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Zulhairy Bin Zakaria / Jurnal Teknologi (Sciences & Engineering)

Jurnal
Teknologi
GIS

SYSTEM

Full Paper

FOR

GOVERNMENT

FORESTRY DEPARTMENT
Zulhairy Bin Zakaria,
B.Sc of Geoinformatic,
Faculty of Geoinformation and Real Estate, UTM,
Skudai, Johor, Malaysia

Article history
Received
12 September 2015
Received in revised
form
13 September 2015
Accepted
13 September 2015
*Corresponding author
Hairy_mzack@yahoo.co
m

Abstract
As a time move, GIS technology has been developed and have been applied in solving
various complex issues facing the world. This technology is used effectively in areas such as urban
planning, defence, natural resource management and land and environmental conservation.
Therefore, I believe that the use of GIS technology in forestry will bring more benefit to us. In this
article I describe what GIS system can be used for Forestry Department.

Keywords: GIS technology, solving, forestry, benefit

Abstrak
Sedang masa berlalu, teknologi GIS telah dibangunkan dan telah digunakan dalam menyelesaikan
pelbagai isu yang kompleks yang dihadapi dunia. Teknologi ini digunakan secara berkesan dalam
bidang-bidang seperti perancangan bandar, pertahanan, pengurusan sumber asli dan pemuliharaan
alam sekitar. Oleh itu, saya percaya bahawa penggunaan teknologi GIS dalam bidang perhutanan
akan membawa lebih banyak manfaat kepada kita. Dalam artikel ini saya menerangkan bagaimana
sistem GIS boleh digunakan untuk Jabatan Perhutanan.
Kata kunci: teknologi GIS, menyelesaikan, perhutanan, manfaat
2015 Penerbit UTM Press. All rights reserved

Zulhairy Bin Zakaria / Jurnal Teknologi (Sciences & Engineering)

1.0 Introduction
Forests are a valuable treasure to everyone on this earth no matter where we live. It play
an important role in maintaining the life of the universe. Forests are important not only as a
potential farmland but as a timber storage that can be exploited as a source of new biological
specimens and as habitat for a variety of flora and fauna.
Tropical rain forests cover only 12% of the total area of the world. Nevertheless it is a
natural habitat to almost 50% to 90% of species of plants, animals and insects that can be found
in the world. One hectare of tropical rainforest in Malaysia consists of more than 180 species of
trees. In Peninsular Malaysia, there are more than 8000 species of flowering plants, 200 species
of mammals, 600 species of birds, 115 species of snakes, 80 species of lizards and 100 insect
species have been recorded. In Sarawak, 70% of the area is covered by tropical rainforest. It
houses more than 8,000 species of flora and 20,000 species of fauna. Forests provide food
directly or indirectly to the animals that feed on fruits, seeds, buds of flowers, leaves and other
plant parts. In addition, it is also an ideal habitat for birds come during the winter.
Forest is a natural sanctuary for native people in remote areas of the forest. They can earn
their living through forestry resources since thousands of years ago. Their daily activities, is
highly dependent on the forest. They hunted not only for food but to get the clothes and shelter.
For example, Bidayuh ethnic groups in Sarawak. Forests are the source of their daily income.
Most forest products such as herbs, gum (resin), bird nest and yams collected by them for sale in
the urban market as an additional source of income for them. Therefore, indigenous tribes like
Batek in Hutan Simpanan Kuala Tahan, Taman Negara, still interact directly with forest heritage.
In Malaysia, we have forestry department under Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment
to take care of forest matter. Among their tasks is:
1. Advise the State Authority on all aspects relating to the administration and management
of forest resources to bring maximum benefits to the socio-economic development of the
country.
2. To manage the Permanent Forest Reserve perfectly in line with the concept of sustainable
forest management.
3. Implement development efforts, conservation and regeneration through silvicultural
practices so as to produce a perfect high forest of the reserve forest.
4. Controlling and coordinating licensing of all types of wood-based industries.
5. Implement policies and enforcement of forestry laws.

