In May 2022, LandVest adopted Stratus, a SaaS forest management solution from Lim Geomatics, to address a range of challenges related to data collection, storage, and maintenance. They found Stratus more configurable and user-friendly than its competitors, and were impressed by the Lim Geomatics team’s responsiveness and industry knowledge. The onboarding process, a collaborative (and often fun!) effort, wrapped up in May 2023. LandVest is already seeing the benefits, including decreased risk, costs saved, and increased organization and productivity.
LandVest is an American real estate advisory firm described by its Vice President of Forest Resources Division, Steve Hawkes, as “the country’s premier broker of industrial timberland.” Its Forest Resources division markets large tracts across the United States and manages forest land for clients across New England, the mid-Atlantic region and West Coast. This division employs about 65 forestry staff, including GIS professionals, surveyors, and analysts.
Before adopting Stratus, LandVest faced a range of data management challenges:
Disorganization. Different foresters were using different solutions and methods to compile and access information–from paper maps to various apps and programs. Similarly, information storage among office staff ranged from homemade databases to file cabinets to “It’s all in my head.” While the information a staff member needed could sometimes be tracked down in 30 seconds, other times it took days, and there were times when it couldn’t be found at all.
Risk. As the company lacked centralized information storage, an employee’s departure often created a ripple effect of knowledge loss and information gaps that impacted the entire staff.
IT Headaches. Over the years, LandVest had used a variety of organizational software tools and experienced lost time and a lack of control. A request for information or functionality often led to frustrating and time-consuming back-and forth.
Growth Restrictions. With staff dedicating disproportionate time to overcoming organizational inefficiencies, Hawkes says, “we were limited in our growth opportunities.”
Here’s how Stratus is resolving LandVest’s data management challenges:
Centralized Data. Stratus ensures a uniform source of information used by, and accessible to, all forestry staff. Managers can now direct and advise colleagues in the field as effectively as if they were right there with them. Besides replacing multiple databases, Stratus will be integrated with LandVest’s GIS system.
Standardized Workflows and Time Saved. Data collection and organization are now performed in the same way by everyone. To ensure a single, complete data source, LandVest has tied key processes—such as obtaining harvest maps—to the Stratus platform. As information can easily be found in Stratus using filters, the time that used to be spent searching for information is now delivering a much better ROI.
Autonomy and Efficiency. Stratus has virtually eliminated dependence on outside IT support. Smerczynski can handle most forester user requests herself, and the results are “instantly viewable” by the entire team. In addition, forest workers no longer feel the pressure of having to anticipate their future needs to avoid tech-related delays.
Cost Savings. As Stratus is maintained collectively by staff, LandVest’s Forest Resources division will be able to reallocate its data management expenses to more innovative projects, such as modernizing their ArcGIS System infrastructure. “That, in and of itself, offsets the cost of Stratus,” Hawkes says.
Reduced Risk. With Stratus ensuring that information stays with the company, Hawkes no longer worries about the “decades or years of institutional knowledge” that could have been lost with the departure of a long-time employee.
Growth Opportunities. Increased efficiency on the Timberland team means they have the capacity to pursue more projects. Plus, as Hawkes notes, Stratus is “built from a collective of knowledge and experiences from people at Lim Geomatics and all of their other clients,” which means LandVest gains knowledge and ideas from the larger forestry community. “Stratus can do things we didn’t know we could do.” In addition, Stratus allows new grads—many of whom have invested substantial time and costs into building their GIS capabilities—to begin using and sharing that knowledge immediately upon hiring.
Hawkes determined that LandVest needed “a system that made data entry easy and secure, in a place where we could maintain it forever.” A single integrated solution, maintained collectively by staff and backed by responsive service, would improve organization and efficiency across the Forest Resources team.
By December 2021, LandVest had narrowed the choice down to three contenders. When he sent a list of questions to each, Lim Geomatics was the most responsive. Kevin Lim and Alexander Ryerson travelled to Vermont for a meeting that six more Lim Geomatics staff attended virtually. “All of them committed to their portion and their knowledge base,” Hawkes says. “We had no more questions.”
Hawkes presented the three options to a panel of the foresters who would be using the new solution the most. Stratus was their unanimous choice.
LandVest signed a contract with Lim Geomatics in May 2022 and began a phased onboarding in June, with Smerczynski as “point person” and Lim staff frequently visiting in person to assist. Ryerson’s team “approached the onboarding with strict project management protocols, working as a cohesive unit.” This was the beginning of a rewarding business relationship.
Onboarding wrapped up in May 2023, right on schedule. Currently, about 90% of LandVest’s Forest Resources team is actively using Stratus. Usage will reach 100% with the full integration of Prism, LimGeomatics’ digital timber cruising solution, which LandVest adopted in 2023 due to their positive experience with Stratus and the Lim Geomatics team.
"Beyond choosing the right products, you've got to choose the right team. When we were exploring Stratus and its competitors, it was clear to all of us that Lim Geo was the right team to be working with."
"Lim Geomatics has been great to work with. They're super responsive, and to have people who have worked in the woods and understand what we're trying to do is also very helpful in trying to implement the technology that we use."
"Lim Geomatics and LandVest have teamed up to help each other grow with innovation and sustainability."
To learn how Stratus could simplify and centralize forestry operational and tactical planning, GIS, and inventory management at your organization, reach out to Alexander Ryerson at alexander.ryerson@limgeomatics.com or Dr. Kevin Lim at kevin@limgeomatics.com.
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Lim Geomatics is an industry leader in geospatial software solutions. With over a decade of dedicated service, we empower forestry professionals around the globe with cutting-edge technology to optimize, monitor, and manage their forestry operations.
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