Given the importance of innovation and digitalization for the sustainable management of forests, the new version of the cork oak spatial tree growth model, CORKFITS 2026, is presented. This updated simulator has been rebuilt using modern online technologies, allowing it to be delivered more easily to final users and supporting practical use in forest management, planning, and decision-making. The new version includes improved data input and results visualization interfaces, enhances tree-level simulation, is better suited for complex stands, and increases the capacity to explore and compare alternative management scenarios.

CORKFITS 2026 is based on the potential increment modifier principle:

z = zpot × modifier + ε

where zpot represents potential growth as a function of site conditions, modifier is a reduction factor depending on the spatial competition index and debarking intensity, and ε represents random error. The simulator includes several sub-growth models, covering cork growth, stem development, tree height and crown dynamics, as well as cork production and survival models.

The presented model is particularly relevant in the current context of management planning and digital support tools needed to restore and improve cork productivity in cork oak stands, which cover approximately 713,000 ha in Portugal. Beyond their large spatial extent, cork oak stands represent a significant economic factor, especially in rural areas, where cork production contributes to local employment, income generation, and the maintenance of traditional multifunctional land-use systems.

Acknowledgements:

This work is funded by Agenda Transform, project no. C644865735-00000007, following the Mobilization Agendas for Business Innovation (Notice No. 02/C05-i01/2021), supported by the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) and European Funds NextGeneration EU.