Zulhairy Bin Zakaria / Jurnal Teknologi (Sciences & Engineering)

2.0 GIS in Forestry

Through the images obtained from satellite remote sensing, it can be applied in
accordance with the diversity of specific use for the benefit of the country and the needs of
society. One example application is used to increase the yield of forestry after the data were
analyzed using geospatial methods. Application of remote sensing techniques in forestry is a
progress in the management and implementation of geospatial systems to preserve, increase
forestry output and reduce the related costs.
These could be done through a number of factors obtained through the use of the latest
technology. This includes monitoring the current situation of forest land conditions, details of the
data or information on the type of tree that are appropriate according to the fertility of the soil,
water systems, topography, landform, geographical information data (GIS), remote sensing
imagery (remote sensing) and management mechanisms.
The use of optical satellite in the field of agricultural applications is a technology that is
being actively pursued by large agricultural community in most developed countries. Malaysia is
among the countries in the process of developing geospatial applications for agriculture. Optical
satellites are assembled with high-definition cameras that can accept data of different
wavelengths, each of which agricultural plant species is unique in terms of the wavelength of the
energy reversal. This also can be use in forestry. The wavelength can be measured by clinical
observation in the area for farming
For further analysis of the process to ensure that the type of tree that are appropriate to
the structure of the terrain and soil, scientists will use a combination of the wave pattern data
obtained through observation by satellite cameras. Among the advantages of using optical
satellite images is the following:
1. Have a synoptic view (a comprehensive view) wide, saving cost and time.
2. Ability to perceive the image once every 3-4 days.
3. Image quality is stable.
In addition, the suitability of the optical probe also play an important role in the detection
of different information. Therefore, geospatial-based forestry management system is a robust
system that enables all the digital information obtained from suppliers of different images can be
processed and analyzed by image processing specialists and experts in the field of forestry.
Each forest land have different properties, therefore, management system can only be
assist in processing geospatial data and no decision can be interpreted without consideration of
expert specialists. Among the significant advantages of the system is the use of geospatial data
current (current data) developed by the GIS system. All relevant data can be matched, up to date,
through the process of improvement and stored digitally. Data acquisition time is the element
that determines the accuracy of the system. It is more effective if the data is the latest one.

Zulhairy Bin Zakaria / Jurnal Teknologi (Sciences & Engineering)

Aspects to be considered include land management, steel supply, drainage network is very
important to ensure that costs are controlled in order to maximize revenue.

3.0 Selection of GIS software system

In order to manage and operate the system, we need a few GIS software like ArcGIS,
Erdas and Oracle. ArcGIS is a product of the most current GIS software from ESRI. For some
GIS practitioners have that have been long in the mapping field consider that ArcGIS is better,
good, and equipped for all kinds of needs work GIS, even when compared with GIS software
from other vendors. It have online ArcGIS Data Catalog which contains thousands of spatial data
from around the world. These data are available ranging from weather data, forestry, marine,
climate and many others. This makes capability and the data that we will use will be more
powerful and the resulting analysis can be much deeper. When we make maps, statistics from the
data that we process and use conscious or not will be required for the purposes of analysis. The
statistics complicated calculations can be executed with a simple and easy by ArcGIS
Geostatistical. By using Network Analysis to calculate the closest distance and so on as well as
the model builder to make a model of spatial data calculation is very easy in ArcGIS. All the
tools and systems are superbly integrated and very stable.
License type ArcGIS for Desktop divided into two, Single Use and Concurrent Use. We
need concurrent use type. It is usually used in a single network. A computer or server will act as
host / administrator to control all use existing concurrent license. So, we need to install ArcGIS
License Manager on the host / server and any computer in the network can access the license and
use ArcGIS for Desktop. It also depends on the number of the existing license. If one license
only, so only one computer that can access the license at a time. The other computers will not be
able to access the license unless that user stop using ArcGIS for that Desktop. If two license, then
only two computers anywhere in the network can open / using ArcGIS for Desktop. Similarly, if
the next 3,4, 5 license and so on. Benefits of Concurrent Use License is the non-exclusive license
on one computer and at one time, the license can be used on any computer in the network
according to the number of license. Administrators can also control any computer in terms of
access license.
Second software is Erdas Imagine. It is one of the software that can be used to process
data or satellite imagery. Erdas Imagine can be run on a workstation with a computer operating
system UNIX and PCs (Personal Computers) with operating system Windows 95 upwards and
Windows NT.
Processing of image data is a way to manipulate data into an output in accordance with
what we expect. As a way of processing the image data itself through several stages, until it
becomes an expected output. The purpose of the image processing is to sharpen the geographic
data in digital form into a view that is more meaningful to the user, it can provide quantitative
information about an object, and can solve problems like detect the area of dying forest.

