An Indonesian timber plantation has brought in tracking software to help it ensure that its tropical hardwood resources are harvested and processed sustainably.
The Perum Perhutani plantation, which is advised by the Tropical Forest Trust, is using the TracElite program, developed by software firms Sybase iAnywhere and Helveta, to track timber across its land from the forest floor to the timber yard.
Using bar codes, data capture and mobile synchronisation technology, Perum Perhutani claims that TracElite allows it to provide the “best tropical forest management”.
“It allows us to provide a superior product and achieve our ambition of operating the best tropical forest management in the world,” said Transtoto Handadhari, executive director of the plantation.
The automated system is capable of flagging up issues with auditors who can access the information anywhere in the world, allowing them to draw attention to potential illegal logging and challenge the supply chain 24 hours a day.
Perum Perhutani, which is gearing up to apply for FSC certification, is operating TracElite at two trial sites, with plans in place to roll out the system to 55 other locations.
