ApkFor©, an android open-source project for research and technology transfer in forest management

Abstract

Aim of the study: To introduce and describe ApkFor©, an Android Open-Source Project to generate basic mobile applications to transfer forest growth and yield models for even-aged stands. Material and methods: ApkFor© was developed in Android Studio using Java and XML languages integrating transition functions for dominant height and basal area, equations of tree and stand volume and structural models. The project was applied and validated for Pinus pinaster Ait. stands in Northeastern Portugal. Main results: ApkFor© is an Open-Source project freely available from the Source Force repository: https://sourceforge.net/projects/apkfor/, licensed under the GNU General Public License version 3.0 (GPLv3). Research highlights: This project has been designed and created to provide the code and promote its re-use and modification to develop simple growth and yield mobile applications in Android, and with it to transfer research results of forest modelling to forest managers. Moreover, an example of application of the compiled code is provided using the models of Pinus pinaster Ait. previously validated for the Northeastern Region of Portugal.