Artificial intelligence (AI) has become increasingly important in this process and is now implemented at multiple levels of Swedish forest management. This recent technological development is changing how forestry is conducted in Sweden and around the world. A key area in forestry is spatial planning where AI can be used for precision forestry management by creating detailed maps of biodiversity, tree species, and wet areas. Managers and decision-makers are increasingly relying on these AI tools. However, forest management in Sweden has a long tradition of being softly regulated under the so-called “freedom with responsibility” where the implementation of policies and consideration of different values is highly dependent on the forest sector itself. Since management decisions impact both forest production and forest ecosystems, they also fundamentally affect planning for cultural and recreational values in the forest landscape. The aim of this project is to develop an interdisciplinary research group that unites the natural science and social science aspects of AI in multiple-use forestry, to provide ethically and socially acceptable AI.

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Principal Investigator(s)