# Blockchain Applications in Forestry: A Systematic Literature Review
## 5 Benefits, Opportunities and Challenges of Blockchain Applications in Forestry
### Benefits of Blockchain in Forestry  
This subsection presents and analyzes ten benefits that blockchain technology brings to forestry reported in the included studies. The authors categorized the reported benefits in increasing forestry sustainability; minimizing illegal logging/timber trade; increasing the trust (of wood products)/trustworthiness; efficient traceability; increasing transparency; data integrity; competitive (positive); privacy; Anti-corruption; and cost reduction. Transparency and minimizing illegal timber are two benefits mentioned the most in the included studies. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c} \hline \hline
**Reference** & **Smart Contract** & **Platform** & \
\begin{tabular}{c} **Blockchain-Based** \\ **Systems** \\ \end{tabular} & **Layers of Architecture** &
\begin{tabular}{c} **Purpose(s) of the Use** \\ **of Blockchain** \\ \end{tabular} \\ \hline
[50] & N/A & Ethereum & BSSFFS & \
\begin{tabular}{c} IoT layer (with sensors) \\ Fog layer \\ Cloud layer \\ \end{tabular} &
\begin{tabular}{c} To detect forest fire and \\ validate the information \\ \end{tabular} \\ \hline
[51] & N/A & N/A & BESDDFFS & \
\begin{tabular}{c} IoT layer (with drones) \\ Edge layer \\ Cloud layer \\ \end{tabular} &
\begin{tabular}{c} To detect forest fire and \\ validate the information \\ \end{tabular} \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 4: Blockchain-based applications in the forest fire detection. Transparency: Transparency is one benefit and characteristic that blockchain brings to forestry. This benefit has been reported in many studies and industries. In forestry, transparency means that sellers and buyers of forest-based products can rapidly access all related information (origin of wood, harvesting time, etc.) [32]. Confidentiality/Privacy: Confidentiality is one characteristic of blockchain as well. All information is anonymous because all transactions are encrypted and recorded in the blockchain [33]. Data integrity: Due to the characteristics of blockchain technology, data stored in the blockchain cannot be compromised [39]. The encryption and cryptography of data can reliably protect from hacking and data breaches [32]. [PERSON] and [PERSON] [33] also concluded that the transaction data in the system of smart contracts could not be changed or deleted. And the risk of loss is minimal. Anti-corruption: Data integrity and transparency are the enablers of anti-corruption. Blockchain applications can exclude corruption, embezzlement, and deception in forestry [32]. All parties involved in the activities of forestry can check and compare data from the database. [PERSON] and [PERSON] [36] indicated that a blockchain-based tamper-proof digital system provides social benefits such as anti-corruption from sustainable forestry. Eliminating illegal timber: Each timber is registered in the database. Blockchain technology can validate the legality of each wood/timber [39]. The blockchain-based technical solution proposed by [PERSON] et al. [34] could reject 99.17% of illegal trees in a logging area. Moreover, since timber transportation routes are planned, any deviation from the route is recorded, making illegal timber trading impossible [32]. The smart tree management system with drones and blockchain technology could prevent over-exploitation and monitor illegal activities such as smuggling and illegal timber trading [4]. Blockchain technology has a great potential for identifying illegal timbers. Competitive: Improving the competitiveness of forest-based products is a benefit of blockchain as well. The certificate of forest products can be a part of smart contract [33]. The certification can improve the competitiveness of forest products. Customers may be willing to purchase forest products with certification and legality. Moreover, the legalized and certified timber could increase the rating of companies from customers' perspectives [33]. From a global point of view, [PERSON] et al. [43] pointed out that implementing blockchain