JP7270317B1 - forest management system - Google Patents

Abstract

A forest management system is implemented as software on a computer and includes a forest database held in a storage device, an interface for enabling communication with one or more user terminals via a network, and an access control unit. Prepare. The forest database includes tree information, user information that identifies users linked to the tree information, and access authority information that defines access rights to value-added information based on conditions given to the users. holds at least When the access management unit receives an access request from a user terminal, it compares the user who issued the request with the user information in the forest database, and grants the access authority to the user according to the corresponding access authority information. . As a result, it is possible to realize a forest management system that can provide high added value for generating high profits in businesses that use forests.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a forest management system, and is particularly applicable to a forest management system capable of providing high added value for generating high profits in businesses using forests.

Forests, especially Attention is being paid to projects to restore, manage, and nurture satoyama.

For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a standing tree management system capable of preserving and managing standing trees (trees) in a predetermined section of a forest and evaluating the asset value of the standing trees in real time. In the management system disclosed in the same document, each standing tree is identified, the asset value is evaluated from information such as location, tree species, volume, and age of the tree, and it is said that it is sold as a financial product (Paragraph 0085, paragraph 0092, etc.). For this purpose, the management system is provided with a means of connecting with terminals of forest management contractors, lumber processors and timber markets. It is said that means for connecting may be provided. In the invention of Patent Document 1, a furniture maker and a house sales maker are exemplified as the holders of standing trees, and when the customers purchase the standing trees in anticipation of the future such as the birth of a child or marriage, the purchase price is paid after a predetermined period of time to produce the final processed product. It is said that it can be appropriated to the maintenance and management costs of the forest through the operation until the money is received. In addition, since the asset value of standing trees is managed in real time, it is possible to resell them at will (Paragraphs 0165 to 0166, Figures 9, 10, Paragraphs 0181 to 0192, Figure 15A , FIG. 15B, etc.). Here, "Tachiki" is read as "Ryuboku" and refers to trees that are still growing on the land or aggregates thereof. It is possible to register ownership preservation based on the Sulu Law. "Timber volume" refers to the volume of processed lumber.

Patent Literature 2 discloses a forest restoration support system that supports business entities that restore and nurture forests. Quantify the value of the forests covered by the recovery and development plan and invite investment. The value of forests is assessed based on their commercial value, including the aesthetic value of planting patterns, tourism value, advertising value, as well as _CO2 absorption value, disaster prevention value, environmental conservation value and job creation value. It is said that it can be added to the evaluation. The business entity decides the investment amount based on the value evaluated by this forest restoration support system and solicits investment from investors, and at that time, the forest restoration support system presents a forest restoration and development plan Paragraphs 0009 to 0015). Investors are assumed to include general investors such as individuals and corporations, companies wishing to purchase CO ₂ emission credits, tourism business operators and sponsor companies interested in forest development (Paragraph 0026).

Patent Literatures 3 and 4 disclose techniques for identifying individual standing trees from an image of a forest taken from the sky, specifying the position based on latitude and longitude, and determining attributes such as tree species to build a database. ing.

JP 2011-238191 A JP 2015-121880 A JP 2014-100099 A JP-A-2008-46837

The present inventor discovered a novel problem that the investment management system for forests or standing trees in the forests described in Patent Literatures 1 and 2 does not sufficiently consider means of returning profits to investors.

In the standing tree management system disclosed in Patent Document 1, the asset value of each standing tree is calculated in real time, and the information is provided to investors who have invested in the standing tree. stay in In the forest restoration support system disclosed in Patent Literature 2, the amount of investment reflects not only the value of trees as timber, but also various values such as the commercial value, disaster prevention value, and environmental conservation value of the forest. In other words, in addition to the value of trees as timber, various values are said to be reflected in the investment amount. However, even in that case, the profits obtained by the business entity operating the forest restoration support system in one way or another are returned to the investors. In this way, both the standing tree management system of Patent Document 1 and the forest restoration support system of Patent Document 2 contribute to improving the liquidity of investment funds and improving their attractiveness as financial products, and as a result, Improve the value of forests by allocating investment to forest management and conservation, and return profits to investors as a result. Behind these two conventional technologies, there is a business model built on the premise that if the forest is properly managed, the profit from the forest will exceed the cost of managing and preserving it. exists. However, the recent decline of the forestry industry and the devastation of forests unfortunately do not meet the above assumptions, and we cannot help but think that it clearly shows that even if forests are properly managed, sufficient profits cannot necessarily be made. .

Therefore, the inventor thought that it was necessary to solicit funds from investors and provide unprecedented added value to investors in a forest management system. However, the inventors have found that it is difficult to provide investors with higher added value than in the past, depending on the conventional techniques including Patent Documents 1 and 2 described above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to realize a forest management system capable of providing high added value for generating high profits in a business using forests.

Means for solving such problems will be described below, but other problems and novel features will become apparent from the description of this specification and the accompanying drawings.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, it is as follows.

That is, the forest management system is implemented as software in a computer having a storage device and capable of communicating with a plurality of terminals via a network, and is configured as follows.

The forest management system comprises an interface and an access manager for enabling communication with one or more user terminals via a forest database held in a storage device and a network. The forest database holds at least tree information, user information that identifies a user linked to the tree information, and access authority information that defines the user's access authority to value-added information. there is When an access request is received from a user terminal, the access management unit checks the user who issued the request with the user information of the forest database, and permits the user to access according to the corresponding access authority information.

Here, the users can include various persons such as investors, management companies, operating companies, and general users. For example, an investor is a person who invests in standing trees growing in a forest managed by the forest management system, a certain section, or the entire forest. A manager is a person who manages these forests, standing trees, etc. A management company is a person who conducts a business using them, and a general user is a user of the business. Further, the access authority information includes the storage location of the value-added information and the type of access to the value-added information, such as viewing (reading) only, writing including additional writing and overwriting. In a broader sense, it may include various uses such as execution of software (application program) stored at the access destination, download of software from the access destination, and installation and execution of the downloaded software. In this specification, access rights and access rights are synonymous, and the specific contents of "access" are, in the same way as described here, only viewing (reading), writing including additional writing and overwriting, execution of software and It can be various accesses such as download.

A brief description of the effects obtained by the above embodiment is as follows.

That is, it is possible to realize a forest management system that can provide high added value for generating high profits in businesses that use forests.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a forest management system of the present invention and a plurality of terminals connected thereto. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration example of a forest management system for managing a forest before clear cutting using the forest management system of the present invention and managing it as an investment target. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration example of a forest management system for managing a business that uses the planted standing trees as memorial trees after the forest has been cleared. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration example of a forest management system for operating the planted trees as a graveyard for burial of trees after the forest has been cleared. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration example of a forest management system for managing forests for the purpose of conserving the natural environment and operating forest ecological research as an investment target. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a method for collecting standing tree information. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of displaying collected standing tree information on a map. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration example of a forest management system suitable for managing a business that supports outdoor activities in forests.

1. Outline of Embodiment First, an outline of a representative embodiment disclosed in the present application will be described. Reference numerals in the drawings, which are referenced in parentheses in the general description of representative embodiments, are merely illustrative of the concept of the component to which they are attached.

[1] A forest management system that can provide individual value-added information to users (Fig. 1)
A forest management system (10) according to one embodiment of the present invention is implemented as software in a computer having a storage device (11) and capable of communicating with a plurality of terminals (15-19) via a network (14). , constructed as follows:

The forest management system (10) comprises an interface (13 ) and an access control unit (3).

The forest database includes tree information (4), user information (5) that identifies a user linked to the tree information, and access authority that defines access authority to the user's added value information (2). At least information (6) is retained.

The access management unit, when receiving an access request from the user terminal, compares the user who issued the access request with the user information, and permits the user to access according to the corresponding access authority information. do.

Here, the added value information (2) may be stored as data in the storage device (11) of the forest management system (10), or connected to the network (14) via the interface (13). It may be stored in an external device.

As a result, it is possible to realize a forest management system that can provide high added value for generating high profits in businesses that use forests. This is because the value-added information is provided to each user individually based on the conditions stipulated in the contract with the user, and thus can be provided as a unique benefit to the user. In addition, the tree information is a section (area) of the forest or an individual standing tree, and includes an identifier (ID) and its coordinates (for example, latitude and longitude), and further attribute information for the section (area) or standing tree (for example, , tree species, tree height, and tree age).

