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An Overview of the Forest Inventory and Analysis Program

An Overview of the Forest Inventory and Analysis Program. The FIA program collects strategic (state or multi-county level) data on the:. Status Trends Resource conditions including forest health Note: This is for ALL forest lands in a consistent fashion across the U.S.

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An Overview of the Forest Inventory and Analysis Program

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  1. An Overview of the Forest Inventory and Analysis Program

  2. The FIA program collects strategic (state or multi-county level) data on the: • Status • Trends • Resource conditions including forest health Note: This is for ALL forest lands in a consistent fashion across the U.S.

  3. Legislative Perspective • McSweeney-McNary Act of 1928 • Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1978 • 1988 Forest Ecosystem and Atmospheric Pollution Research Act • The Farm Bill (Agricultural Research Extension and Education Reform Act) of 1998

  4. Current FIA Mission • Current, comprehensive inventories and analyses of all US Forests (i.e. all ownerships). • Annual forest inventories in all States. • National core program that includes additional data beyond the core which are used to address specific regional/local needs. • Standardized plot layout and sampling grid. • QA programs to verify data quality and verify accuracy of our estimates. • Conduct inventories with State and Federal partners. Establish information needs and cooperatively implement inventories.

  5. A New Plot Design…

  6. 103 2 Subplots 1- 4 Distance between centers 120 feet Azimuth 1-2 =360 degrees Azimuth 1-3 =360 degrees Azimuth 1-4 =360 degrees Radius Subplot – 24.0 feet Microplot – 6.8 feet Subplot 101-105 Subplots 101-103 From 66' to subplot subplot center center Azimuth 101 102 0o 102 103 0o 103 104 120o 104 105 180o 105 106 180o 106 107 240o 107 108 300o 108 109 0o 109 110 0o Overlay Plot Layout 110 104 102 105 109 1 4 3 108 106 107 Comparison Previous Plot Layout with Current Plot Layout

  7. Terminology as a Result of Annual Inventories • Cycle – a sequential number assigned to a set of plots, measured over a particular period of time from which a state estimate using all possible plots is obtained. Relevant for periodic and annual. • Subcycle – a number incremented from 1 to n where n is the number of years it takes to complete a Cycle. Relevant for annual only. • Panel – FIA plots are assigned to 1 of 5 Panels in order to spatially and temporally distribute plot measurements.

  8. The Three Phases of the FIA Program

  9. One out of every 16 Forest Inventory Plots is also a Forest Health Plot (Phase 3) • Crown Condition and Health • Lichens • Understory Vegetation Structure and Diversity • Ozone • Soils • Down Woody Material

  10. FIA National Base Strategic level State inventories Local Inventories for management Resolution Spatial, semantic and temporal. Inventory Relationships Operational level

  11. Invasive Species A regional measurement

  12. Additional Components of FIA • Timber Product Output Surveys • National Woodland Owner Survey • Tropical Island Survey • Utilization Studies

  13. Comparison of the Past and Present

  14. Internet links: • National database available at: • http://www.ncrs2.fs.fed.us/4801/FIADB/ • Information specific to Southern states: • http://srsfia2.fs.fed.us/ • Electronic copy of publications available at: • http://www.srs.fs.fed.us/pubs/ • National FIA web site: • http://fia.fs.fed.us/

  15. Plans for Mississippi • Planning to work cooperatively with MIFI for Phase 2 and Phase 3 data collection in MS. • Current budget projections for FY06 should allow for MS implementation. • The remaining question – Remeasure the old variable radius plot?

  16. Current Grid for Mississippi • Phase 2 • Phase 3

  17. Annual Inventory Re-Measure 4643 New 581 Total 5224* 1994 Survey Total 5370 Dropped 727 Difference between Surveys 146 *348 of these are Phase 3 Plots Plots under the old grid and the new annual scheme

  18. Advantages: Some estimates of growth, removal, and mortality Linkage with previous plot data although limited Disadvantages: Crews need to understand 2 plot designs Re-locating plot installed 12-16 years ago Maintain current PDR program and hardware for 5-7 more years Maintain current processing system for 5-8 more years Explaining growth, removals, and mortality results may be difficult Remeasuring old plots and installing new plots

  19. Disadvantages: Possibly no growth, removal, and mortality information for 8 more years Advantages: Quicker and simpler Crews only have to establish new plots plus don’t have to relocate old plots Can use National PDR and data processing programs Only installing the new plots (no remeasurement)

  20. Discussions and/or Questions?

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