Forest Inventory and Analysis

Library

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Contents:

• Program Fact Sheets

• FIA Program Briefings, Summaries and Overviews

• Scientific Papers, Publications, and Meeting Presentations
   
• Maps

• Business and Organizational Documents

• Field Guides, Methods, and Procedures

• Demonstration Plot Handouts

Program Fact Sheets

CONTACT FACTSHEET:
 

• FIA Contacts   List of program leads, band leaders, and indicator advisors (MS Word 84 K)

• What is FIA?   General overview of the FIA program objectives, methods, and history. (MS Word 77K)
• History of FIA   Brief history of the FIA program from the 1930's to present.  (MS Word 74K)
• FIA Program Components   Overview of the various program components which make up the FIA program.  (MS Word 82K)
• FIA Program Structure   Description of the general structure of the FIA program.  (MS Word 89K)
• FIA Program Organization   Description of how the FIA program is organized.  (MS Word 74K)
• FIA Bands    Description of the technical teams (bands) in FIA - their roles, activities, and priorities
• FIA Strategic Plan   Overview of the Strategic Plan for Forest Invnetory and Monitoring submitted to Congress in response to the Agriculture Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998.  (MS Word 74K)
• FIA Blue Ribbon Panel Reports   Summary of the findings of the First and Second Blue Ribbon Panel Reports on the FIA program. (MS Word 84K)
• FIA Data Uses  Description of FIA data uses (past and present), expanded uses of FIA data, how to access FIA data, including regional assessments (MS Word 58K)

•  FIA Data Collection   Overview of the different kinds of data collected by the FIA program.  (MS Word 75K)
• Sampling Hexagons    Description of the spatial and temporal distribution of FIA field sampling locations (MS Word 704K)
• Sampling and Plot Design    Overview of the components related to sampling and plot design (MS Word 274K)
• Phase 2 and Phase 3: Ground Measurements   Description of data collected on Phase 2 and Phase 3 plots (MS Word 118K)
• Quality Assurance    Description of the FIA QA program (MS Word 839K)

• North Central FIA Program  Overview of the FIA program in the North Central states (MS Word 73 K)
• Interior West FIA Program  Overview of the FIA program  in the Interior West states (MS Word  64 K)
• Northeast FIA Program   Overview of the FIA program  in the Northeast states  (MS Word 85 K)
• Pacific Northwest FIA Program   Overview of the FIA program  in the Pacific Northwest states  (MS Word 98 K)

           PHASE 3 PLOT (FOREST HEALTH)  INDICATOR FACTSHEETS:

    Description of each indicator - why important, how measured, how data is used

• Ozone Injury    (MS Word 4884 K)
• Crown Condition    (MS Word 134 K)
• Tree Mortality    (MS Word 142 K)
• Tree Growth   (MS Word 153K)
• Lichen Communities (HTML)
• Soil Quality (MS Word 445 K)
• Down Woody Material (MS Word 96K)
• Vegetation Structure and Diversity    (MS Word 144K)

Briefings, Summaries and Overviews
 
 

• Forest Health Indicators in the FIA Program.  USDA Forest Service, Washington, DC.  October, 2002  (PDF 2,352K)

  This 24 page brochure highlights the data collected on the Phase 3 (forest health) component of FIA.  Covers crown condition, ozone injury, tree damage, tree mortality, lichen communities, down woody debris, vegetation diversity and structure, and soil condition.  For each indicator we discuss what the indicator is, why it is important, how it is measured, and include an example of how the data cane be used.  Includes a brief discussion of quality assurance, a glossary of terms, and references for more information.

• U.S. Forest Facts and Historical Trends. USDA Forest Service, Washington, DC.  April 2001  (PDF 237K)

  This 20 page brochure contains graphical highlights from the 2000 Resources Planning Act (RPA) report, showing status and trends for the Nation's forested resources by region.  Topics include land area, forest composition, ownership, growth, mortality, removals, and timber products.  The version above uses English measurements (cubic feet, acres, etc.).  Other available versions (all in metric) include the following:

  • English (metric)
  • Español/Spanish
  • Français/French
  • Português/Portuguese
  • Pycckий/Russian

• Quick Briefing on the Enhanced FIA Program.   U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Washington, DC. 1999.  (RTF 11K)
  This a short (2 page) briefing on the Enhanced FIA Program, arranged in 'Frequently Asked Question' format, describing what FIA does, how it operates, the types of data collected, and some of the plans for change in the future.