[2] Investing in standing trees in anticipation of future value as timber (Fig. 2)
In the forest management system (10) of [1], the tree information includes identification information (7) of standing trees, position information (8) and attribute information (9) of the standing trees.

The forest database can hold an investor or an investment candidate as the user information, and an access right granted to the investor or the investment candidate as corresponding access authority information.

The value-added information further includes terrain information (55) of the forest where the trees grow and work road information (56). , the investor or investment candidate who issued the access request is collated with the user information, and the location information and the attribute information are provided to the investor or the investment candidate based on the corresponding access authority information; and browsing of the terrain information and the work road information.

Here, the position information may be coordinates specified by latitude and longitude, for example. An index (landmark) may be provided in the forest and used as a reference for relative coordinates. The topographic information may be topographic information represented by contour lines created by a public institution such as the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan or a company that creates maps, or may be updated to more precise topographic information through on-site surveying. . Moreover, it may be converted into information mainly about standing trees, such as the direction and the degree of slope such as north facing slope/south facing slope. Work road information includes forest roads that vehicles can pass, roads that are like passages that people can pass, tracks that trucks can move, and roads that are open to people other than forest managers, such as hiking trails. Any passage may be included. Furthermore, it may include a transport route for the purpose of transporting lumber and materials, such as an overhead wire constructed in places where it is difficult for people to pass, for example, for collecting lumber. The work road information held in the forest database may also include supplementary information such as the path, width, slope, presence or absence of pavement, and whether or not people and vehicles can pass.

As a result, not only investors who have already invested in standing trees in the forest, but also investment candidates who are considering investing in standing trees can obtain information for evaluating the value of the standing trees. The tree attribute information includes, for example, tree species, tree height, and trunk thickness. By knowing what trees are growing on the slopes and around them, prospective investors can assess the growing environment of the trees they are considering investing in. In addition, by viewing the work road information, the investment candidate can estimate the cost required for managing and cutting the trees that the investor is considering, and can include the costs in the factors affecting the value of the tree. Furthermore, it is also possible to predict the future construction of work roads in combination with the topographical information.

[3] Multiple investors/investment candidates for one standing tree In the forest management system (10) of [2], the forest database includes, as user information, one or more investments in one tree information. and/or one or more potential investors, and access privilege information corresponding to each. An investor or an investment candidate may be an individual, a legal person such as a company, or an unincorporated body. (In the case of an organization without juridical status, some consideration is required in terms of contract, but this point is not a problem for the invention.) Therefore, as described above, we adopted the notation without units as "one or more". .

As a result, even one standing tree or one block can receive investments from a plurality of investors. In addition, investment candidates can be linked to standing trees and parcels to which investors have already been linked. This improves convenience when considering transfer of investor status from a current investor to an investment candidate.

[4] Providing road network development plans as added value to investors/investment candidates (Fig. 1)
The forest management system (10) of [3] can further comprise a map/topography analysis section (61). The map/topography analysis unit is configured to analyze the topography information, extract a route that can be maintained as a work road in the future, and add it to the added-value information as a road network improvement plan. When receiving an access request from an investor or an investment candidate, the access management unit collates the investor or investment candidate who issued the access request with the user information, and based on the corresponding access authority information , permit the investor or candidate for investment to view the road network development plan.

The road network development plan may further include routes on which overhead wires for accumulating wood can be laid. In addition, for each work road, indicate the types and combinations of forestry machinery that can be passed, and indicate what kind of work each can be used for, such as logging, harvesting, afforestation, and childcare. Alternatively, it may be provided as an added value for guessing.

This makes it possible to provide investors/investment candidates who are users of the forest management system with higher added value than the conventional investment management system for standing trees. The road network such as forest roads and work roads is an important factor in calculating the cost of cutting and transporting standing trees, and the future road network development plan is extremely important in predicting the future asset value of standing trees. factor. Therefore, this road network development plan is highly value-added information for investors and investment candidates who are considering investment.

[5] Commemorative tree project (user-specific information is linked to contracted trees and stored) (Fig. 3)
In the forest management system (10) of [1], the tree information can be configured to include tree identification information (7), tree position information (8), and attribute information (9). The user information is information that associates the user with the identification information of the standing tree contracted by the user.

The added-value information includes user-specific information (53) associated with each tree identification information, and the access management unit provides the user with the user information. Permitting addition of information unique to the user to the value-added information in correspondence with the tree of the associated identification information.

As a result, it is possible to realize a forest management system that can provide high added value in projects that use forest trees as commemorative trees and the like. For example, the user can not only view the growth of the contracted tree at any time, but also write and read the growth record of himself or his family through the forest database in association with the growth process. It is possible to provide high added value to customers. Therefore, a business operator who rents or purchases a forest and conducts a memorial tree business using the forest management system (10) of the present invention expects a profit commensurate with the added value provided, for example, from a clear-cut forest. On the other hand, it becomes easier to invest in afforestation, tree planting, road network development, etc.

[6] Giving the user of the commemorative tree the authority to disclose it to a third party The user can further hold individual access authority management information (not shown) that allows the user to specify the access authority of a third party to When there is an access request, access is permitted based on the individual access authority management information.

As a result, it is possible to realize a forest management system that can provide even higher added value in a business that uses forest trees as memorial trees or the like. For example, a business operator can develop a business that manages the invested standing tree as a memorial tree. In a more detailed example, the user contracts or purchases a tree as a graduation commemorative tree, associates it with the tree, and configures it so that graduates can browse commemorative photos and graduation albums of graduation, and recent news from graduates It is possible to develop a business such as recording the growth of the standing tree and making it available to graduates, their families, friends, and the like.

[7] Selling standing trees as a cemetery for tree burials (hierarchization of users) (Fig. 4)
In the forest management system (10) of [1], the tree information includes identification information (7) of a standing tree, location information (8) of the standing tree, and attribute information (9), and the user information is a user and the identification information of the standing tree invested by the user, and can be configured to include an upper user (5-1) and a lower user (5-2).

The forest database holds upper access authority information (6-1) defining access rights of the upper users and lower access authority information (6-2) defining access rights of the lower users. The access management unit permits access based on the upper-level access authority information when there is an access request from a higher-level user, and when an access request is received from a lower-level user, the access management unit allows access to Allow access based on access privilege information.

Thereby, users can be hierarchized. For example, high-ranking users can create added value by investing in and managing multiple standing trees, and resell the created added value to low-ranking users as the added value of individual standing trees. can. In order to provide added value, high-ranking users add and provide added-value information as needed, and low-ranking users enjoy added value by accessing the added-value information. For example, a graveyard manager of a tree funeral becomes a high-level user and adds the management performance of the graveyard and memorial service plan/performance to the value-added information, and the bereaved family who buries the deceased becomes a low-level user and adds that information. Graveyard management results, memorial service plans, and results obtained by accessing value information become added value that bereaved families, who are lower-level users, can enjoy. The forest management system should be configured so that the bereaved family, who are sub-users, can save the unique information of the deceased (e.g., date of death, posthumous name, portrait of the deceased) as unique value-added information and view and update it freely at any time. If so, this is also an added value that lower-level users can enjoy.

[8] Investment in certain areas (Fig. 5)
In the forest management system (10) of [1], the tree information includes identification information of a predetermined area, location information and attribute information of the area, identification information of the standing tree, location information and attribute information of the standing tree, When receiving an access request from a user, the access management unit collates the user who issued the access request with the user information, and gives the user access to the area based on the corresponding access authority information. Permission is granted to view the location information and attribute information and the location information and attribute information of the standing tree.

As a result, it is possible to invest not only in individual trees, but also in forests in units of areas such as fixed plots. The added-value information that can be obtained includes, for example, images such as aerial photographs of the area, live images of the area, the distribution of flora and fauna in the area, and the results of biomass power generation using thinned wood obtained from the area. The user is, for example, an investor in the area, and the investor can contribute to forest management and nature conservation in the area by investing.

As a result, it is possible to invest in a certain area of forest and develop a business that creates added value in that forest. It is also possible to resell the tree in units of trees in the area or in units of subdivided small areas. Businesses that have invested in forests in a certain area are positioned as upper users, and users of that business, resold standing trees, or those who have invested in small areas are positioned as lower users, and each has access rights to value-added information. It can be added value by giving For example, consumers as sub-users participate in various experiential activities that are carried out as businesses in the forest of the specific area, and sub-investors as sub-users have the naming rights of the forest in the specific area. , rights to name or own hiking trails in the territory, or profit from reselling them as _CO2 emissions credits.

