The primary sample units can be considered mini forests . The detailed information from each plot can flow directly into timber supply and habitat supply model without having to download entire forest inventories for a region. Much more can and ought to be done. The NFI design is open-ended in the sense that more attributes can be sampled provided the funds to do so are identified by the client proposing the additional attribute. It is quite obvious that the NFI design, if implemented, will fall far short of detailed reporting on forest health, exotics and even the totality of biodiversity.
Every survey is a compromise between desired attributes, accuracy and available resources.
The NFI design is both affordable and achievable.