The Many Uses of FIA Data

Paul Van DeusenNCASI

FIA National User Group MeetingFeb 23rd – 24th, 2010

Houston, Texas

Historical PerspectiveHave FIA data become more useful over time?

FIA Began in the 1930's

-McSweeny-McNary Act 1928 Originally used fixed area plots Changed to variable plots in 1950's Sampled states periodically since inception Sample states annually now (fixed plots)

- 1998 Farm Bill

Blue Ribbon Panel II (1997)

Elevate priority of FIA in Forest Service Program Move to an annual inventory ASAP Report on all lands (Private and PublicPrivate and Public) Concentrate on collection of core data Develop a strategic plan with costs and time-

tables for implementation.

1998 Farm Bill

Mandated suggestions made in BRP II

-Implement an annual system on all lands

-Develop a strategic plan

-Do a 20 percent annual survey in every state

-Merge FIA and FHM

86-87

88-89

90-91

92-93

94-95

The old periodic survey

The new annual inventory

Does FIA have a history of listening to outsiders?

FIA listened and implementedan annual Inventory on all lands.

This was a hugeimprovement.

Is change always good?

Changing from periodic to annual was good. HOWEVER,

It was traumatic and is still not fully implemented Many states have no plot remeasurements yet

What did users say at the recent Biometrics working group meeting about change?

BWG consensus about more change

FIA should not make any changes to the basic annual inventory design

FIA should meet its current obligations before getting into new areas like Urban or Rangeland inventories

My uses of FIA data

On line tools COLE G-COLE SOLE GForest

COLE

First funded in 2002 by FHM

Custom carbon reports modeled after GTR NE-343

Filters make it easy to do reports for National Forests

SOLE

Funded after COLE Funds gone 3 yrs ago

SOLE & COLE have similar interfaces base on JAVA Lite versions don't

need Java SOLE is somewhat

like FIDO or the deceased Mapmaker.

GForest is the next generation SOLEhttp://ncasi.uml.edu

GForest has public and protected capabilities

One option is to simulate impact of rival mills.This is based on FIA growth plots.

Other Report Options

Two Biomass Report Options

My most recent uses of FIA data

Publications (Just published or in press)

1) A new volume change index

2) A new method to estimate conversion rates

3) Using mapped plots for single owner surveys

4) Preservation vs management for Carbon Sequestration in Georgia

Black: <0.95Dark Gray: .95 to 1.0Light Gray: 1 to 1.05White: > 1.05

Incr

easi

ng S

patia

l Ext

ent

Paper 1Paper 1

Knowing about conversion rates is important for FSC members(Forest Stewardship Council)Paper 2Paper 2

Company Policy (for FSC members)

The company shall have a ...policy...to avoid trading and sourcing wood (that is)

(only listing items that might be relevant to FIA) harvested in forests where high conservation values

are threatened by management activities; harvested in forests being converted to plantations

or non-forest use;

Paper 2Paper 2

JOF Publication: Encourages use of mapped plot designDecember, 2009

Mapped plots for single owner forest surveysJournal of Forestry

Demonstrates value of mapped plots for small inventories Can handle property

boundary overlap Provides better

estimates of particular forest types.

Paper 3Paper 3

FIA Data are used to compare management vs preservation in Georgia

Too close to cities

Publicly owned

Privately owned

Public land and land close toCities is assumed to be OFFLIMITS for management.

Paper accepted by Biomass & Bioenergy

Paper 4Paper 4

Growth is simulated with a plot matching procedure

Paper 4Paper 4

Carbon Stored in Georgia Forest

All Land

Available Land

Unmanaged

Managed

Managed

Unmanaged

Bill

ion

tonn

es C

O2

equi

vale

nts

US Emitted 1.57 billion tonnesC02 in 2005

http://cdiac.ornl.gov

Paper 4Paper 4

Carbon in products by half life assumption

5 year half life

10

25

50

75

100 year half life

Paper 4Paper 4

Conclusions from Georgia Carbon Study

Over time forest management sequesters more carbon than preservation

The amount of carbon that can be sequestered in forest products is very significant in relation to total US emissions.

Wood for energy increases the advantage of management over preservation assuming it's carbon neutral (infinite half life).

Paper 4Paper 4

Summary

FIA's most important product is data Don't sacrifice plot intensity

We could use more plots, not less Remote sensing is good, but its not as good as plot data

Do more to encourage outsiders to use the data Data doesn't wear out with use

Summary

FIA ain't broke, some changes might break it, even with increased funding.

FIA is still in the process of digesting the changes called for in the 1998 Farm Bill Before making more changes:

complete all 50 states Improve biomass and carbon estimates Fully utilize the value of remeasured plots Use compatible methods everywhere

THE END