Researchers Upgrade Forestry Decision-Making Software

Mississippi State team enhances popular FORVAL tool for forest management planning

Apr. 11, 2026 at 6:07am

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A high-contrast black-and-white photograph featuring abstract geometric patterns and intersecting waveforms, conceptually representing the complex algorithms and mathematical models that power the FORVAL forestry decision-making software.The upgraded FORVAL-XL software visualizes the intricate calculations and data models that support real-world forestry investment decisions.Starkville Today

Researchers at Mississippi State University have developed an updated version of the FORVAL forestry decision-making software, improving its accessibility and usability while maintaining its analytical capabilities. The new FORVAL-XL version, built specifically for Microsoft Excel, features enhanced discounted cash-flow results, sensitivity analyses, and easy-to-read data visualizations to support informed forest management decisions.

Why it matters

FORVAL is a widely used tool by foresters, land managers, and real estate investors to quantify and evaluate complex forestry management decisions. The upgraded version ensures this practical, classroom-tested program remains a valuable resource for both experienced professionals and those new to forest management, supporting decisions from small private landholdings to large timber operations.

The details

The original FORVAL software was created in 1999 by a team of scientists in Mississippi State's Forest and Wildlife Research Center. The new FORVAL-XL version was led by Steve Bullard, CFR associate dean and FWRC associate director, who was part of the original development team. Key contributors included Jagadish Dosapati, a master's student in data science, Thomas Straka, professor emeritus at Clemson University, and Robert Grala, MSU's George L. Switzer Professor of Forestry, who incorporated forestry students as beta testers.

  • FORVAL was originally created in 1999.
  • The new FORVAL-XL version was developed in 2026.

The players

Steve Bullard

CFR associate dean and FWRC associate director who helped create the original FORVAL program and led the development of the new FORVAL-XL version.

Jagadish Dosapati

A master's student in data science from India who helped develop the code for the updated FORVAL-XL version.

Thomas Straka

Professor emeritus at Clemson University who played a key role in the FORVAL-XL project.

Robert Grala

MSU's George L. Switzer Professor of Forestry who incorporated forestry students from his forest resource economics course as beta testers for the FORVAL-XL program.

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What they’re saying

“This is the most user-friendly version yet. We maintain the ability to make complex calculations, including varied costs and revenues over time, but new features include discounted cash-flow results, sensitivity analyses and easy-to-read tables and graphs to support informed forest management decisions. The final product can also be easily exported as a PDF for sharing.”

— Steve Bullard, CFR associate dean and FWRC associate director

“Our students and natural resource students throughout the country are users of this product. We were able to identify issues and troubleshoot in real time, tailoring the program to the needs and abilities of future consultants, land managers and real estate investors.”

— Robert Grala, George L. Switzer Professor of Forestry

What’s next

FORVAL-XL and an accompanying user's manual are now available for free download at the Mississippi State University Forest and Wildlife Research Center website.

The takeaway

The upgraded FORVAL-XL software maintains the analytical rigor of the original program while enhancing its accessibility and usability, ensuring this practical forestry decision-making tool remains a valuable resource for both experienced professionals and the next generation of land managers, consultants, and real estate investors.