[9] Provision of physical access information (route guidance) to the site In the forest management system of [8], the value-added information includes physical access information including road guidance information to the predetermined area. Can be configured. Here, physical access information is guide information for actually going to the site, such as a map that guides directions from the nearest station, bus stop, accommodation facility, interchange, etc. information is included. When receiving an access request from a user, the access management unit collates the user who issued the access request with the user information, and based on the corresponding access authority information, gives the user the physical access request. Allow viewing of access information.

As a result, users who have invested in forests and standing trees growing in those forests can provide value-added information that helps them physically access the forests and standing trees in which they have invested. It is sufficient to simply use "access information" and "access guidance" as commonly used terms, but in this specification, the term "access" intended to access computer information is frequently used. , is daringly distinguished as "physical".

[10] Providing information when a person carrying a user terminal (with GPS function) is active in the field In the forest management system of [8], the user terminal operates in the forest managed by the forest management system. When the user terminal is within the predetermined area, the forest database is additionally permitted on-site access. Holds more authorization information.

When receiving an access request from a user, the access management unit refers to the location information of the user terminal that has issued the access request and, if the user terminal is within the predetermined area, responds. The user is permitted to access the value-added information based on the local access authority information in addition to the access authority information.

As a result, when a user who has invested in a forest or a standing tree growing in the forest actually visits the contracted forest or standing tree and engages in activities within the forest, it will be possible to add value to the surrounding area based on the location within the forest. can provide information.

[11] Returning information on the natural environment and the ecology of wildlife to users (Fig. 5)
In the forest management system (10) of [8], the interface can communicate with one or a plurality of researcher terminals (18) via the network, and the forest database stores the trees as the user information. Researcher information (5-1) that identifies a researcher linked to information, and researcher access authority information (6-1) that defines the access right to write the research results of the researcher as the value-added information. The user's access authority information (6-2) can include the authority to view the research results.

The access management unit, when receiving an access request from the researcher terminal, compares the researcher who issued the access request with the researcher information, and writes research results to the researcher as the value-added information. When an access request is received from the user terminal, the user who issued the access request is collated with the user information, and the corresponding access authority information includes the authority to view the research results, Permit the user to view the research results.

As a result, it is possible to realize a forest management system that can provide high added value in projects that support natural environment protection and wildlife ecological research using forests. For example, when a user invests in ecological research on wildlife in the invested forest, the user can browse the research results. In this way, the forest management system of the present invention can contribute to establishment of value-added businesses.

[12] Permission to view research results when a person carrying a user terminal (with GPS function) is active in the field In the forest management system (10) of [11], the user terminal is configured to have its own location information available and to be able to connect to said forest management system when operating within forests managed by . The forest database further holds local access authority information (not shown) that is additionally permitted when the user terminal is within the predetermined area.

When receiving an access request from a user, the access management unit refers to the location information of the user terminal that has issued the access request, and if the user terminal is within the predetermined area, the corresponding access request is made. Based on the local access authority information in addition to the authority information, the user is authorized to view the research results.

As a result, when a user who invests in a forest that is the target of environmental protection or ecological research or standing trees growing in that forest actually visits the forest in which he/she has invested and engages in activities within the forest, Based on the location, research results in the vicinity can be provided as value-added information.

[13] Permission to use the application program for the person carrying the user terminal (Fig. 8)
In the forest management system (10) of [1], the tree information includes identification information of a predetermined area and position information and attribute information of the area. When receiving an access request from a user, the access management unit checks the user who has issued the access request with the user information, and based on the corresponding access authority information, provides the user with a predetermined application. Allow use (62) of program (59).

As a result, it is possible to provide users with the added value of using application programs in a business that utilizes forests.

[14] When a person carrying a user terminal (with GPS function) works locally In the forest management system of [13], when the user terminal operates in the forest managed by the forest management system, The location information of the user terminal is available, the forest management system is connectable, and the forest database stores local access authority information that is additionally permitted when the user terminal is within the predetermined area. Hold more.

When receiving an access request from a user, the access management unit refers to the location information of the user terminal that issued the access request, and if the user terminal is within the predetermined area, responds. Based on the local access authority information in addition to the access authority information, the user is permitted to use a predetermined application program.

As a result, in a forest utilization business, it is possible to provide an application program with a particularly high added value to users who are active within a predetermined area of the managed forest.

[15] Group work by users working locally In the forest management system of [14], when the access management unit receives an access request from a user, the user terminal is within the predetermined area. Furthermore, based on the local access authority information, the access authority granted to the user includes information exchange with other user terminals within the same area.

As a result, in a forest-utilizing business, it is possible to enable mutual communication between users who are active within a predetermined area of the forest under management, and increase the added value of the application program to be provided.

[16] Update of added-value information by administrator (Figs. 2, 3, and 5)
In the forest management system (10) according to any one of [1] to [15], the forest database includes administrator information (25) for identifying an administrator linked to the tree information; Administrator access rights information (26), which defines access rights for administrators to update the value-added information, may also be maintained.

When an access request is received from an administrator terminal (17), the access management unit collates the administrator who issued the access request with the administrator information, and permits the administrator to update the corresponding value-added information. do.

As a result, the results of management work (for example, thinning, pruning, undergrowth cutting) performed by forest managers in businesses that use forests are updated as added-value information and added to users with access rights. offered as a value.

[17] The manager carries a GPS terminal and uses the forest management system In the forest management system (10) of [16], the manager terminal operates in the forest managed by the forest management system. location information and is configured to be connectable to the forest management system. The access management unit, when receiving an access request from the administrator terminal, permits access to a management plan for surrounding trees based on the location information of the administrator terminal itself.

As a result, information such as a management plan can be provided from the forest management system by carrying the manager terminal when the manager manages the forest in a business using the forest.

[18] Collection of tree information from images from the sky (Figures 6 and 7)
In the forest management system (10) according to any one of [2] to [7], the position information and attribute information of the standing tree are extracted from an image of the forest taken from above.

Thereby, the cost for creating a forest database can be suppressed.

[19] Extraction of standing tree information from a 3D model that combines images taken from multiple angles (Figs. 6 and 7)
In the forest management system (10) according to any one of [2] to [7], the position information and attribute information of the standing tree are images taken from a plurality of angles including an image of the forest taken from above. is extracted from the synthesized 3D model.

As a result, the accuracy of extracted tree position and attribute information can be dramatically improved, and components necessary for evaluating the value of trees, such as working roads and mountain streams, can also be extracted with high accuracy. be done.

[20] Extract topographical information from a three-dimensional model synthesized from images taken from multiple angles In the forest management system (10) according to any one of [2] to [15], the topographical information and the work road Information is extracted from a three-dimensional model that combines images taken from multiple angles, including images of the forest taken from above.

As a result, the precision of the terrain information to be extracted can be dramatically improved. In addition, it also extracts with high accuracy the components necessary to evaluate the value of standing trees, such as work roads, mountain streams, and the suitability of overhead lines for harvesting.

2. Details of the Embodiments The embodiments are further described in detail.

[Embodiment 1] Basic Configuration A forest management system according to one embodiment of the present invention is a forest management system 10 capable of providing individual added-value information to users. For example, in a system that manages forests by soliciting funds from users who are investors, it is possible to create high added value that can be added to the value (profit) obtained by properly managing forests. As explained in "Problems that Inventions Try to Solve," there are limits to the revenue generated by forests themselves. Therefore, in the present invention, attention is focused on a business that makes a profit by providing individual information as added value to users. The inventor believes that by linking user-specific information to forests or standing trees growing there and managing them, and by giving access rights to the users, the linked information can add value to the users. Thought. What kind of information is added value for what kind of user is a business point of view, and the present invention is a forest management system for realizing such a business.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a forest management system of the present invention and a plurality of terminals connected thereto. The forest management system 10 is implemented as software in a computer having a storage device 11 and capable of communicating with a plurality of terminals 15 to 19 via a network 14, and is configured as follows.

