Rich GuldinFIA National Users’ Group Meeting 23 February 2010

THE VIEW FROM THE BANKS OF THE POTOMAC

BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front)

We are in all 50 States; only Interior Alaska remains to be entered. Serious implementation planning is occuring now to launch work there!

The FIA Program’s recent successes are leading to major new opportunities, both domestically and internationally. Our vision for the future is broad, with some differences in objectives amongst domestic and international arenas

We appreciate your ongoing support for the program as it continues to serve core interests and needs as well as emerging ones.

Status of 2010 ProgramFunded at $71.8 million

$66.9 million in R&D; $4.9 million in S&PFUp $6.3 million over FY 2009

Increase split 3 ways:+$ 3 million to expand the program+$ 2 million for intensive site monitoring+$ 1.3 million for fixed cost increases

Expanding the Program in FY 2010Completed annualized implementation in New MexicoInitiating annualized field work in Hawaii, Nevada, and

WyomingAdded analytical capacity in NRS, with special focus on

carbon accounting and forest products output infoAdded analytical capacity in SRS, with special focus on

state reporting and field work in west Texas and Oklahoma

Intensive Site MonitoringSenate Report required investment in ISMLink long-term data sets on FS Experimental Forests &

Ranges (EFRs) with intensified FIA plot networkEFRs have detailed TEMPORAL datasets at selected sitesFIA has detailed SPATIAL datasets at several points in time

Integrate the two through ISM to better explain locally-observed conditions/trends in a landscape-scale contextBetter modelsBetter measures and new variables

FY 2010 and “Full Funding Target”$5.854 million short of “Full Funding Target” of $77.7

millionWhat’s left?

Interior Alaska field data collection (50-60% of need)Final build-out of program analytical capacity across all

Stations (25-30% of need) Produce issue-focused state reports Address emerging issues, such as biomass, carbon accounting,

and threats to forest healthSolidify data collection for western forest land areas not

included in 1998 strategic plan (15-20% of need)

Other Work Underway in 2010Lots of internal program improvements/upgrades; e.g.

Upgrading FIDO interface; improve mapping and geospatial analysis capacities

Upgrade field data collection software (MIDAS)NWOS questionnaire revision for next roundDepartmental initiatives; Appalachia, NRCS collaboration

Urban forest inventory continues in Tennessee and Colorado, based on state contributions

Launching urban forest inventory at selected locations in California, Oregon, and Washington using ARRA stimulus funding provided to PNW Station

FY 2011 President’s BudgetCuts $5 million, which would shift program back to FY

2009 program levelStop work in Hawaii, Nevada, WyomingNo planning for Interior AlaskaReduce analytical capacity

Adds $1.5 million to “Inventory & Monitoring” strategic program area to build a national carbon accounting system. Money proposed outside of FIA program.

New OpportunitiesNothing breeds opportunities like past success !!FIA is viewed as a very successful program

High skill, high credibility, high trust, FIA “walks the talk” as an open and transparent

organization with a “can do” and “will deliver” reputationConsequently, the new Administration is calling on us in

a multitude of ways to support initiativesDomesticallyInternationally

New Opportunities at HomeImproved biomass estimates

Consistent volume estimates across regions Improved land use/land use change analyses

Carbon estimates and carbon accounting systemGreenhouse Gas (GHG) emission estimatesDetecting climate change impacts; teasing out climate

impacts from other impactsSupport landscape-scale conservation and monitoring to

track improvements and effectiveness of restoration activities

New Opportunities AbroadDept. of State and Office of U.S. Trade Representative are

insisting on FIA involvement in international activitiesExamples of the overseas opportunities:

Peru: Free Trade Agreement requires cut in illegal loggingCongo Basin: Develop dependable regional inventoryUN-FAO: Support Global Forest Assessment processChile: Technical assistance to improve assessmentsClimate Change Negotiations: Support State Dept and US

Global Change Research ProgramAnd a host of others …

Choosing Among OpportunitiesWe are increasingly selective in saying “Yes” to

opportunitiesAssuring alignment with FIA vision and goalsAssuring that the key domestic work gets done

“No, thank you” is not an acceptable answer to some opportunities

“If you build it, they will come…”Well, we’ve built it …Here they come …

So, Where is the Program Headed?We will routinely deliver dependable, timely, high-quality

data about America’s forests. Working together with our partners, we will excel at this core business.

We will become the premier provider of geospatial data layers and models describing conditions/trends in America’s forests

We will be a national and international leader in monitoring natural resource conditions and trends at multiple spatial scales—county to globally

So Where is the Program Headed? We will be a major force in science-policy dialogues

about critical contemporary issues, including: Biomass energy development, greenhouse gas estimation,

carbon sequestration and ecosystem services marketingClimate change, including detection of impacts and

monitoring of adaptation successDisturbance monitoring and documentation of resulting

long-term changes in land cover and land uses, including both biotic (pest outbreaks) and abiotic (droughts, hurricanes, fires) disturbances

Land use and land cover and associated changes in the context of landscape-scale conservation and restoration

So Where is the Program Headed?We will be a national and global leader in developing

next-generation talent in inventory, modeling, analysis , and assessmentThe FS and our partners will attract the “cream of the crop”

talent to work in the program and with our dataWe will give our employees and our partners outstanding

opportunities to be involved in cutting edge science, analysis, and policy evaluation

We will be global mentors in building up capacity in other countries

BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front)

We are in all 50 States; only Interior Alaska remains to be entered. Serious implementation planning is occuring now to launch work there!

The FIA Program’s recent successes are leading to major new opportunities, both domestically and internationally. Our vision for the future is broad, with some differences in objectives amongst domestic and international arenas

We appreciate your ongoing support for the program as it continues to serve both core interests and needs as well as emerging ones.