Context

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have the potential to enhance the EU forest sector. However, their current use is limited to well-established timber markets. Along with the absence of traceability tools, this results in data losses and facilitates illegal practices. The EU-funded SINTETIC project aims to establish an ICT-based traceability system for trees, logs and boards that spans the entire forest-based value chain. The project's objectives include a 10 % increase in the recovery of valuable timber assortments, enhanced efficiency within the timber supply chain, a rise in the yield of high-quality sawnwood products from 20 % to 22 %, and a 15 % reduction in illegal logging and associated timber trade. Furthermore, SINTETIC seeks to promote the widespread adoption of ICTs in the forest sector.

Objectives

The core objective of SINTETIC is to set up and demonstrate a traceability system for trees, logs and boards based on ICT through a central Geodatabase covering all the forest-based value chain.
This faces the 3 main drawbacks of the ICTs in the forestry sector:
-Deployed only in areas with mature timber market (North/Central EU vs. South EU).
-Currently cannot be used during the whole value chain, causing several losses.
-A reliable tool for tracing the origin of forest product is missing, still allowing illegal practices.
Along with the specific objective, the SINTETIC proposal will pursuit:
SOBJ1: To achieve a higher value recovery of timber assortments (+10%).
SOBJ2: To increase the overall efficiency of the timber supply chain.
SOBJ3: To provide a greater competitive advantage of the EU forest industry (yield of high value sawnwood products from 20% to 22%).
SOBJ4: To increase of the EU forested area under active management (aggregation of 12.000 ha fragmented properties).
SOBJ5: To increase both the timber value, the resilience and the ecosystem services provided.
SOBJ6: To tackle illegal logging and the related timber trade (-15%).
SOBJ7: To facilitate a homogeneous and widespread uptake of the ICTs in the forest sector.
The main expected results are:
RES1: Manual marking and quality assessment (traceability system).
RES2: Smartphone APP for motormanual operations.
RES3: Processor head prototype.
RES4: Harvester LiDAR.
RES5: Sawmill sensors and traceability of sawnwood.
RES6: Earth observation illegal logging alert service.
RES7: Forest ownership aggregation platform.
To make all this possible, SINTETIC will develop a geodatabase with a set of data providers interconnected by the traceability system. It'll provide:
1) Multi-platform data acquisition for the whole supply chain.
2) Data transmission with sesecured digital tools and physical IDs on timber products.
3) Data storage, analysis and distribution for the generation of further services.

Activities

The Sintetic Project is dedicated to enhancing the protection and production of European forests through the integration of digital technologies and traceability systems. Its primary goal is to establish and demonstrate a comprehensive traceability system for trees, logs, and boards by leveraging Information and Communications Technology (ICT) innovations.

Key Activities of the Sintetic Project:

1. System Requirements Definition:
   
   • Develop comprehensive system requirements that address the needs of various users, focusing on data management and interface specifications.
2. Marking and Tracking System Development:
   • Create a robust system for marking and tracking trees and timber products throughout the supply chain, ensuring transparency and authenticity.
3. Mobile Application Development:
   • Develop a smartphone application designed for measuring, grading, and tracking timber, facilitating efficient field data collection and management.
4. Forest Harvester Prototype Creation:
   • Prototype a forest harvester equipped with tracking functionalities and quality sensors, aiming to enhance operational efficiency and data accuracy in timber harvesting.

These activities are structured across various work packages, each targeting specific objectives to achieve the project's goal of modernizing forest value chain management through digital solutions.

Several demonstrations with the manual and mechanical system will be done to show and disseminate the project's results to maximize its outreach.

For more detailed information on each activity and the project's progress, you can visit the official Sintetic Project website: https://sinteticproject.eu/