The forest management system 10 includes a forest database 1 held in a storage device 11 , an interface 13 for enabling communication with user terminals 16 and the like via a network 14 , and an access management section 3 . In other words, the computer described above comprises a storage device 11 , an information processing section 12 and an interface 13 , and the access management section 3 is implemented as software executed by the information processing section 12 . The interface 13 is an interface for communicating with various devices such as a business operator terminal 15, an administrator terminal 17, a researcher terminal 18, and a local terminal 19. For example, a wireless/wired LAN (Local Area Network), Bluetooth ( (registered trademark) and other short-range wireless communication standards. It may be a single interface or multiple interfaces.

The forest database 1 defines tree information 4, user information 5 that identifies a user linked to the tree information, and the user's access authority to the value-added information 2 based on given conditions. Access authority information 6 is held. Here, the tree information 4 refers to some identifiable investment unit such as a partitioned area of the forest that is the target of management/investment of the forest management system 10 of the present invention, standing trees growing in the forest, etc. For example, It can be identified using an identifier and coordinate information such as latitude and longitude. The conditions given here are the conditions stipulated in the contract or the like.

The information processing unit 12 is implemented with the access management unit 3 as software. When receiving an access request from the user terminal 16, the access management unit 3 compares the user who issued the access request with the user information 5 of the forest database 1, and adds value according to the corresponding access authority information 6. By allowing access to information 2 to the user in question, added value is provided. The added-value information generation unit 60 may be implemented as software in the information processing unit 12 . The added-value information generation unit 60 includes, for example, a map/topography analysis unit 61 to be described later, analyzes the map/topography information of the forest, and creates a road network development plan. The created road network development plan can be provided as part of the added value information 2 .

The road network plan may also include routes along which overhead lines can be laid for accumulating wood. Even if the construction of work roads is difficult, if it is possible to carry out the timber by collecting overhead wires, the value of the standing timber can be highly evaluated.

In addition, for each work road, indicate the types and combinations of forestry machinery that can be passed, and indicate what kind of work each can be used for, such as logging, harvesting, afforestation, and childcare. Alternatively, it may be provided as an added value for guessing. The road network development plan is formulated based on the region, geology, weather conditions, etc. More preferably, it is formulated based on a wealth of knowledge, such as by referring to examples of construction work in the surrounding area and asking for guidance from people who have experience in construction work in that area.

More preferably, the road network development plan is not limited to forestry work, but is formulated with a wider range of usage purposes in mind. At this time, a road network development plan should be developed in consideration of not only the limited number of timber shipments, but also the resistance to collapse, ease of repair and management, etc., so that it can withstand repeated use over a long period of time. should be formulated.

Here, the added value information 2 includes, for example, environmental information such as the management environment of the forest, the natural environment surrounding the forest, the economic environment surrounding the forest, etc., history information of growth and management of standing trees growing in the forest, and user-specific and the forest management system 10 may be stored as data in the storage device 11 or may be stored in an external device connected to the network 14 via the interface 13 .

As a result, it is possible to realize a forest management system that can provide high added value for generating high profits in businesses that use forests. This is because the value-added information is provided to each user individually based on the conditions stipulated in the contract with the user, and thus can be provided as a unique benefit to the user.

Here, the general term "user" is intended to mean those who use the forest, and users can include various people such as investors, management business operators, operating business operators, and general users. For example, an investor is a person who invests in standing trees growing in the forest managed by the forest database, a certain section, or the entire forest. A management company is a person who manages them, a management company is a person who runs a business using them, and a general user is a user of the business. Further, the access authority information includes the storage location of the value-added information and the type of access to the value-added information, such as viewing (reading) only, writing including additional writing and overwriting. In a broader sense, it may include execution of software stored at the access destination and use of software downloaded from the access destination. For example, when a forest owner or a person entrusted with a forest has an operator carry out a business using the forest, the operator, as the above-mentioned user, is granted the authority to access the forest database. Do business using General users, who are consumers of the business, are granted access rights to the value-added information provided by the operator. This access right may be the right to view information about the forest, which is value-added information, or the right to execute application software used when working in the forest. The definitions of terms such as "user" and "access" are the same throughout this specification. More specific forms are exemplified and detailed in Embodiments 2 to 5 below.

The forest management system 10 may be connected to a user terminal 16 as well as a business operator terminal 15, an administrator terminal 17, a researcher terminal 18, a field terminal 19, and the like via a network 14. FIG. The business operator terminal 15 is a business operator who uses the forest management system 10 to conduct the forest investment business, and is authorized to access the forest database 1 by the access unit 3. 2 is granted access. The administrator terminal 17 is a terminal used by an administrator who manages this forest, and can be equipped with a camera 41 and a GPS (Global Positioning System) 42, for example. The researcher terminal 18 is a terminal used by a researcher who conducts research on the ecology of animals and plants inhabiting this forest, as will be described later in the fifth embodiment. The field terminal 19 is a terminal installed in the forest, and can include, for example, a live camera 41 and an environment sensor 43 , and can be accessed and controlled by the researcher from the researcher terminal 18 .

In this specification, the user terminal 16, the operator terminal 15, the administrator terminal 17, the researcher terminal 18, the local terminal 19, etc. are distinguished for explanation. does not need to be Also, the distinction between users, business operators, administrators, researchers, etc. is for the purpose of helping understanding and is not strict. For example, when a business operator managing a forest operates the forest as an outdoor activity facility, the user terminal 16 equipped with the camera 41 and the GPS 42 is lent to a user visiting the site and used in the forest. Access from a person considering using the forest is regarded as access from a general user terminal 16 that does not require the installation of a camera 41 and a GPS 42, and users and those considering using the forest invest in the forest. The present invention may be applied regardless of whether or not there is. Also, the forest management system 10 may be provided with a user interface such as a monitor, a mouse, and a keyboard, which also functions as the operator's terminal.

[Collection and data processing of terrain information including standing tree information and work roads]
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a method of collecting standing tree information, and FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of displaying the collected standing tree information as a map.

In the forest management system 10 of the present invention, the position information 8 and attribute information 9 of standing trees may be extracted from an image of the forest taken from above. For example, the techniques disclosed in Patent Documents 3 and 4 can be adopted. Thereby, the cost for creating the forest database 1 of the forest management system 10 of the present invention can be suppressed.

In the forest management system 10 of the present invention, extracting the position information 8 and the attribute information 9 of standing trees from a three-dimensional model obtained by synthesizing images taken from a plurality of angles, including an image of the forest taken from above, preferred. As a result, the accuracy of the position information 8 and the attribute information 9 of the extracted standing trees can be dramatically improved, and the components necessary for evaluating the value of standing trees, such as work roads and mountain streams, are also highly accurate. can be extracted to

More specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the techniques disclosed in Patent Literatures 3 and 4 can be applied using an image captured by a drone 44 flying in the sky. As in Patent Document 3, tree species can be obtained by capturing and analyzing multispectral images.

Furthermore, a three-dimensional model of the entire forest is created by combining images of the forest obliquely photographed from above while varying the flight altitude of the drone 44 flying in the sky. From the three-dimensional model, the exact coordinates (latitude and longitude) of each standing tree, the height of the tree, the thickness of the trunk, and other attribute information of the tree can be accurately obtained. In addition, structures such as work roads and mountain streams can also be determined accurately. Furthermore, in addition to the drone 44 flying in the sky, the drone 44 is flown along the mountain stream to capture images of the surroundings, and the forest manager (worker) 45 performs forest management such as thinning, pruning, and undergrowth cutting. When carrying out maintenance work, it is also possible to use images taken by a camera attached to a helmet or the like when moving along a work road, entering a forest, or climbing a tree.

A three-dimensional model is created by combining these videos and images, and the extracted standing trees, work roads 91, and mountain streams 92 are mapped on a map including contour lines issued by the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan, for example, and a map such as that shown in FIG. can be created. Since the heights and positions obtained from the three-dimensional model are more accurate than the contour lines on the map, the contour lines modified based on this are adopted in FIG. However, the contour lines are omitted in FIG. The technology for creating a 3D model from images taken from a moving object such as a drone 44 and mapping it on a map is the same technology used in Google (registered trademark) Street View (registered trademark), for example. can be realized by applying

The standing tree information obtained from the photographed image is stored in the forest database 1, and the other information such as map information, terrain information, work road 91 and mountain stream 92 is included in the added value information 2 as nature/management environment information. managed by The photography of a forest such as standing trees and/or the creation of a three-dimensional model may be performed continuously regardless of regularity or irregularity. Further, part or all of it is more preferably stored, managed, and utilized as the history information of the standing tree by being included in the added-value information.

