Forestland Classification Using an Ecosystem Approach

This study focuses on using an ecosystem approach for forestland classification of the Liukuei Experimental Forest of Taiwan Forestry Research Institute. The content includes the delineation of ecosystem units using DTM, the development of a hierarchical ecosystem classification system using GIS and multivariate statistical analysis, the establishment of a forestland classification decision support system (DSS) and its application on site selection of a Taiwanese native species – Taiwania (Taiwania cryptomerioides). The results indicate that DTM is a fast, easy, feasible, and automatic approach for delineating ecosystem units of different spatial scales. The developed hierarchical ecosystem classification is a satisfactory scheme for Liukuei’s forestland classification because the developed scheme coincides with the terrain characteristics along a continuum. The established DSS can effectively and feasibly analyze forestland classification under different spatial scales. Meanwhile, the system can easily perform site selection for Taiwania. From the results, it is concluded that techniques such as DTM, GIS, and DSS are useful for forest managers in the reasonable planning of forestland classification and management practice. In addition, the ecosystem approaches obtained from the Experimental Forest will be extended to island-wide forestland classification in Taiwan.