Our core services include

• Forest Valuation and Investment,

• Resource Assessment,

• Forest Management Planning and Forecasting,

• Strategy and Sustainability and

• Operations and Technology solutions.

Silvalytics has an alliance with Remsoft THAT offerS European clients greater access to its world renowned optimisation solutions. READ MORE HERE.

CHECK OUT THIS CASE STUDY OF REMSOFT AT COILLTE, IRELAND'S STATE FORESTRY COMPANY: COILLTE CASE STUDY (PDF).

FOREST ASSET VALUATION

Forestry is a long-term undertaking and looking to the future is necessary in all aspects of forest management. Valuations require detailed predictions of future wood flows and cash flows and these, in turn, rely on information about the current crop, growth predictions and many other inputs.

Forest valuations may be required for a number of purposes: financial statement asset reporting, merger and acquisition activities, debt security, probate, insurance, or taxation apportionment.

DUE DILIGENCE

Silvalytics expertise allows a truly independent and objective assessment of value and the identification of its key drivers. Our valuations are highly structured and easily repeated, greatly aiding in ongoing compliance and audit applications.

Silvalytics conducts asset valuations according to recognised standards, using recommended approaches. We routinely employ sophisticated forest estate modelling techniques in our valuations.

FOREST INVESTMENT ADVICE

Silvalytics assists clients to develop forest investment strategies based on their specific requirements. We help financial investors in assessing timberland investment opportunities in Ireland and the UK.

COILLTE CASE STUDY

Click here for a case study of Coillte's implementation of mathematical optimization in forest planning.'Connecting the Boardroom with the Forest Floor'

Forest management planning

Forestry is a long term asset, with timber and associated values accumulating slowly. With slow growth brings a certain lack of responsiveness; an incorrectly timed or specified thinning can damage the future of a forest and can takes years to put right. At the age of potential clearfell we need to know that the crop is ready for market, but how much growth and value would be put on if we waited another year? Does that increase beat the cost of capital? What are the interactions between our wood production and other objectives, such as landscape sensitivity and environmental protection?

At Silvalytics we can help your decision making all the way from stand to estate level and give you greatly enhanced visibility on the consequences of choices you make. Read more about our estate modelling approach here.

Forecasting

Prediction of future forest output is vital from a valuation perspective. In many cases we can alter management prescriptions to meet specific owner or investor objectives, thereby directly determining future timber flows. In other cases, such as when forecasting potential outputs at a sectoral level we apply rules and simulation modelling to best predict the likely future timber flows.

In either scenario, Silvalytics can provide this service, and the outputs used to drive processing or contractor infrastructure planning, wood mobilisation efforts, national or owner-level carbon accounting. We often use mathematical optimisation tools and estate modelling techniques to compile these forecasts.

Tactical and operational planning

In modern forest management wood processing capabilities, timber product prices, storm damage, competitor behaviour and regulatory impacts are constantly changing the business landscape. The ready reckoners that applied in past years are no longer appropriate.

At Silvalytics we guide organisations to add value in their current operating environment using estate modelling software. By applying formal but user friendly systems and structures strategy can become a reality. We implement 'state of the art' tactical and operational planning tools to support our clients and their planners.

Strategy

Timber and non-timber products are more in demand than ever. Having weathered the recession, global consumption of forest products rose again in 2014 (UNECE/FAO Forest Products Annual Market Review, 2014-2015) while 30 % of annual global anthropogenic CO2 emissions are absorbed by forests (FAO 2006, Pan et al. 2011).

Across any landholding however, it is a mixture of complimentary uses that often yields the highest sustainable value for the whole, and will often mean a balance is achieved across economic, social and environmental factors.

At Silvalytics we have the analytical expertise to objectively assess the potential of clients' land for multiple uses and help find that optimum balance. We can facilitate evidence-based discussions on these and other strategic issues with policy makers, owners and investors.

Sustainable forest management Certification

Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) are two certification schemes in wide use. Each requires a balancing of the three pillars of social, environmental and economic sustainability.

At Silvalytics we guide our clients to achieve that balance in a way that is true to the goals of each owner or organisation. Since 2001 our staff have direct experience of the certification process and audits at both strategic and site level.

Where clients serve strong timber demand and need to demonstrate their harvest sustainability our evidence-based approach can establish the facts and thereby support certification.

Environment

Forest projects, plans or programmes each attract their own level of scrutiny from a regulatory point of view. Activities that may impact areas designated under the EU Habitats Directive additional safeguards apply such as Screening for Appropriate Assessment and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).

Broad scale plans or programmes may also involve the preparation of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). Silvalytics staff are fully qualified in the production of the statements arising from this legislation and have access to the expertise necessary to address each of the potential receptors.

Technology is a key enabler in forestry and its use is accelerating. At Silvalytics we aid our clients identify and deploy an appropriate mix of sufficiently mature technologies that delivers tangible results.

Examples of the areas we cover include:

Airborne liDAR

The application of airborne LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) in forestry marks a true paradigm shift in forest resource assessment. Information outputs are comparable with conventional ground inventory but costs can be drammatically reduced. 'Wall-to-wall' maps of tree height and other statistics are also produced, allowing a precise and accurate estimate of the forest resources being assessed, whether that be for planning purposes or in a due diligence situation.

Silvalytics is now bringing LiDAR into the mainstream for forest managers in the UK and Ireland. Bluesky (who provided the LiDAR derived image shown above) is a specialist in aerial data acqusition.

Ireland's state forest company, Coillte, have run a very successful annual LiDAR programme with since 2011 and see significant benefits.

LiDAR introduction

We find this video from the US National Ecological Observatory Network a useful introduction to the world of Airborne LiDAR.

LiDAR Products and services WE OFFER

Basic Products:

• Digital Terrain Model which is useful for harvest and roading planning. Minimise road construction costs by knowing the terrain to be crossed in high precision; know where water courses or areas of high water table are and how they should be managed; assess working slopes and hazards.

• Canopy Height Model which is simply a map showing the height of the forest canopy over the whole land parcel. Re-assess Yield Class to ensure the crop is being managed to its full potential and is valued correctly and re-map sub-compartments accordingly; identify areas that need re-planting or fertilisation.

Forest inventory:

• To us, LiDAR is worthwhile in forestry when it yields information that is comparable to conventional plot-based forest inventory

• It is produced by combining technqiues developed by Arbonaut since 1994 with airborne LiDAR data and matching ground sample points

• Outputs include

  • Mean DBH

  • Basal area per hectare

  • Volume per hectare

  • Stems per hectare

focussed planning and delivery

Silvalytics will work with clients to ensure data acquisition meets their needs and the full potential of acquired LiDAR is realised and understood by the end user. Outputs are in table or GIS format, depending on the product, and can be viewed on any GIS platform of choice and can sit side-by-side with conventional or other sources of forest inventory information.

Contact us at info@silvalytics.com or phone to discuss your requirements.