Northeastern Research StationSouthern Research Station

The University of Georgia Artificial Intelligence Center

An Intelligent Information System for Forest Management

NED/FVS Integration

Northeastern Research StationSouthern Research Station

The University of Georgia Artificial Intelligence Center

Credits

USDA Forest ServiceH. M. RauscherM. J. Twery, S. Thomasma,

P. Knopp

University of GeorgiaJ. Wang

W. D. PotterD. NuteF. Maier

Northeastern Research StationSouthern Research Station

The University of Georgia Artificial Intelligence Center

Presentation Overview

• Introduce NED

• NED Decision Process

• NED Software Architecture

• NED/FVS Integration

• Future Directions

Northeastern Research StationSouthern Research Station

The University of Georgia Artificial Intelligence Center

• NED is

a set of Decision-Support Tools

designed to provide analysis for integrated prescriptions

for managing forests for multiple values

up to a landscape scale.

NED: a set of tools forNatural Resource Decision Support

Northeastern Research StationSouthern Research Station

The University of Georgia Artificial Intelligence Center

1. Create the goals & measurement criteria

2. Inventory & current condition analysis

3. Design alternative courses of action

4. Forecast the future through simulation

5. Assign values to the measurement criteria

6. Evaluate how well goals have been met

7. If not satisfactory, go back to step 1

The NED Decision Process

Northeastern Research StationSouthern Research Station

The University of Georgia Artificial Intelligence Center

Northeastern Research StationSouthern Research Station

The University of Georgia Artificial Intelligence Center

1. Create the goals & measurement criteria

2. Inventory & current condition analysis

3. Design alternative courses of action

4. Forecast the future through simulation

5. Assign values to the measurement criteria

6. Evaluate how well goals have been met

7. If not satisfactory, go back to step 1

The NED Decision Process

7

11

1

18

9

10

1221

34

13

14

8

31

2

3

4

35

19

24

6

29

15

17

20

5

16

33

26

23

32

22

3025

27

7

7

7

7

26

26

24

24

24

24

22

28

28

34

18

19

18

12

Pond

Open

Housesites

Foodplots

Pasture

Xmastrees

Secondary Paved Road

Woods Roads

Stands

Map Legend

0.7 0 0.7 1.4 Miles

N

EW

S

Northeastern Research StationSouthern Research Station

The University of Georgia Artificial Intelligence Center

Inventory

• Management Unit

• Stands

• Plots

• Overstory Observations

• Understory Observations

• Ground Observations

Northeastern Research StationSouthern Research Station

The University of Georgia Artificial Intelligence Center

1. Create the goals & measurement criteria

2. Inventory & current condition analysis

3. Design alternative courses of action

4. Forecast the future through simulation

5. Assign values to the measurement criteria

6. Evaluate how well goals have been met

7. If not satisfactory, go back to step 1

The NED Decision Process

Pond

Pine

Hardwood

Field/Open

Christmas Tree

Housesite

Pasture

Park-Like Hardwood

Large Pine

Pine-Hardwood

Map Legend

Northeastern Research StationSouthern Research Station

The University of Georgia Artificial Intelligence Center

1. Create the goals & measurement criteria

2. Inventory & current condition analysis

3. Design alternative courses of action

4. Forecast the future through simulation

5. Assign values to the measurement criteria

6. Evaluate how well goals have been met

7. If not satisfactory, go back to step 1

The NED Decision Process

Northeastern Research StationSouthern Research Station

The University of Georgia Artificial Intelligence Center

1. Create the goals & measurement criteria

2. Inventory & current condition analysis

3. Design alternative courses of action

4. Forecast the future through simulation

5. Assign values to the measurement criteria

6. Evaluate how well goals have been met

7. If not satisfactory, go back to step 1

The NED Decision Process

Northeastern Research StationSouthern Research Station

The University of Georgia Artificial Intelligence Center

Northeastern Research StationSouthern Research Station

The University of Georgia Artificial Intelligence Center

1. Create the goals & measurement criteria

2. Inventory & current condition analysis

3. Design alternative courses of action

4. Forecast the future through simulation

5. Assign values to the measurement criteria

6. Evaluate how well goals have been met

7. If not satisfactory, go back to step 1

The NED Decision Process

Northeastern Research StationSouthern Research Station

The University of Georgia Artificial Intelligence Center

1. Create the goals & measurement criteria

2. Inventory & current condition analysis

3. Design alternative courses of action

4. Forecast the future through simulation

5. Assign values to the measurement criteria

6. Evaluate how well goals have been met

7. If not satisfactory, go back to step 1

The NED Decision Process

Northeastern Research StationSouthern Research Station

The University of Georgia Artificial Intelligence Center

NED Software Architecture

Intelligent Information System for decision support, featuring the unification of:

• Knowledge Base• Database• Model Base

Northeastern Research StationSouthern Research Station

The University of Georgia Artificial Intelligence Center

NED Software Architecture

• Blackboard System

• Semi-Autonomous Prolog Agents

• MS Access Data Storage

• Graphical Interface in C++

• Distributed Processing Capabilities (DCOM)

Blackboard

PrologClauses

MS AccessDatabases

AGENTS

Inference EnginesKnowledge Models

Meta-knowledge

Temporary Data Files

Simulators

GIS

Visual Models

HTML Report

s

Interface Modules Control Flow

Information Flow

NED Software Architecture

Northeastern Research StationSouthern Research Station

The University of Georgia Artificial Intelligence Center

NED/FVS Integration

FVS:

• One of the Model components in NED

• Controlled by Intelligent Agent

• Simulates User’s Treatment Plan

Northeastern Research StationSouthern Research Station

The University of Georgia Artificial Intelligence Center

NED/FVS Integration

FVS Agent uses metadata to:

• Pick or recommend FVS variant (NE/SN)

• Create keyword and stand files from NED (MS Access) data

• Run FVS (locally or remotely)

• Convert FVS results to NED format

FVS AGENT

Blackboard

FVS

Control Flow

Information Flow

NED/FVS Integration

Plan Screen Shot

Treatment Screen Shot

Northeastern Research StationSouthern Research Station

The University of Georgia Artificial Intelligence Center

NED/FVS Integration

The Payoff:

• Transparent use of FVS

• Creates keyword file based on NED treatment plan

Northeastern Research StationSouthern Research Station

The University of Georgia Artificial Intelligence Center

Future Directions

• FVS: One of many simulators used in NED• Coming Soon

– SVS– Silvah – Landscape visualization

• Automatic Data Source Registration• Intelligent Processing of High Level

Queries

Northeastern Research StationSouthern Research Station

The University of Georgia Artificial Intelligence Center

http://www.fs.fed.us/ne/burlington/ned/

Further Information