Virtual forest stand as a component of sophisticated forestry educational systems

Abstract

The paper presents the methodology of virtual stand generation. Virtual stand serves for forestry e-learning as a tool for training of forest tending and demonstration of stand structure and some forest mensuration practices. The model can be connected with growth simulator and geographical information system, or integrated into the Internet environment. In the first part of the paper, the methodology of individual tree visualisation, total stand visualisation, terrain and stand environment visualisation and the principle of user's interaction with virtual forest are proposed. The Virtual Reality Model Language (VRML 97) was used for these goals. In the second part of the paper, an example of model usage for the training of forest tending is presented.