Success Story: Forest Growers and Integral Ltd
Integral Limited and Forest Growers Research Collaborate to Develop:
At Integral, we are thrilled to announce our collaboration with Forest Growers Research to create PlantIT, an innovative application designed to transform the forestry and nursery industry.
Co-funded by Forest Growers Research, PlantIT is a key component of the Precision Silviculture Programme, which aims to transform tree production in forest nurseries and forest management practices.
The Precision Silviculture Programme Leverages advances in mechanisation, automation, and digital technologies to create more efficient, sustainable, and productive forest management systems. By integrating these innovative technologies, the programme seeks to optimise tree production and management, helping the industry meet the growing demands for sustainability and efficiency.
Working alongside Forest Growers Research on this project has been an exciting opportunity for us at Integral. We are proud to contribute to the development of PlantIT, a tool that will support the rapidly growing nursery industry and foster the adoption of more precise, data-driven practices in forestry.
We spoke to Claire Stewart, the Programme Manager at Forest Growers Research, to get her insights on collaborating with us.
Below, you will find her responses to a few questions about Forest Growers Research’s experience working together.
What does Forest Growers Research do?
Forest Growers Research (FGR) leads almost $20 million dollars’ worth of forestry research on behalf of the industry, spanning the value chain from genetics to wood processing, driving sustainable and profitable forestry through innovation.
Their goal is to improve forest values, safety, environmental standards, and deliver unmatched value to growers and the community.
FGR is owned by the New Zealand Forest Owners Association (FOA) and works closely with industry representatives and research providers to identify and prioritize research needs.
This collaboration ensures that research programs align with industry priorities and contribute to the sustainable development of New Zealand’s forests.
Why do you believe PlantIT will help the forest industry?
Nurseries in the forestry industry have faced challenges with paper-based systems and costly issues such as lost nursery boxes. As part of the Precision Silviculture Programme (one of the multi-year programmes managed by FGR), funding was allocated to address this by driving the digital transformation of nurseries.
From this, in the development of PlantIT, further areas of benefit from digitalisation were quickly identified to include tree traceability, biosecurity, quality control, and real-time tracking.
By digitalising the entire process, it now offers real-time location tracking and enhanced management of tree stocks, ensuring better oversight, reducing errors, and improving operational efficiency from the nursery to the forest.
This transition from paper-based systems to a digital platform has not only improved traceability but also enhanced the overall management and security of tree stock, addressing sustainability challenges in the industry.
Working with Integral
What made you decide to work with Integral?
Integral was chosen for this project due to their track record and experience in delivering forestry technology projects.
Their proximity facilitated collaboration, and they had existing technology that could be leveraged to develop PlantIT.
They recognized the market opportunity and were prepared to co-invest in the solution.
How was your overall experience working with Integral?
Chris, James, and the team at Integral have been collaborative partners on this project.
Their commitment to creating a quality product has involved extensive testing with end users to ensure robustness and usability.
The team has also engaged with the industry by attending conferences and events to enhance their knowledge and networks related to the application.
Additionally, they have considered aspects beyond their control, such as QR code printing, identifying dependable printing companies, and selecting the best products for durable solutions in the industry.
They have dedicated a huge amount of their own time to this project, and it has felt like a true collaboration.
From your view, how does PlantIT help address the industry’s challenges?
One of the initial primary challenges to address was allowing nurseries to track and retrieve their planting boxes, resulting in significant cost savings. This need was met through the development of the solution.
During the process of testing and development, it became evident that there were additional areas of value the app was also providing, which had value to a broader subset of users. These included recording time stamps for stock delivery, reducing ambiguity between nursery and forest managers about when stock arrived.
The ability to carry additional information, such as genetic data which could add greater traceability and biosecurity. Tracking when stock was planted by the crew, and logging issues related to poor stock quality.
Consequently, it became apparent that the app’s benefits extended beyond nurseries to also include forest managers.
The Integral team has worked hard on adding value features such as the ability to trace a delivery geospatially through the dashboard interface and integration with their Geomaster product.
They have also really considered the product, ensuring it is as seamless as possible in the hands of the users. This meant they significantly upgraded the QR scanning functionality to make sure it could easily scan multiple boxes in one swipe.
