Designing a Sustainable Forest Information System: A GIS-AHP Model for Policy-Constrained Decision Support and Information Management

Abstract

In recent years, the occurrence of forest fires has increased across many regions of the world, creating significant risks for biodiversity and intensifying global concern regarding the conservation and sustainable utilisation of forest resources. In response to these challenges, this study develops a forest resource sustainability assessment system that operates within a geographic information system framework. The system is constructed, implemented and subsequently evaluated to determine its effectiveness. Building on this foundation, the study examines the degree of policy convergence associated with sustainable forest information systems and puts forward recommendations for improving budget performance management. The principal findings are summarised as follows. (1) The relative weights assigned to schemes C1, C2, C3 and C4 are 0.205, 0.267, 0.309 and 0.220, respectively. Among these, Scheme C exhibits the highest relative weight, indicating that it represents the most suitable alternative. (2) The Forestry Bureau’s management planning process is highly intricate because it incorporates ecological, economic and social dimensions of forest benefits. Each plan reflects a different prioritisation of these three categories of benefits. (3) All four evaluated schemes satisfy the requirements of the consistency test. The optimal scheme is characterised by its emphasis on economic benefits, supported by ecological and social considerations. (4) The division of policy convergence into two causal forms, namely obedience and acceptance, offers a direct explanation for convergence patterns within forestry-related budget performance management. The underlying factors contributing to such convergence are examined through established analytical approaches and game theory.