PuMe — INTERACTIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT EMPLOYING THE PIPEQUAL MODEL FOR FOREST GROWTH AND WOOD QUALITY*

Process-based models have advanced to a level which enables their utilisation for evaluating forest management options, as well as their use in environmental education. To date, such applications are relatively rare, but they could be promoted by means of appropriate interactive and user-oriented interfaces for model simulation. The PuMe-software has been constructed as an interactive tool for forestry studies at secondary and university levels. The objective was to build an interactive and user-oriented interface for running a forest growth model with either user-designed or pre-determined inputs of forest management options such as stocking densities, thinning practices, site fertilities, and fertiliser application. The PipeQual model was chosen as the growth simulator because of its versatility in predicting traditional forestry characteristics, stem structure (stem shape, knot zones, heartwood, and sapwood), biomass, and carbon balance. * Based on a paper presented at IUFRO WP S5.01.04 Fifth Workshop on Wood Quality Modelling, 20–27 November 2005, Waiheke Island, New Zealand † Corresponding author: [email protected] Vanninen et al. — PuMe Interactive learning environment 281 The first version of PuMe is now in test-use in forestry education by universities and secondary schools, and by individual forest owners. However, it is applicable only to Pinus sylvestris L. (Scots pine) under a limited set of conditions. In an ongoing project, PuMe II, the software will be developed further by adding various new features: simulation of spruce growth, forest damage, fertiliser application, pruning, and more flexible thinning methods. Especially, a new module will be incorporated to allow for a more detailed visualisation of stem properties (growth rings, wood density, fibre properties).