The project

Main goal

The core objective of Sintetic is to set up and demonstrate a traceability system for trees, logs and boards based on ICT. The solution must be reliable, highly precise, and cost-effective. To achieve these expectations, it will be based on a set of hardware and applications designed to generate a unique ID physically attached to each item and digitally transmitted to a central Geodatabase. The latter will relate each ID to the data produced along the supply chain, with the unprecedented capacity to span from the forest inventory to the final sawnwood products. It will allow to relate yield and quality output of any process in the value chain with all the previous steps, including historical climatic data, silvicultural treatments, and forest stand descriptors.
Log dump with several piles of logs and a forest in the background
Specific goals
  1. To achieve a higher value recovery of timber assortments from the existing forest resources
  2. To increase the overall efficiency of the timber supply chain
  3. To provide a greater competitive advantage of the EU forest industry
  4. To increase of the EU forested area under active management
  5. To increase both the timber value, the resilience and the ecosystem services provided
  6. To tackle illegal logging and the related timber trade
  7. To facilitate a homogeneous and widespread uptake of the digital technologies in the forestry sector

Expected results

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RESULT

Entire value chain traceability system for forest products (mechanical and manual)

APPLICATION

The traceability system, based on physical marking of roundwood (single logs) and deployed with a simplified data platform allows stock management, product invoicing and enables a highly precise certification of forest products, including georeferencing of origin.

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RESULT

Identification and traceability system for sawn wood

APPLICATION

This system when deployed within the primary processing industry allows:

  • Accurate traceability of resources along all log transformation steps
  • Link the final product (such as long-lasting structural components) to the unique tree standing in the forest
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RESULT

On-board LiDAR scanning for value recovery optimization and forest inventory

APPLICATION

The elaboration LiDAR data can provide two independent services:

  • Real-time optimization of value recovery during tree harvesting
  • Elaborate a detailed post-harvest forest inventory
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RESULT

Smartphone APP for forest inventory and timber measure

APPLICATION

It can be deployed in two different stages of the forest value chain:

  • Inventory of forests for value assessment
  • Measure of produced timber during manual harvesting
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RESULT

Illegal logging satellite detection

APPLICATION

Early warning solution for the detection of forest cover changes based on free Copernicus data. Applicable to control illegal logging but also to monitor natural hazards (e.g. wildfire or gales )
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RESULT

Forest ownership aggregation platform

APPLICATION

Integrated platform inside the SINTETIC one to enhance and facilitate fragmented forests inventories, planning and management

Advisory Board

Dick Sandberg

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Timber X-ray scanning, tomography analysis and sawmill transformation

Professor of Wood Science and Engineering at Luleå University of Technology

Dr. Dick Sandberg has been serving as Chaired Professor of Wood Science and Engineering at Luleå University of Technology since 2013. Obtained the PhD in Wood Technology and Processing at KTH in 1999. Dr. Sandberg has actively contributed to numerous wood research projects and lectured at various universities and research centers. In-between them he has held technical and managerial roles in several wood-based companies and sawmills.

Dominik Röser

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Timber supply chains, forest operations and precision forestry

Program Director, Forest Resources Management & Forest Operations Programs; Associate Professor University of British Columbia

Dr. Dominik Roeser is currently holding the position of Associate Dean for Research Forests and Community Engagement, as well as serving as an Associate Professor of Forest Operations at the University of British Columbia. With over 22 years of dedicated experience in forest research and innovation, Dr. Roeser has become a leading expert in supply chain design and technology transfer of forest and biomass operations. At the University of British Columbia, he leads a dynamic research program, focused on developing sustainable solutions that contribute to the evolution of the bioeconomy. His collaborative efforts extend across continents, as he has worked closely with diverse partners in both Europe and Canada, fostering innovation and advancing the field. In recognition of his expertise, Dr. Roeser was honored with a nomination to the External Review Panel of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) in 2022.

Esther Merlo Sánchez

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Nondestructive testing of wood and quality evaluation (log and standing forests)

Director R+D+I department, Madera Plus Calidad Forestal S.L.

Esther Merlo holds a PhD in Forestry Engineering, specializing in non-destructive techniques for predicting the technological properties of wood. Esther gained valuable experience through research stays at Forest Research in New Zealand and the University of Campinas in Brazil.

Between 1995 and 2006, Esther worked at the Lourizán Forestry and Environmental Research Center in the department of Forest Genetic Improvement, actively participating in and contributing to RDI projects.

From 2007 to 2011, she served at CIS MADEIRA (Center for Innovation and Technological Services of Wood of Galicia).

Since 2012, Esther has been the founder and Company Director of the R+D+I department at Madera Plus Calidad Forestal S.L. (www.maderaplus.es)

Masahiko Nakazawa

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Sensors for the optimization of timber value chains

Researcher at the Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute (FFPRI) and chief of its Harvest system Laboratory

2005, Nagoya University, Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Department of Forest and Environmental Resources Sciences, PhD (Agriculture) 2005-2006, researcher, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology 2006-2010, researcher, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Department of Forest Engineering 2011-2017, senior researcher, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Department of Forest Engineering 2018-, chief of laboratory, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Department of Forest Engineering

Sanna Kaasalainen 

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Optical sensors, GNSS, positioning, situational awareness, LiDAR, environmental monitoring

Director of the Navigation and Positioning department at Finnish Geospatial Research Institute (FGI)

Sanna Kaasalainen is a professor and head of the department of Navigation and positioning at the Finnish Geospatial Research Institute of the National Land Survey of Finland. She has a long research experience in GNSS, positioning, situational awareness, and optical sensing of the environment.

She represents Finland in the European Space Agency’s Program Board for Navigation, and she is also an expert member of the Galileo-EGNOS Space Program Committee, as well as the Galileo next generation working group.