Nine Tips to Improve Your Everyday Forest Data Analysis

Forestry data are complex-they are collected across long time periods, at different resolutions, and include multiple types and sources. Forestry professionals are increasingly relying on new technologies to make informed decisions using these data. This article describes nine practices that forestry professionals and their organizations can take to improve their everyday forest data analysis. By integrating these practices into their work, forestry professionals can sharpen their data management and analytical skills and contribute to more effective decisions made by their organizations. Study Implications: Forestry professionals contribute to the collection and analysis of data, but less training is provided to them in managing, organizing, and communicating data. A considerable amount of time is spent organizing and restructuring data in forestry, but these actions do not lead to immediate results that can inform decisions. Creating a workplace culture where data are high-quality and trustworthy can assist forestry professionals in using their analytical skills to address problems in areas such as forestland acquisition, carbon sequestration, and ecosystem services. If data are going to continue to drive forest management and policy decisions at the stand, landscape, or national scale, then data analysis skills need to be valued by foresters and the organizations for which they work.