Several embodiments of forest investment using the forest management system of the present invention and forest management business using the investment funds will be described below. Such business may be promoted by the owner of the forest or mountain forest as a business entity, or by a business entity entrusted by the owner or a business entrusted by a trust company. good. The embodiments shown below are just some examples, and the forest management system of the present invention can be applied to various other embodiments without changing the inventive concept.

[Embodiment 2] Investing in standing trees in anticipation of future value as wood (before clear-cutting)
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration example of a forest management system for managing a forest before clear cutting using the forest management system of the present invention and managing it as an investment target. Each standing tree in the managed forest can be made an investment target. Profits are returned to investors when the invested trees grow and are shipped as timber. Standing trees can grow into large, high-quality lumber, or be thinned and used as raw materials for laminated lumber or as fuel for biomass power generation.

In the forest management system 10 of this embodiment, the tree information 4 of the forest database 1 includes identification information (ID) 7 of the standing tree, position information (coordinates) 8 of the standing tree, and attribute information 9. Investment candidates can be included as user information 5 . For investor candidates, the permitted access rights are also held as the corresponding access right information 6 . This is because it is necessary to give authority to access various value-added information to those who are considering investing in order to estimate the profit on the investment and make a decision as to whether or not to invest. The authority given to an investment candidate can be set to expire, for example, after a certain period of time.

The added value information 2 further includes terrain information 55 and work road information 56 of the forest in which standing trees grow. When an access request is received from an investor or an investment candidate who is a user, the access management unit 3 identifies the investor or investment candidate who issued the access request as user information registered in the forest database 1. Based on the collation and the corresponding access authorization information, the investor or investment candidate is permitted to browse the topography information 55 and the work road information 56 along with the corresponding standing tree position information 8 and attribute information 9 .

Here, the position information may be coordinates specified by latitude and longitude, for example. For example, GPS is connected to the drone 44 and the camera of the forest manager (worker) 45 described above, and the photographed position is taken as an absolute value based on latitude and longitude, so that it can be compared with other map information and terrain information. can be facilitated. On the other hand, an index (landmark) may be provided in the forest and relative coordinates may be set with this as a reference. In this way, the topographic information may be topographic information represented by contour lines created by a public institution such as the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan or a company that creates maps, and updated to more precise topographic information through on-site surveying. May be. In addition, it may be converted into information based on standing trees, such as directions such as north-facing slope/south-facing slope, and inclination.

As a result, not only investors who have already invested in standing trees in the forest, but also investment candidates who are considering investing in standing trees can obtain information for evaluating the value of the standing trees. The tree attribute information includes, for example, tree species, tree height, and trunk thickness. By knowing what trees are growing on the slopes and around them, prospective investors can assess the growing environment of the trees they are considering investing in. In addition, by viewing the work road information, the investment candidate can estimate the cost required for managing and cutting the trees that the investor is considering, and can include the costs in the factors affecting the value of the tree. Furthermore, it is also possible to predict future construction of work roads in combination with the terrain information.

In the forest database 1, as user information, one tree information corresponding to one standing tree or one section, which is an investment unit, is stored not only for one investor or investment candidate but also for a plurality of investments. It is more preferable to register persons and/or investment candidates and retain access authority information corresponding to each. As a result, even one standing tree or one block can receive investments from a plurality of investors. In addition, investment candidates can be linked to standing trees and parcels to which investors have already been linked. This improves convenience when considering transfer of investor status from a current investor to an investment candidate.

The forest database 1 further includes administrator information 25 that identifies an administrator linked to the tree information, and administrator access authority information 26 that defines access rights for the administrator to update value-added information. It is more preferable to be configured so that it can be held.

When receiving an access request from the administrator terminal 17, the access management unit 3 checks the administrator who issued the access request with the administrator information 25 of the forest database 1, and responds based on the administrator access authority information 26. Allow the administrator to update value-added information.

The term "administrator" here means a person who plans and actually carries out the management of forest thinning, pruning, undergrowth cutting, etc. However, separate access rights are provided for those who plan and those who carry out the work. Information 26 may be provided. The manager who drafts the management plan draws up a future management plan while looking at the management results, and the manager who carries out the management manages according to the management plan that has been drawn up and registers the results. By appropriately defining the access authority information 26 to be given to the manager (worker) who executes management, for example, it is defined whether or not to give the authority to change the management plan according to the local situation to the worker. can do. In addition, the results of management work performed by forest managers (workers) in projects that use forests are updated as added value information and provided as added value to investors who have access rights.

The administrator terminal 17 in FIG. 2 is assumed to be a terminal carried by an administrator (operator) who executes management during forest management work. configured so that it can be connected to When powered on and operating in the forest managed by the forest management system 10, the location information can be used by acquiring the location information of itself via the GPS 42. FIG. Upon receiving an access request from the administrator terminal 17, the access management unit 3 of the forest management system 10 permits access to the management plan for surrounding trees based on the location information of the administrator terminal itself. For example, when an administrator (worker) takes an image of the surroundings in the forest with the camera 41, attaches the position information acquired by the GPS 42, and transmits an access request to the forest management system 10, the access management unit 3 , and responds to the manager terminal 17 with information about the surrounding trees and a management plan based on the received position information. The administrator terminal 17 superimposes and displays tree information received from the forest management system 10 (tree identifier, tree species, tree age, and other attributes) and a management plan for the tree (whether or not it is subject to thinning, etc.) on the photographed image of the surroundings. This can be indicated to the administrator (worker) by, for example,

As a result, information such as a management plan can be provided from the forest management system by carrying the manager terminal when the manager manages the forest in a business using the forest. The location information is used to collate the location of the manager (worker) with information such as tree information and management plans, so that the necessary information can be used appropriately, helping to improve the efficiency and quality of management work.

[Addition of map/terrain analysis part]
The information processing unit 12 of the forest management system 10 of the present embodiment preferably includes a value-added information generation unit 60 including a map/topography analysis unit 61 implemented as software (FIG. 1). The map/topographical analysis unit 61 analyzes the map/topographical information 55 held in the nature/management environment database 50, extracts routes suitable for forest roads/working roads, and sets them as routes that can be maintained as working roads in the future. Formulate a network development plan. The formulated road network development plan can be added as value-added information to the work road information 56 also held in the nature/managed environment database 50 (Fig. 2). It is inevitable that road network information that actually exists is included in the work road information 56, and in addition to the road network for which there is already a maintenance plan, the work road information 56 also includes an undetermined road network maintenance plan. has been described, it may be configured to manage each as separate data. When the access management unit 3 receives an access request from an investor/investment candidate, the access management unit 3 compares the person who issued the access request with the user information held in the forest database 1, and accesses the corresponding access authority information. Permit the investor or candidate for investment to view the road network development plan based on

This can provide investors/investment candidates with higher added value than conventional investment management systems for standing trees. The road network such as forest roads and work roads is an important factor in calculating the cost of cutting and transporting standing trees, and the future road network development plan is extremely important in predicting the future asset value of standing trees. factor. Therefore, this road network development plan is highly value-added information for investors and investment candidates who are considering investment.

The road network development plan may include routes suitable for forest roads and work roads extracted by the map/topography analysis unit 61 as expected road networks. Alternatively, routes suitable for forest roads and work roads extracted by the map/topography analysis unit 61 are displayed on the business operator terminal 15 via the interface 13 and the network 14, and the business operator formulates a road network development plan based on the routes and forest roads. It may be configured so that it can be input to the management system 10 .

The map/terrain analysis unit 61 can be implemented with reference to, for example, a road network route design device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-201936. As explained in "Collection and data processing of terrain information including standing tree information and work roads" in Embodiment 1, in addition to map contour line information, the forest can be viewed not only from the sky but also from multiple angles including inside the forest. It is possible to extract more accurate terrain information from a three-dimensional model synthesized from captured images. When generating such topographical information, not only high-precision contour lines, but also detailed information such as huge rocks, fallen trees, streams and streams that appear when it rains, etc. The map/terrain analysis unit 61 can be configured with higher accuracy. This is because these detailed information are extremely important factors for estimating the maintenance cost when the road is maintained as a working road.

