Open-Source tools in R for forestry and forest ecology

Forestry and forest ecology research potentially lags behind related fields such as ecology, biodiversity, conservation in the employment of open-source software solutions, specifically R programming language. A direct comparison last decade published literature from top 20 forestry journals shows that is utilized over 30% for yet less than 10% literature. Open-source computing environments, R, Python, Julia, increase visibility reproducibility scientific foster collaborations through removal proprietary restrictions. The lag adoption could be hindering collaboration, data sharing, reproducibility. Here we survey available packages language with specific utility forest-related research. We found more 100 which systematically categorized by category: community analysis; dendrochronology; mensuration inventory; hydrology; informatics/IoT; modeling; phenology; remote sensing. present worked examples a subgroup each category to demonstrate their potential utility. In these used sets our own selection. Additionally, collected this information into an metapackage, ForestAnalysisInR, Shiny-based solution allows users query have identified find those best suited analysis needs quick efficient way.