Post-event summary: ForestTECH 2025

ForestTECH 2025 reaffirmed its position as Australasia’s leading forestry technology event, bringing together forest managers, researchers, and technology specialists in Rotorua, New Zealand (18-19 November) and Melbourne, Australia (25-26 November). The series continued its role as an independent platform for showcasing new tools in remote sensing, data capture, inventory management, and precision silviculture.

A consistent theme across the programme was the accelerating convergence of data, connectivity, and artificial intelligence (AI) to improve efficiency and transparency in forest management. International speakers demonstrated practical, data-driven applications, particularly for Pinus radiata and other Southern Hemisphere plantation species.

Key Technological Insights

In remote sensing and inventory, Masanori Onishi of DeepForest Technologies presented Revealing the True Value of Forests through Drone and AI Analysis, illustrating how commercial drone imagery can now support tree-level assessments, including species identification. DeepForest also reported major operational efficiencies, reducing analysis time for tens of hectares from 19 person-days to about four.

Albrecht von Ruffer of SKYLAB highlighted the importance of specialised, customisable AI models for forest health assessment, timber inventory, and carbon monitoring. SKYLAB’s #forestAi toolbox now supports counting complex seedlings and harvest residues, performing change detection, and generating 3D models for carbon and volume estimation.

Real-time monitoring and connectivity also featured prominently. Esthevan Gasparoto of Treevia introduced The Digital Forest, demonstrating internationally deployed IoT, AI, and Big Data technologies that track forest growth and carbon sequestration online. David Bruce and Andrew Holdaway presented Dwell, a cloud-based forest health surveillance system that combines satellite imagery (including Sentinel-2) and AI to monitor landscape change and detect disturbances in softwood plantations.

Operational Efficiencies and Precision Silviculture

Several presentations focused on improving operational performance. Ian Wilton and Chris Auchlin of FORCO reported on trials of a Nordic Forestry Automation (NFA) retrofit system that equips harvesting machines with LiDAR-based, real-time forest information. The system provides centimetre-accurate tree positions and DBH measurements, supporting mechanised thinning and helping ensure stem/ha targets are met.

In tree-stock management, Chris Campbell and Anthony Ham of Integral showcased PlantIT, a mobile platform using QR-based traceability and real-time GPS to track seedlings from nursery to planting site, providing a full digital audit trail and strengthening biosecurity. Interpine’s David Herries presented TreeTools.ai, combining cloud-based LiDAR processing (SilvaCloud) with field inventory tools such as VirtualPlot.

Human factors in technology adoption were also a central theme. Brionny Hooper of the Bioeconomy Science Institute outlined practical lessons from workforce innovation programmes and the transition to mechanised systems such as the M-Planter.

Closing Reflections

Across both venues, ForestTECH 2025 underscored that digital transformation is now essential for competitiveness. Improved connectivity is emerging as the key enabler, while collaboration between forest owners, researchers, and technology providers remains critical for scaling innovation across the sector.

View the event website for further details

Source & image credit: FIEA