[Embodiment 3] Commemorative Tree Project FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration example of a forest management system 10 suitable for operating a project that uses the planted standing trees as memorial trees after the forest has been cleared.

In the forest management system 10, the tree information 4 of the forest database 1 is configured to include identification information (ID) 7 for each standing tree, location information (coordinates) 8 and attribute information 9 of the standing tree. The user information 5 associates the user with the identification information of the standing tree contracted by the user. In this embodiment, the added-value information 2 includes user-specific information 53 associated with each tree identification information, and the access management unit 3 corresponds to the tree associated with the user, Permission is granted to write information specific to the user as added value information 2. As a result, it is possible to realize a forest management system that can provide high added value in a business that invests in forest standing trees as memorial trees or the like.

In this embodiment, for example, as the value-added information 2, a tree history database 52 that holds a photograph of each tree at each age and a record of growth, and information specific to each user, such as birth, shichi-go-san, entrance A user-specific database 53 is provided for recording and storing commemorative photographs and documents at the time of graduation, etc. The user can not only view the growth of the invested target standing tree at any time, but also write and read the growth record of himself or his family through the forest database in association with the growth process. High added value can be provided in the business of operating standing trees as memorial trees.

In the forest management system 10 of the present embodiment, the forest database 1, in addition to user-specific information, allows a third party to access the specific information (for example, a commemorative photo stored in the user-specific database 53). Configuring permissions (e.g., viewing permissions for relatives and friends) to further hold individual access control information (not shown in FIG. 3, etc.) that can be defined by the user in question. can be done. The access management unit 3, when there is a request for access to the specific information (for example, a request to see a commemorative photo) from a person other than the user (the above-mentioned third party, such as relatives and friends), the user Access can be permitted based on the set individual access authority management information.

As a result, it is possible to realize a forest management system that can provide a higher added value in a business that invests in forest standing trees as memorial trees or the like. For example, an investor can develop a business that uses standing trees growing in the invested forest as memorial trees. In a more detailed example, a user purchases a tree as a graduation commemorative tree in a business operated by an investor, and associates it with the tree so that graduates can browse commemorative photos and graduation albums of graduation. It is possible to develop a business such as recording the recent situation that is received along with the growth of the tree and disclosing it to graduates, their families, and friends.

In particular, this memorial tree project should be offered to the business operator as an investment target for clear-cut parcels in the forest. At the time of clearcutting, there was a problem in raising the cost of planting trees, but by providing high added value, business operators can expect high profits, making it easier to attract investment for tree planting. becomes. Furthermore, if trees can be planted all at once after clear-cutting, the age of the trees in the section will be uniform, and operation as a memorial tree can be helped.

[Embodiment 4] Tree burial business Fig. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration example of a forest management system for operating the planted trees as a cemetery for tree burial after the forest has been cleared.

In the forest management system 10, the tree information 4 of the forest database 1 is configured to include identification information (ID) 7 for each standing tree, location information (coordinates) 8 and attribute information 9 of the standing tree. The user information 5 associates the user with the identification information of the standing tree contracted by the user. As in the third embodiment, the user information of the forest database 1 is information that associates the user with the identification information of the tree contracted by the user. It is configured so that the person 5-2 can be included.

The forest database 1 can hold upper access authority information 6-1 that defines access rights of upper users and lower access authority information 6-2 that defines access rights of lower users. The unit 3 permits access based on the upper access authority information 6-1 when there is an access request from the upper user, and based on the lower access authority information 6-2 when there is an access request from the lower user. do.

Thereby, users can be hierarchized. For example, a high-level user creates added value by investing in multiple standing trees and manages and operates them, and makes the low-level users use and sell the created added value as the added value of individual standing trees. be able to. In order to provide added value, high-ranking users add and provide added-value information as needed, and low-ranking users enjoy added value by accessing the added-value information. Although the case of two layers, upper and lower layers, has been described, multiple layers of three layers or more may be used.

More specifically, the forest management system 10 of Embodiment 4 can be applied to a tree burial graveyard business as an example. As shown in FIG. 4, the added value information 2 is provided with an upper user database 53-1 and a lower user database 53-2. The upper user database 53-1 stores management plans and results of graveyards, as well as the plans and results of legal requirements. , date of death, posthumous posthumous name, and portrait of the deceased are preserved. The cemetery manager of the tree funeral becomes a high-level user and adds the management performance of the cemetery and the plan and performance of the memorial service to the value-added information, and the bereaved family who buries the deceased becomes a low-level user and adds that value-added information. The management performance of the cemetery and the memorial service plan and performance obtained by accessing the cemetery will be the added value that the bereaved families who are the lower users can enjoy. The forest management system should be configured so that the bereaved family, who are sub-users, can save the unique information of the deceased (e.g., date of death, posthumous name, portrait of the deceased) as unique value-added information and view and update it freely at any time. If so, this is also an added value that lower-level users can enjoy.

As in the fourth embodiment, it may be configured such that a lower-level user can grant access authority to a third party. Family members can grant access to relatives and friends of the deceased, allowing them to visit graves online.

[Embodiment 5] Project focused on protection of the natural environment Fig. 5 shows an example of the configuration of a forest management system for managing forests for the purpose of conserving the natural environment and for operating forest ecological research as an investment target. It is an explanatory view showing .

In the forest management system 10, the forest database 1 includes, as tree information 4, identification information (identifier) 7 of a predetermined area, location information 8 and attribute information 9 of the area, identification information 7 of the standing tree and location information of the standing tree. 8 and the attribute information 9 can be mixedly held. The positional information 8 of the area includes, for example, the boundary line, and the attribute information 9 includes, for example, the area of the area, the type of growing trees, coniferous forest, broadleaf forest, and beech forest.

As a result, it is possible to invest not only in individual trees but also in units of areas such as specific plots. The added-value information that can be obtained includes, for example, images such as aerial photographs of the area, live images of the area, the distribution of flora and fauna in the area, and the results of biomass power generation using thinned wood obtained from the area. Investors who are users can contribute to the forest management and nature conservation of the area by investing.

By combining area-based management and tree-by-tree management, we can invest in a certain area of forest and develop a business that creates added value in that forest, and we can subdivide or subdivide the tree within that area. It can be sold in small area units. As described in Embodiment 4, a user hierarchy is applied, and business operators who have invested in a certain area of forest are treated as top users (investors), and those who have invested in resold standing trees or small areas. are positioned as lower-level users (investors) and given access rights to value-added information to each of them. For example, top users may benefit from naming rights to forests in that area, rights to name or own hiking trails in the area, or reselling them as _CO2 emissions credits. On the other hand, the lower-level users who have purchased the naming rights, etc., can publish the images of the forests, etc., and use their contribution to environmental conservation for advertising.

As another more specific example, the forest management system 10 of the present embodiment can be used to develop projects that support natural environment protection using forests and ecological research on wildlife.

In the forest management system 10, the forest database 1 includes researcher information 5 that identifies a researcher linked to the tree information as investor information 2, and research that defines an access right to write the research results as added value information 2. It is configured so that the user access authority information 6 can be held. The investor information 2 of the forest database 1 is configured so that individuals and groups investing in or supporting research can be registered as users for the same forest area or for individual standing trees growing in that area. You may

Alternatively, as in the fourth embodiment, user hierarchy may be applied. A researcher who conducts such research is positioned as a high-ranking user in the forest system 10, and a user who invests in or supports the research is positioned as a low-ranking user. The lower-level user's access authority information can include the authority to browse the research results stored as the value-added information 2 .

The added-value information 2 includes, in addition to the added-value information described in other embodiments, such as the nature/managed environment database 50 and the standing tree history database 52, for example, the distribution of animals and plants growing in the forest and the activity of animals. It is preferable to include an activity record database 54 that stores history, photo collections of animals and plants, and the like. A researcher terminal 18 is a terminal used by a researcher who conducts this research. The field terminal 19 is a terminal installed in the forest, and can be equipped with, for example, a live camera 41 and an environment sensor 43, and can be accessed and controlled by the researcher from the researcher terminal 18. FIG.

When receiving an access request from the researcher terminal 18, the access management unit 3 compares the researcher who issued the access request with the researcher information in the forest database 1, and sends the research result to the researcher as the added value information 2. When writing is permitted and an access request is received from the user terminal 16, the user who issued the access request is collated with the user information of the forest database 1, and the corresponding access authority information 6 indicates that the research results can be browsed. When the authority is included, the user is permitted to browse the research results in the activity record database 54 .