Zulhairy Bin Zakaria / Jurnal Teknologi (Sciences & Engineering)

4.0 Selection of hardware and infrastructure

Dell - XPS Desktop and monitor with 4th Gen Intel Core processors
Asus Zen AiO Pro Z240ICGK-GC068X 23.8" with Intel Core i7-6700T-2.8GHz
CD-Burner and Iomega Jazz drive for moving data and backup.
The projected life cycle of existing machines is approximately 3 years as from January 2016.

5.0 Budget or cost

The estimating cost to apply this GIS system in forestry department is involve:
Software with license
Hardware and infrastructure
GIS user training
GIS data

RM 1 000 000.00
RM500 000.00
RM100 000.00
RM500 000.00
total RM2 100 000.00

6.0 Benefit and limitation

The benefit of this system is that we can monitor and manage the forest more easy. Using
the information that we got from remote sensing satellite, after been analyzed, can be used in
helping of decision making. As example, from the processed data, we know there are forest fire.
So we can do some analyzed of area involve, how to put out fire and how to avoid it in future.
The limitation of this system is it need the latest data to be able to operate. The cost of
data is relatively expensive. This system also need to be operate by GIS expect. Even with the
best GIS software and hardware available, if the system does not have sufficient support staff, at
best the system will be inappropriately used or under-utilized, or at worse will quickly fail and
users of the results will be- come dissatisfied. It is not uncommon for GIS to fail and only
survive for the duration of the lifetime of the initial investment i.e. a one off purchase of hardware and software.
7.0 Conclusion
It is clear that the forest is an important element for establishing the characteristics of the
natural environment, providing basic needs to the life of animals and humans. Tropical forests
contain nearly half of the species of animals and plants in the world, including some of the many
genera and families that are not yet known. There are many examples of plants and animal
behavior that does not exist in temperate climate zones, including ecological and physiological

Zulhairy Bin Zakaria / Jurnal Teknologi (Sciences & Engineering)

relationship between specific plants, animals, microorganisms and the environment is found in
the tropical forests.
But the rapid development taking place have threatened the position and nature in the
wild. This has threatened the interests of the woods in terms of the local economy and world
trade. If deforestation continues to occur, two-thirds of the species in tropical rain forests will
become extinct before we managed to find it by 2025.
Hence, awareness should be created about the importance of forests. Regulation needs to
be done through the implementation of GIS, establishment of law and cooperation from all
parties in order to stem the continued destruction of forests and protect them as an important
heritage for future generations
Reference
1. Soon, F., & Greer, T. (2011, March 1). Planning and implementation of a Geographical
Information System for the Environmental Conservation Department, Sabah. Retrieved
December 12, 2015, from
http://ww2.sabah.gov.my/jpas/programs/ecdcab/background/GIScon140301.pdf
2. Kepentingan dan Kegunaan Hutan Hujan Tropika Di Malaysia. (n.d.). Retrieved
December 12, 2015, from http://lsan.kedah.gov.my/index.php/informasi/trivia/80kepentingan-dan-kegunaan-hutan-hujan-tropika-di-malaysia