Digitization and remote sensing in the Saxony State Forestry Enterprise; [Digitalisierung und Fernerkundung im Staatsbetrieb Sachsenforst]

Abstract

Digitalization and remote sensing are changing the way forest resources can be observed, documented, and managed. The experience of the Saxony State Forestry Enterprise illustrates how digital methods can support forestry operations by providing more structured and detailed information about forests and their condition. Remote sensing technologies can collect information over large areas and make it possible to monitor vegetation, forest structure, and changes over time. When these observations are combined with geographic information systems and other digital datasets, forestry organizations can create a more comprehensive basis for planning and decision-making. Digital workflows can also improve the availability of information between field operations, analysis, and administrative processes. The article highlights the importance of integrating different sources of geospatial information rather than relying on isolated datasets. Such integration can support forest inventory, monitoring, resource management, and responses to environmental changes. The use of remote sensing is particularly valuable where large forest areas make frequent ground-based observation difficult. Digitalization can therefore contribute to more efficient workflows while improving the consistency and accessibility of forest information. The Saxony example demonstrates how established forestry practices can be strengthened through modern geospatial technologies and data-driven methods. For forestry organizations, the long-term value of digitalization also depends on maintaining consistent data and ensuring that information remains accessible across different operational stages. Continued development of digital skills, data standards, and remote-sensing workflows can help turn individual technology projects into sustainable information systems for forest management.