Meeting the Needs of Forest Managers ForNet delivers natural resources databases to forest managers via the Internet. ForNet benefits everyone by helping forest managers answer a challenging question:
How do we meet the needs of a developed economy while maintaining the ecosystems on which that economy depends? An example: A modern American city, in part because of its proximity to the Great Outdoors, is attracting scores of new residents. Local businesses are booming. Property values are rising. And massive development and construction are underway. It's good news for all...even the surrounding forests. WHAT?! HOW?! By using Internet technology, ForNet helps forest managers contribute to (by locating usable timber and land, for instance) and sensibly manage (by closely monitoring ecosystems) urban growth. ForNet is a partnership involving the University of Minnesota, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MN-DNR) - Division of Forestry, and NASA.	ForNet data and imagery are useful in managing destructive and productive forest processes. Photo credit: Rob Ferguson