Forestry includes forests and people. These two aspects cover forest management planning. If the data on natural conditions, biodiversity, and growth enables us to understand the forest, the socio-economics information supports the identification of specific goals and measures to enhance local human well-being. Moreover, it provides a general overview of the implementation feasibility of the forest management plan under local political and economic contexts.
 
Gathering social-economics information begins by determining which data is necessary and how to collect it. For a forest management plan, the following data may be required.