For Bogdan Congra, founder of Forest Design, forestry still begins with familiar field tools: corers, prisms, tapes, and professional judgment. But in a complex forest, separate measurements do not always capture the whole setting around a tree, log, or stand. That is the practical gap he wanted to close.
“I think to find a way to be objective is the most important thing in the forest sector.”
Forest Design, a Romanian company founded in 2004, works to turn forest conditions into structured information for decision-making. Bogdan’s goal was not to discard traditional forestry knowledge, but to add a fuller digital record that could be reviewed, measured, and used after fieldwork.
Hear Bogdan explain how that change fits into Forest Design’s work:
Capturing more than separate field measurements
Bogdan describes forests as complex environments where a forester may need more context than individual manual readings can provide. A portable 3D scanner records the shape of the surroundings while the operator moves, creating a detailed digital picture of what was present during the visit.
“The 3D scanners from the FJD Trion family offer the real advantage to put the reality into the objective.”
At Forest Design, that shift supports a different kind of evidence. Instead of relying only on isolated measurements, the team can capture a broader scene and bring it back to the computer for further review. Bogdan says this is especially useful where canopy and vegetation make mapping difficult.
“I have made hundreds and thousands of scans, and I don’t have problems in terms of usage. It is easy to use and to see where you are. It is very helpful in terms of mapping under the canopy.”
From a walk through the forest to usable digital data
Among the scanners Bogdan names in Forest Design’s forest work is the FJD Trion P1 LiDAR Scanner. In the workflow he describes, field capture is the starting point: Forest Design walks the area, records the surroundings, finishes the scan, and moves the result into its digital workflow.
“You spend a few hours in the forest and you capture everything that is there.”
When Bogdan completes a scan, he says he can obtain a LAS file, a standard file used to move captured 3D measurements into other software. From there, Forest Design can create density maps, organize information in GIS mapping software, and add qualitative information for forestry analysis.
“When I finish the scan, I push the button, I complete the scan, and I have the LAS file. I can create density maps and a GIS solution, and put more qualitative information.”
The value for the team is not simply having a 3D model. It is having captured field information that can continue into the mapping and analysis work Forest Design already performs.
Logs, ancient trees, and difficult forest conditions
Bogdan also points to smaller, clearly defined objects where rapid 3D capture changes the field task. For a piece of log, he says the scanning step can take only seconds.
“In 10 or 20 seconds, you cover an entire piece of log.”
For ancient trees, Forest Design has also used the FJD Trion V4e LiDAR. Bogdan describes walking around a tree to create a digital record that can be examined later on a computer.
“With the V4e LiDAR, it is very simple to capture. You walk around a tree in less than one minute and you save it forever.”
He also reports testing the equipment in primary forest in Romania, where dense natural conditions gave him a demanding environment for evaluating the workflow.
“I tested it in the primary forest in Romania, and I believe it is the hardest environment in terms of forest ecosystem around the world. If it works there and I obtain good results, I think it works fine everywhere.”
Making the workflow practical for a forester
A new capture method only matters if it can become part of ordinary work. Bogdan says the mobile application helps him see where he is while scanning and does not require comprehensive training to begin using it.
“The mobile application is very user-friendly. It is not necessary to receive comprehensive training.”
He also values the software-update model and direct technical support when a workflow question appears. For Forest Design, those parts of the system help keep the scanning process connected to real forestry tasks rather than treating the scanner as a stand-alone device.
“If I believe in something, it is easy to recommend to others.”
Bogdan’s conclusion stays grounded in the work itself: the technology is useful when it helps a forester turn complex natural conditions into information that can be inspected, measured, mapped, and carried forward.
When your forest work needs a fuller record
If your team already relies on field measurements but needs more complete spatial context for forest inventory, under-canopy mapping, individual trees, or logs, Forest Design’s approach shows one practical path: capture the site in 3D, then move the data into the mapping and analysis workflow you already use. Explore FJD Trion's Forestry solution to upgrade your workflow today.
