For decades forestry crews have walked through forests with paint cans, marking individual trees by hand to indicate which ones should be removed during thinning operations. It’s part of a long-standing effort to manage wildfire risk and promote healthy growth in overstocked woodlands. But now, that time-consuming and expensive method is being replaced by a more efficient solution: digital tree marking.
Challenge with Traditional Tree Marking
Manual tree marking involves silviculturists prescribing which trees should remain or be removed based on forest health objectives. Foresters then physically mark trees, typically with paint, to guide logging crews. While this system has been in use for decades and is relatively straightforward, it has drawbacks. It is slow, labor-intensive, and costly, particularly when applied across thousands of acres of national forest land in preparation for thinning projects.
As wildfire risks increase, especially in dry, overstocked forests like the ponderosa pine ecosystems of northern Arizona, there is mounting pressure to treat more acres in less time. Forest management teams have sought ways to accelerate this process without compromising the integrity of forest prescriptions. This need has driven innovation, particularly through the adoption of digital tree marking technologies.
The Digital Approach
Digital tree marking replaces paint with tablet-based geographic information systems (GIS). Using high-resolution imagery and field-based mapping apps, foresters and contractors can view the forest layout, visualize proposed thinning outcomes, and mark trees or forest zones directly on a digital map. The result is a data-driven approach that enhances planning and decision-making in the field or even from the office.
This system was tested on a demonstration project in Arizona’s Coconino National Forest. By applying digital prescription methods across a 410-acre treatment area, forest managers were able to quantify the benefits: operations using digital tools were five times faster and ten times less expensive than traditional methods. These efficiencies were achieved without sacrificing ecological goals or operational accuracy.
Increased Productivity with Lower Costs
The adoption of digital tree marking methods has enabled districts like Flagstaff to significantly scale up their forest thinning programs. For example, while the Flagstaff Ranger District had previously prepped 5,000 acres annually, digital methods are helping it pursue a new goal of 15,000 acres per year. This expansion is vital in the face of increasingly frequent wildfires.
Digital systems reduce preparation costs by minimizing labor hours and eliminating the need for large teams walking the land. In addition, logging crews gain more flexibility. Rather than following fixed paint marks, operators can use digital maps to interpret forest prescriptions in real time, adjusting cutting routes and equipment movements to optimize efficiency while still following ecological guidelines.
Operator Flexibility and Terrain Adaptability
Logging operators have noted that digital prescriptions allow for greater responsiveness to terrain and operational needs. Where painted trees impose rigid routes and decisions, digital guidance empowers experienced loggers to work more efficiently, particularly in variable landscapes. This adaptability can result in faster, cleaner harvests with fewer complications in the field.
In practice, digital tree marking does not replace forest professionals but enhances their capabilities. Prescription development, oversight, and post-harvest evaluation still rely on the expertise of silviculturists and forest managers. However, the integration of tablets, digital imagery, and remote planning tools has streamlined these processes considerably.
Expanding Use and Industry Engagement
Digital tree marking is now being used across several national forests involved in large-scale restoration projects, including the Apache-Sitgreaves, Kaibab, and Tonto forests. These digital prescriptions are not mandatory, but resources like LiDAR mapping, tablets, and technical support are available to contractors interested in adopting the new tools. In many cases, the tools are being embraced as a way to reduce project timelines and improve workflow.
The implications extend beyond government efficiency. By accelerating the preparation of timber sales, forests can support more local logging contracts, maintain a stronger forestry industry, and achieve ecological goals faster. In turn, communities near fire-prone forests may benefit from improved safety and reduced risk of catastrophic wildfire events.
Charting a Smarter Path for Forest Management
Digital tree marking is helping modernize forest thinning operations by reducing cost, increasing efficiency, and enabling greater adaptability in the field. As wildfire threats rise and the urgency for large-scale forest treatment grows, these innovative methods offer land managers a practical path forward to healthier, more resilient forests.