A database framework of digital forestry towards sustainable forestry development in China

Six forestry scientific and technological projects being actualized in China were the implementations of ecological construction and security, development of forestry biological technique and fine variety cultivation, protection and utilization of forest biological germplasm resources, development of forestry bio-industry and digital forestry, and construction of forestry innovation ability. Among them, digital forestry was an effective measure to improve the ability of forestry innovation, to realize resources sharing, and to develop sustainable forestry. Spatial database of digital forestry should be constructed according to the criteria and index system of forest sustainable management. Based on analyzing the status and advances of China’s digital forestry construction, a database framework of digital forestry towards sustainable forestry development was studied and established preparatorily. The database was divided into four layers as theory layer, system layer, status layer, and parameter layer. It was concluded that during the process of digital forestry platform construction, the relative social, economic, and politic data should be considered and collected, which meant that the database should represent not only the current forestry development, but also the social, politic, and economic situations. Constructing China’s digital forestry information platform under full utilization of idea and index system for sustainable forest management was urgent and important.