woodland owners and estates

digital mapping and gis services

The benefits of digital mapping have been slow to reach land owners and their managers. I think this is because new technologies take time to become adopted when the benefits are not obvious or well-promoted. Furthermore, the software is often poorly documented and the interface overly complex, thus a steep learning curve must be negotiated in order to reach even a basic level of competency.

However, digital mapping is inescapably a fact of woodland and land management life: regulatory agencies are increasingly likely to reject felling licence applications without one, those who seek support from the Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP) for their projects won’t get far with paper maps any longer, and even owners of quiescent FSC and PEFC woodlands must now produce a digital record of the certified area to address the new Motion 61 requirement. Furthermore, RPID's guidance now states clearly that agricultural businesses must keep accurate and up-to-date land records and comply with their modern mapping standards. This is difficult to achieve using traditional methods.

I am able to quickly produce digital maps that address all the above requirements at a fair cost and quick turnaround. I will respond to your enquiry promptly and offer my best advice in respect of your requirements, supported by a written estimate that confirms the service I will provide and the likely charge for it. In this manner, I aim to provide enough information for you to decide whether to engage me and take the matter forward.

For those that find themselves in any of the above-described situations, the benefits of an accurate digital map is likely quite clear. There are many other use-cases too, including the following:

• A digital compartment record for a woodland that contains crop data for planning purposes is an extremely useful planning tool that will benefit owners of woodlands both large and small.

• Recent developments in mobile data capture have resulted in accurate, low cost (often free) mapping tools becoming available for most mobile devices. Even a few years ago this functionality would cost several hundred Pounds, yet it is now available for the most basic phone, with the only cost being a relatively small investment of time (and some patience!) to learn the ropes. Where clients are interested in learning to use such software - which is considerably less complex than the desktop computer versions - they are able to view, follow and interpret my maps when out on their property, all the while seeing their movements projected on the map by means of the the phone’s built in GPS.

• Beyond the forest environment, the digital mapping process provides a modern management tool for a farm, estate, croft, common grazing or other land-holding. Its provides accurate measurements (i.e. lengths and areas) and it assists with the planning, costing, and implementation of everyday operations such as setting-out, the production of data for your Single Farm Payment, the establishment of shelterbelts, building access tracks, greening, bracken treatments, boundary checks, crop rotation, peatland restoration projects, cultivation records and so on.

• Landowners wishing to independently develop renewable energy projects will find that an accurate digital map is essential and useful during most stages of planning and implementation.

• With very little extra work, my data can be readily adapted to other uses, such as in the production of fire, pollution and emergency response plans.

• An accurate record of a land holding is useful when collaborating with deer management groups, statutory agencies and neighbours.

There are many other ways in which my digital mapping service can assist landowners and land managers, so please use the details and the contact form here to let me know of your specific requirements or questions. Alternatively, follow the links below for some further suggestions as to how I might help.