As a result, it is possible to realize a forest management system that can provide high added value in projects that support natural environment protection and wildlife ecological research using forests. For example, if the user invests in or supports forests and additionally invests in or supports ecological research on wildlife, the user can view the results of that research. In this way, the forest management system of the present invention can contribute to establishment of value-added businesses.

[Embodiment 6] Additional embodiments common to various embodiments (business forms) Various embodiments including Embodiments 2 to 5 described above, that is, various business forms based on forest trusts include: Optionally, in embodiments such as those described below, the forest management system 10 of the present invention may be configured to provide further added value.

[Provision of physical access information (route guidance) to the site]
The forest management system 10 of the present invention can be configured to provide physical access information (directions) to the site.

In the forest management system 10, the value-added information 2 is configured to include physical access information including route guide information to the area contracted by the user or to the area containing the contracted trees. Here, physical access information is guide information for actually going to the site, such as a map that guides directions from the nearest station, bus stop, accommodation facility, interchange, etc. information is included. In order to include such physical access information in the value-added information 2 and provide it, for example, it is included in the map/terrain information 55, or separately, wide-area maps, roads, and transportation information are naturally managed. It is preferable to save it in the environmental database 50 .

When the access management unit 3 receives an access request from a user, etc., the access management unit 3 collates the person who issued the access request with the user information of the forest database 1, and based on the corresponding access authority information Allow viewing of physical access information.

As a result, users such as investors who have invested in forests and trees growing in those forests can provide value-added information that helps physical access when they actually visit their contracted forests and trees. .

Here, if the physical access information is limited to general access guidance, it is not always necessary to limit the access authority to related parties such as users. Arrangements may be made to provide such general physical access information. On the other hand, when there is an access request from a related party such as a user, in addition to general access guidance, information on events held locally, information on the best time to see autumn leaves, information on flowering if flowers are blooming, information on animals ecological information (running of fish, arrival of migratory birds) and the like may be additionally provided. Information on events held locally includes information suitable for individual users, such as events for all people, alumni reunions in the memorial tree project in Embodiment 3, and joint memorial services in the tree funeral project in Embodiment 4. It is more preferable to configure the forest management system 10 so as to be able to provide users with useful information according to each type of business.

[Information provision when a person carrying a terminal with GPS function is active in the field]
A business model that assumes that users visit their contracted areas or areas that contain contracted trees and work in the surrounding forests will provide added value to their investment in forests and stabilize the business. Beneficial. In order to realize such a business model, the forest management system 10 of the present invention should be configured as follows, assuming that the user terminal 16 is equipped with a GPS 42 .

The user terminal 16 can use its own location information and is connected to the forest management system 10 when operating in the forest managed by the forest management system 10 . For example, a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) or Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication network is established in the forest to enable communication with the user terminal 16 . Also, it may be configured to enable communication via a public wireless network such as a mobile phone.

The forest database 1 of the forest management system 10 further holds local access authority information that is additionally permitted when the user terminal 16 is within a predetermined area, and the access management unit 3 receives an access request from the user. When receiving the request, refer to the location information of the user terminal 16 that issued the access request, and if the user terminal is within the predetermined area recorded in the forest database 1, the corresponding normal access authority Based on the local access authorization information defined in addition to the information, the user is authorized to view the value added information.

As a result, when a user who has invested in a forest or a standing tree growing in the forest actually visits the contracted forest or standing tree and engages in activities within the forest, it will be possible to add value to the surrounding area based on the location within the forest. can provide information. That is, more value-added information with higher value is provided when the user actually visits the forest and is active than when the user accesses the forest management system 10 from home. can be configured to For example, when a user visits a contracted tree, the history of the tree's growth and information about wild birds nesting in the tree are displayed on the user terminal 16. It may be configured such that when a plant is photographed, its name, features, etc. are superimposed on the photographed image.

Such a function can be applied to, for example, a forest management system assuming a business before clear-cutting as in the first embodiment, and a forest management system assuming a business starting from tree planting after clear-cutting as in the second and third embodiments. It is also effective for the fifth embodiment, which is considered to be particularly effective for the business that focuses on the protection of the natural environment.

[Embodiment 7] Outdoor activity support business In Embodiments 2 to 5, by appropriately adding various forms such as those shown in Embodiment 6 to the basic configuration of Embodiment 1, it can be applied to various businesses. explained. By further combining and adding various forms such as those shown in Embodiment 6, it is possible to provide users with experience-based services as added value. As a result, the forest management system of the present invention can It can be used for various business operations such as the operation of adventure educational facilities and recreational facilities that mainly focus on outdoor activities.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration example of a forest management system 10 that is suitable for running a business that supports outdoor activities in forests. The forest management system 10 is configured such that an application program 59 is stored in the storage device 11 in addition to the forest database 1, and the application execution section 62 of the information processing section 12 can execute the program.

In a forest management system 10, a forest database 1 holds, as tree information 4, identification information (identifier) 7 of a predetermined area, position information 8 and attribute information 9 of the area. Furthermore, the identification information of the standing tree and the positional information and attribute information of the standing tree may be stored together. As a result, a business operator (administrator), who is a type of user of the forest management system 10, can be permitted to operate a business using forests in units of areas such as fixed sections. The business at this time is, for example, a business of providing the area in question to general users as a place for outdoor activities.

When receiving an access request from a user (general user), the access management unit 3 compares the user who issued the access request with the user information 5-2, and stores the corresponding access authority information 6-2. Based on this, the user can be permitted to use the predetermined application program 59 . As a result, it is possible to provide users with the added value of using application programs in a business that utilizes forests. At this time, the operator (administrator) is given the authority to manage the application program as access authority information 6-1. Management in this case means version upgrades for correcting defects in application programs, additions and updates of data used by application programs, and the like.

FIG. 8 shows that the application program 59 is stored in the storage device 11 of the forest management system 10 and executed by the application execution unit 62 of the information processing unit 12. It may be configured to be stored in another computer connected via and executed by that computer. At that time, the access authority information 6-1 and 6-2 include various information for using the computer to be accessed and the application program 59. FIG. Here, the application program 59 can be used in various forms, such as downloading the program to the user terminal 16, installing it, and running it, or running the application program 59 on another computer from the user terminal 16. included.

When general users who participate in the outdoor activity support project of this implementation mobile phone are active locally, as described above in "Information provision when a person carrying a terminal with GPS function is active locally", the user terminal 16 is equipped with a GPS function so as to be able to provide services using the user's location information.

In the forest management system 10 , the user terminal 16 may be configured to be able to use its own location information when operating within the forest managed by the forest management system 10 . Although an example in which the user terminal 16 is equipped with a GPS function has been shown, the method of specifying and using position information is arbitrary. For example, short-range wireless communication antennas may be placed as landmarks in a forest, and the position of the user terminal may be specified based on which antenna can be communicated with.

A user terminal 16 enabled to use its own location information can be connected to the forest management system 10, and the forest database 1 is additionally permitted when the user terminal 16 is within a predetermined area. It also retains local access authority information. When receiving an access request from a user, the access management unit 3 refers to the location information of the user terminal 16 that issued the request, and if the user terminal is within a predetermined area, it responds. Based on the local access authority information in addition to the access authority information, the user is permitted to use a predetermined application program. As a result, in a forest utilization business, it is possible to provide an application program with a particularly high added value to users who are active within a predetermined area of the managed forest.

For example, when a general user who participates in an outdoor activity support project carries a terminal with a GPS function and is active in the field, an application program corresponding to the position can be activated and used. More specifically, we provide an application program that gives users who are doing fieldwork information on animals and plants that grow in various places, and makes them observe and report on the animals and plants on the spot. can do.

In the forest management system 10 of the present embodiment, when an access request is received from a user, the access authority granted to the user by the access management unit 3 includes information on other user terminals within the same area. More preferably, it is configured to include replacement. For example, it is possible to divide users into groups and enable group work in which a plurality of users belonging to each group work on a common problem while exchanging information.

As a result, in a forest-utilizing business, it is possible to enable mutual communication between users who are active within a predetermined area of the forest under management, and increase the added value of the application program to be provided.

