What is SIFT?
The Social outcomes through Investment in Forestry Tool (SIFT) is designed to help make decisions about prioritising investment in woodland creation and woodland management for social benefits.
How does it work?
SIFT uses Geographic Information System (GIS) spatial datasets relevant to assessing the social benefits arising from woodland creation or management proposals.
The datasets are given a score according to their relative potential benefit. These are combined and analysed using GIS.
We apply the results to the specific locations in which you are interested. This provides a spatial picture of potential social benefit. The benefits are grouped according to six possible outcomes:
Note that whilst SIFT can inform your decisions it cannot make them for you.
Who can use it?
We are running a pilot trial of SIFT. During the trial period, SIFT will be available for public benefit use by:
- policy makers
- local authorities
- woodland managers and agents.
Note that it should not be used for private commercial gain.
Sample results
From a sample of sites, SIFT could show you the best ones for providing either multiple or specific community benefits.
- Sample SIFT report (PDF 156k) - this provides the scores and ranks for the locations provided for analysis
- Sample location map: large area (PDF 5.3Mb) - this example shows the output from a SIFT analysis of the national forest estate in Scottish Lowlands Forest District
- Sample location map: local area, (PDF 1Mb) - This example shows the output from a SIFT analysis of Blairadam Forest near Kelty in Fife.
How do I use it?
You must supply us with a spatial dataset identifying your candidate sites. This must be a polygon dataset in a recognised GIS format.
Data requirements:
- a polygon dataset (preferably in ESRI shapefile format)
- Please compress your spatial data into a ‘zipfile’ prior to submission.
- the attribute table must contain a 'Name’ field, formatted as text. This will contain the name or unique identifier you have given the candidate sites to be reported on. Note: where a candidate site contains more than one polygon, it is preferable if this is presented as a multipart polygon
- the dataset should be supplied in British National Grid Projection.
When you have everything ready, you can submit it using the SIFT online form.
Go to the SIFT online form
Alternatively you can send your dataset to: CGIS, Forestry Commission Scotland, 231 Corstorphine Road, Edinburgh EH12 7AT. If posting it, please include the following details:
- Project Title
- Chosen outcome (from list of 6 above)
- Customer Name
- Organisation
- Division/Section
- Full address and postcode
Telephone number - Email address
Timescale
We will acknowledge your request within 3 working days of receiving it. We will aim to supply the results to you within 21 working days once we have clarified any queries, however, if we are experiencing a high query workload we cannot guarantee to meet this target.
What happens next?
We may need to contact you to clarify your request. When we are satisfied with the details we will run SIFT and email the results to you. The email will consist of a report with the identified sites ranked by score. We will also send you a map showing the ranked sites.
Please note that where attachments are too large to email, we will return results via post on CD.
Getting Help
If you encounter any problems with SIFT, please contact cgis.scotland@forestry.gsi.gov.uk.
Acknowledgement
Forestry Commission Scotland acknowledges the contribution made by the organisations that provided datasets for use in SIFT.
