Sustainable forest planning involves the development of an information base that may adequately represent complex data and information relations. This paper presents a methodology designed to simplify the evolvement of such an information base. The development of a Regional Forest Plan is used as a case study. Characteristics of an information base such as dimension and diversity depend on the objectives of the planning process and on existing and available knowledge. Information availability and incomplete knowledge are often limiting factors that determine specific adaptations to the proposed methodology. For example, intensification of participatory mechanisms and effective communication may be key issues to promote knowledge acquisition. These adaptations, as well as the management of the information itself, can be enhanced and implemented with Information Systems (IS). IS may also be used to generate a more adequate representation of the complexity of the planning information base
