1. General Model Information
Name: NorthPro
Acronym: NORTHPRO
Main medium: all
Main subject: forestry
Organization level: Landscape, Ecosystem
Type of model: Matrix Growth Model, Markov chain, other
Main application: simulation/optimisation tool, decision support/expert system, research
Keywords: Northern Hardwoods, Uneven-aged Management, Economics, Growth model, Diversity
Contact:
Jingjing Liang
Room A141, Russell Lab, 1630 Linden Drive,
Madison, WI 53706
Phone: 608-263-5574
Fax: (608) 262-9922
email: jliang2@wisc.edu
Homepage: http://www.forestmodel.com
Author(s):
Jingjing Liang, Joseph Buongiorno, Audra Kolbe and Benedict Schulte
Abstract:
NorthPro is a Microsoft Excel add-in program to simulate the growth and management of uneven-aged northern hardwood stands of the maple-beech-birch type in Wisconsin or Michigan. Its built-in growth models were calibrated from 623 uneven-aged plots in Wisconsin and 1,259 plots in Michigan. Stands are described by the number of trees per unit area in each of 12 size classes in the following species groups: shade-tolerant, mid-tolerant, and shade-intolerant species.
NorthPro allows managers to predict stand development by year and for many decades from a specific initial state. Users can choose cutting regimes by specifying the interval between harvests (cutting cycle) and a target distribution of trees remaining after harvest. A target distribution can be a BDq distribution or any other desired distribution. Diameter-limit cuts can also be simulated. Tabulated and graphic results show diameter distributions, basal area, volumes, income, net present value, and indices of stand diversity by species and size.
This manual documents the program installation and activation, provides suggestions for working with Excel, and gives background information on NorthPro’s growth model. It offers a comprehensive tutorial, in the form of two practical examples, that explains how to start the program, enter simulation data, execute a simulation, compare simulations, and plot summary statistics.
II. Technical Information
II.1 Executables:
Operating System(s): WIN 98-XP
ForestModel.com -- NorthPro (free download)
II.2 Source-code:
Programming Language(s): VBA (Visual Basic for Applications), Excel
contact Authors
II.3 Manuals:
NorthPro : A Spreadsheet Program for the Management of Uneven-aged Northern Hardwood Stands
ForestModel.com -- NorthPro (WORD doc)
II.4 Data:
see II.1
III. Mathematical Information
III.1 Mathematics
see NorthPro Manual
III.2 Quantities
III.2.1 Input
see NorthPro Manual and
ForestModel.com -- NorthPro, examples
III.2.2 Output
see NorthPro Manual
IV. References
see NorthPro Manual
V. Further information in the World-Wide-Web
VI. Additional remarks
Last review of this document by: : Mon Dec 8 22:13:26 2003
Status of the document: Contributed by Jingjing Liang
last modified by
Joachim Benz Fri Dec 12 18:36:40 CET 2003