Although the invention made by the present inventor has been specifically described based on the embodiments, the present invention is not limited thereto, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. For example, individual inventive concepts adopted in each embodiment can be arbitrarily combined with other embodiments. In other words, the investment climate database 51 can, of course, serve as value-added information useful for the natural environment conservation and ecological research projects of the fifth embodiment. It can be value-added information that is welcomed by users. In addition, addition of the administrator's ID and access authority to the forest database, hierarchization of users, and the like can be appropriately combined as necessary. Furthermore, it may be configured such that one forest management system can be shared by a plurality of different businesses that run a plurality of different businesses.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION This invention can be suitably utilized for the forest management system which can provide the high added value for producing high profit in the business using a forest.

1 Forest database 2 Added value information 3 Access control unit 4 Tree information 5, 5-1, 5-2 User identification information 6, 6-1, 6-2 User access authority information 7 Area or standing tree identification information 8 Location information of area or standing tree (coordinates (latitude/longitude))
9 Area or Tree Attribute Information 10 Forest Management System 11 Storage Device 12 Information Processing Unit 13 Interface 14 Network 15 Operator Terminal 16 User Terminal 17 Administrator Terminal 18 Researcher Terminal 19 Local Terminal 25 Administrator Identification Information 26 Administrator access authority information of 35 researcher's identification information 36 researcher's access authority information 41 camera 42 GPS
43 sensor 44 drone 45 administrator 50 nature/management environment database 51 investment environment database 52 standing tree history database 53 investor-specific database 54 activity record database 55 terrain information 56 work road information 58 application program 60 value-added information generation unit 61 map/ Terrain analysis unit 62 Application execution unit 90 Map 91 Work road 92 Mountain stream

Claims (17)

A forest management system implemented as software in a computer having a storage device and capable of communicating with a plurality of terminals via a network,
A forest database held in the storage device, an interface for enabling communication with one or more user terminals via the network, and an access management unit,
The forest database holds at least tree information, user information that identifies a user linked to the tree information, and access authority information that defines the user's access authority to value-added information,
The access management unit, when receiving an access request from the user terminal, compares the user who issued the access request with the user information, and grants the access authority to the user according to the corresponding access authority information. grant,
The tree information includes identification information of the standing tree, positional information and attribute information of the standing tree ,
The forest database holds investors and/ or investment candidates as the user information , and when the user is an investor, the user information identifies the user and the trees invested by the user. It is information that associates information, and when the user is an investment candidate, information that associates the user with the identification information of the tree that the user is considering investing in, and the corresponding investor and / or the access rights granted to prospective investors, respectively,
The value-added information further includes terrain information of the forest in which the trees grow and work road information,
When receiving an access request from an investment candidate, the access management unit collates the investor or investment candidate who issued the access request with the user information, and based on the corresponding access authority information, the investment candidate allow the person or the investment candidate to view the location information, the attribute information, the terrain information and the work road information;
The forest database can hold, as user information, one or more investors and/or one or more investment candidates in one piece of tree information, and access authority information corresponding to each,
The forest management system further comprises a map/terrain analysis unit,
The map/topography analysis unit can analyze the topography information, extract a route that can be maintained as a work road in the future, and add it to the value-added information as a road network development plan,
When receiving an access request from an investor or an investment candidate, the access management unit collates the investor or investment candidate who issued the access request with the user information, and based on the corresponding access authority information , permit the investor or the investment candidate to view the road network development plan;
forest management system. In claim 1,
The tree information includes identification information of a standing tree, position information of the standing tree, and attribute information;
The user information is information that associates the user with the identification information of the standing tree contracted by the user,
The value-added information includes user-specific information associated with each tree identification information,
The access management unit instructs the user to add information specific to the user to the added value information in correspondence with the tree of identification information associated with the user by the user information. To give permission,
forest management system. In claim 1,
In addition to user-specific information, the forest database can further hold individual access authority management information that allows the user to define third party access authority to the specific information,
The access management unit permits access based on the individual access authority management information when there is an access request to the unique information from a person other than the user.
forest management system. In claim 1,
The tree information includes identification information of a standing tree, position information of the standing tree, and attribute information;
The user information is information that associates the user with the identification information of the tree contracted by the user, and includes upper users and lower users,
The forest database can hold upper access authority information defining access rights of the upper user and lower access authority information defining access rights of the lower user,
The access management unit permits access based on the upper-level access authority information when an access request is received from a higher-level user, and allows access based on the lower-level access authority information when an access request is received from a lower-level user. Allow access based on,
forest management system. In claim 1,
The tree information includes identification information of a predetermined area, position information and attribute information of the area, identification information of the standing tree, position information and attribute information of the standing tree,
When receiving an access request from a user, the access management unit collates the user who issued the access request with the user information, and gives the user access to the area based on the corresponding access authority information. Permitting viewing of location information and attribute information and the location information and attribute information of the standing tree;
forest management system. In claim 5,
The value-added information includes physical access information including guidance information to the predetermined area,
When receiving an access request from a user, the access management unit collates the user who issued the access request with the user information, and based on the corresponding access authority information, gives the user the physical access request. allow viewing of access information,
forest management system. In claim 5,
The user terminal can use its own location information and connect to the forest management system when operating in the forest managed by the forest management system,
The forest database further holds local access authority information that is additionally permitted when the user terminal is within the predetermined area,
When receiving an access request from a user, the access management unit refers to the location information of the user terminal that has issued the access request and, if the user terminal is within the predetermined area, responds. allowing the user to access value-added information based on said local access authority information in addition to said access authority information;
forest management system. 6. In claim 5, the interface is enabled to communicate with one or more researcher terminals via the network,
The forest database includes, as the user information, researcher information that identifies a researcher linked to the tree information, and researcher access authority that defines an access right to write research results of the researcher as the value-added information. information can be retained,
the user's access authority information may include authority to view the research results;
The access management unit, when receiving an access request from the researcher terminal, compares the researcher who issued the access request with the researcher information, and writes research results to the researcher as the value-added information. allow,
When receiving an access request from the user terminal, the access management unit compares the user who issued the access request with the user information, and the corresponding access authority information includes the authority to view the research results. sometimes allow the user to view the results of the research;
forest management system. In claim 8,
The user terminal can use its own location information and connect to the forest management system when operating in the forest managed by the forest management system,
The forest database further holds local access authority information that is additionally permitted when the user terminal is within the predetermined area,
When receiving an access request from a user, the access management unit refers to the location information of the user terminal that has issued the access request and, if the user terminal is within the predetermined area, responds. authorizing the user to view the research results based on the local access information in addition to the access information;
forest management system. In claim 1,
the tree information includes identification information of a predetermined area and position information and attribute information of the area;
When receiving an access request from a user, the access management unit checks the user who has issued the access request with the user information, and based on the corresponding access authority information, provides the user with a predetermined application. allow the use of the program;
forest management system. In claim 10,
The user terminal can use its own location information and connect to the forest management system when operating in the forest managed by the forest management system,
The forest database further holds local access authority information that is additionally permitted when the user terminal is within the predetermined area,
When receiving an access request from a user, the access management unit refers to the location information of the user terminal that issued the access request, and if the user terminal is within the predetermined area, responds. Permitting the user to use a predetermined application program based on the local access authority information in addition to the access authority information;
forest management system. In claim 11,
When an access request is received from a user, the access control unit grants the same access authority to the user based on the local access authority information when the user terminal is within the predetermined area. including exchanging information with other user terminals within its territory;
forest management system. In claim 1,
The forest database further holds administrator information that identifies an administrator linked to the tree information, and administrator access authority information that defines access rights for the administrator to update value-added information. ,
When receiving an access request from an administrator terminal, the access management unit compares the administrator who issued the access request with the administrator information, and permits the administrator to update the corresponding value-added information.
forest management system. In claim 13,
The manager terminal can use its own location information and connect to the forest management system when operating in the forest managed by the forest management system,
The access management unit, when receiving an access request from the administrator terminal, permits access to a management plan for surrounding trees based on the location information of the administrator terminal itself.
forest management system. In claim 1,
The position information and attribute information of the standing trees are extracted from an image of the forest taken from above,
forest management system. In claim 1,
The position information and attribute information of the standing trees are extracted from a three-dimensional model obtained by synthesizing images taken from multiple angles, including an image of the forest taken from above.
forest management system. In claim 1,
The terrain information and the work road information are extracted from a three-dimensional model obtained by synthesizing images taken from multiple angles, including an image of the forest taken from above.
forest management system.

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