI to create a digital twin of the forest. We then use the digital twin to perform an automated pre-interpretation of data in our forest management planning. But we need to continue developing our methods, and we see great opportunities with the project," says Johan. Airships over the forest In the summer of 2025, the project will collect high-resolution data from SCA's forests using an autonomous airship. "The measurements will be performed by the Finnish company Kelluu, which is participating in the project. They use airships to offer an environmentally friendly measurement method," says André. In the fall of 2025, SCA will also host the annual project meeting, where all SingleTree participants gather. "Then we will have the opportunity to showcase our Swedish forestry and how we work," says Johan. Photos: Kelluu and Nibio.
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