“DEViR”: A Software for Determining and Visualizing Optimal Tree Felling Direction in Three-Dimensional Terrain

Felling trees, which is the basis of forestry activities, dangerous and difficult work that needs to be performed carefully. These activities can affect forest workers’ safety, damage remaining forest, or reduce value extracted product. Most accidents injuries in operations occur due trees not falling desired direction. Directional mistakes tree felling processes underestimating criteria negatively process, may increase on In terms life safety property quality, only direction but also safe escape route for crew should determined during felling. If these issues are ignored incomplete information carelessness, they cause serious problems. However, improved through training programs. The primary purpose this study was develop a tool, called “DEViR”, assist loggers determination visualization optimal "DEViR" software specifically designed determine ideal direction, as well crew, zone according rule two 3D virtual environment. sample application run considering artificially placed area located city Erzurum Turkey. findings indicated use computer-aided simulation systems provide solutions with high accuracy details cannot done by logger’s decision. results Digital Elevation Model (DEM) orthomosaic resolution increases, perform more realistic modeling accurate calculations, computation time hardware requirement increasing data size. Also, it found good tool presents visual material, animates process interactively, reflects result every decision user. Thus, has great potentials performance daily operations.