# Presentation: 782706

## 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.

## 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

## 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.

## A New Plot Design...

## 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.

## The Three Phases of the FIA Program

**The Three Phases of the FIA Program**

## One out of every 16 Forest Inventory

**One out of every 16 Forest Inventory**
**   ****Plots is also a Forest Health Plot (Phase 3)**

- Ozone
- Soils
- Down Woody Material

- Crown Condition and Health
- Lichens
- Understory Vegetation Structure and Diversity

**Notes:**
Today, on one out of every 16 of our regular forest inventory plots, we also collect forest health variables.  We are collecting information on ozone damage, soil chemistry, lichen diversity, down woody materials, snags, disease, crown health, and, in some areas, understory vegetation structure and diversity.

## Invasive Species

**Invasive Species**

**A regional measurement**

**Notes:**
Researchers are using data collected on nonnative species to identify the most problematic species and their occurences in forests across the southeast. In these examples, on a local scale we have been able to estimate the percent of forested acreage occupied by highly invasive species—illustrating some perhaps surprising results.  For instance, although Kudzu is often referred to as “the plant that ate the south” we see that, in actuality, Japanese Honeysuckle is a much larger threat to our forest communities. Because of its semi-evergreen, shade-tolerant physiology, it has advantages over many native species that co-occur in our southern forests. Then, on a regional scale, we have been able to predict the probability of an infestation by particular species in a given forest.  Using mapping software, we are then able to observe landscape trends that may play a role in why species invade particular forests.  For instance, in this picture notice the probability of occurrence of Japanese honeysuckle along the I85 corridor in the Southeast.

## Additional Components of FIA

**Additional Components of FIA**

- Timber Product Output Surveys
- National Woodland Owner Survey
- Tropical Island Survey
- Utilization Studies

## Comparison of the Past and Present

| Previous | Current
 |
| --- | --- |
| Timberland Inventory
 | Forestland Inventory
 |
| Timber Information
 | Forest and Forest Health Information |
| Aerial photography w/field visits
 | Remote Sensing w/field visits
 |
| Regional  | National |
| Periodic  | Annual |

## Data Processing

- Implement National Information Management System (NIMS) regionally
- Apply annual to annual remeasurement
- Analyze moving average
- Graphical state update on internet
- Provide localized FIA MapMaker training and users guide
- Regional Spatial Data Services Center
- Invasive species data

## Reporting and Analysis for Annual Inventories

- 5-year Reports (required)
- Annual Summaries or Updates
- Issue-driven Analyses
- Sustainability and Health
- Analysis Methods and Techniques
- Landowner Characteristics
- National Forest Reports/Analyses

## Customer Service andSpatial Data Service Center

- Customer Service Representative
- Requests not involving actual coordinates, detailed ownership or GIS application
- Carol Perry (828-257-4373) cperry@fs.fed.us
- Spatial Data Service Center
- Provides for analysis using actual coordinates and detailed ownership
- Customer provide AOI
- Site visit
- Summarized data
- Sam Lambert (865-862-2096) slambert@fs.fed.us

## Upcoming Activities/Future Plans

- New FIA website.
- Will include all SRS FIA publications in .pdf.
- Links to various FIA tools and data tools.
- Details on SRS FIA staff and responsibilities.
- Focus on data availability and reporting.
- Spatial data services center.
- Development of localized FIA MapMaker training sessions.
- Report development in a timely manner.
- Inclusion of Phase 3 data in reports.

## Internet links:

- National database (including TPO) 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/_
- National Woodland Owners Survey web site:
- http://www.fs.fed.us/woodlandowners/

## Discussions and/or Questions?

**Bill Burkman**
- _[bburkman@fs.fed.us](mailto:bburkman@fs.fed.us)_
**865-862-2073**