ForestPlots.net is a global database that manages long-term forest inventory data for researchers worldwide. It hosts one of the longest and most comprehensive records of forest change, spanning 1939-2026, and tracks more than four million trees, primarily in remote tropical forests. By standardising data collected by thousands of researchers across more than 72 countries, ForestPlots.net enables analyses of biodiversity change, carbon stocks, and forest dynamics at unprecedented spatial and temporal scales.

Despite the importance of these data, field collection remains overwhelmingly paper-based. Although tablets are increasingly used in ecological fieldwork, no standardised digital data collection system has previously been developed for ForestPlots.net. Challenges such as limited internet connectivity, restricted access to electricity, and frequently wet field conditions are often cited as barriers to digital workflows.

Using R, QGIS, and QField, we developed a tablet-based system that enables field teams to record standardised ForestPlots.net variables directly on Android devices, capture required and optional attributes, and accurately map tree locations in the field. Early testing suggests that this workflow substantially reduces the time between data collection and database upload while improving data quality through the elimination of manual digitisation steps.

This presentation demonstrates the survey design and implementation process, shares lessons learned from field training and deployment, and highlights remaining challenges and open questions. We also discuss ongoing development of an RShiny application that will allow users to generate QField-ready projects from ForestPlots.net outputs without requiring programming expertise.

By transitioning from paper records to a spatially enabled digital workflow, ForestPlots.net aims to improve efficiency, consistency, and data quality in long-term tropical forest monitoring, supporting biodiversity and climate research worldwide.