   

• Introduction to FIA for National Forest Systems Staff.   Andrew J. R. Gillespie and W. Brad Smith, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Washington, DC. 1999.  (RTF 25K)
  Presents an overview of the FIA program specifically geared towards Forest Service National Forest managers.  Explains what FIA is, why it is relevant and useful to National Forest managers, and debunks a few myths surrounding the utility of the FIA program to NFS officials.

   

• Forest Service Resource Inventories: An Overview. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Inventory, Economics, and Recreation Research, Washington, DC. 1992.  (PDF 2035KB)
  This report provides an overview of the major forest and related resource inventories conducted by the USDA Forest Service up through the early 1990's.

Scientific Papers, Publications, and Meeting Presentations
 
 
• Search Forest Service publications.

  
  Many FIA publications (both data analyses as well as techniques research) are published by the USDA Forest Service.  Many recent publications are available online through a search engine maintained by the USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station.  The link above will take you to that search site, where you can use keywords, author's names, titles, and geographic regions to search for articles of interest.  NOTE:  By following this link you will be leaving the FIA web site.  Use your back arrow to return when you are done, or reload http://fia.fs.fed.us/.
   

• The Right Tools: Managing for Fire Using FIA Inventory Data

  Contents of the “Focus On…” section of the March 2003 issue of the Journal of Forestry (Vol. 101, No. 2). Four articles provide examples of how FIA’s inventory and analysis can be used to inform current forest fire debates.

• Proceedings of the Annual FIA Symposia.

  
  Since 2000, the FIA program has each year hosted a science symposium where we showcase recent research and development of methods related to the FIA program.  Below are links to the proceedings available online.
   

  • Reams, Gregory A.; McRoberts, Ronald E.; Van Deusen, Paul C., eds.  2001.  Proceedings of the second annual Forest Inventory and Analysis symposium; Salt Lake City, UT. October 17-18, 2000. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS–47. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station. 143 p.
  • McRoberts, Ronald E.; Reams, Gregory A.; Van Deusen, Paul C.  2000.  Proceedings of the first annual forest inventory and analysis symposium; 1999 November 2-3, San Antonio, TX.  General Technical Report NC-213. St. Paul, MN: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Forest Service, North Central Forest Experiment Station.

   

• 2002 National FIA Users Meeting. Society of American Foresters, Washington, DC.  August 2002  (RTF 88K)

  This third annual national meeting was held by the Society of American Foresters to openly discuss the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program.  This year's meeting focused on confidentiality issues involving forestland ownership and field plot coordinates.  There were also presentations on the use of FIA data to address forest fire issues.

• Remote Sensing At the Dawn of a New Millennium:  A Washington, DC Perspective.  Guldin, Richard.  2000.  Keynote remarks presented at the Eighth Biennial Remote Sensing Applications Conference,  April 10-14, 2000,  Albuquerque, New Mexico.  (RTF 79KB)

  Abstract.  A July 1999 study by RAND Corporation reviewed the types of forest monitoring conducted by federal agencies.  RAND recommended a number of changes in federal policies towards forest inventories and use of remotely sensed imagery.  The Forest Service’s Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program was singled out by RAND as “the nation's most ambitious forest monitoring program.”  The FIA program has taken a number of steps the past 18 months that are consistent with the RAND study recommendations, but more changes are needed to fully implement the RAND recommendations.  The first decade of the 21st Century is an era of unprecedented opportunity to develop new uses of remotely sensed digital data.  Strong leadership, innovative research, and aggressive development activities are needed to seize the opportunities.

• Proceedings of the First Annual Forest Inventory and Analysis Symposium.  McRoberts, Ronald E.; Reams, Gregory A; Van Deusen, Paul C.  2000.  1999 November 2-3; San Antonio, TX.  Gen. Tech. Rep. NC-213.  St. Paul, MN:  USDA Forest Service, North Central Research Station.  57 p.  (7 MB PDF)

  Collection of papers documenting progress in developing the techniques required for full implementation of the national Forest Inventory and Analysis program's new annual forest inventory system.

• Forest Inventory and Analysis, a special issue of the Journal of Forestry (vol. 97, no. 12)

  An entire issue of the Journal of Forestry (Vol. 97, Issue 12, December 1999) devoted to the new annual forest inventory approach adopted by FIA.  Includes several papers describing various aspects of the proposed program circa 1999. (847k PDF)

• Rationale for a National Annual Forest Inventory Program.   Gillespie, Andrew J. R.   1999.  J. For. 97(12)  pp. 16-20.  (1279 KB PDF)

  Abstract.--The USDA Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program is changing to an annual inventory system  that will operate simultaneously n all states every year.  This system will provide annual inventory updates in all parts of the country every year, and will make it easier for partners (mainly state forestry agencies) to collaborate in program planning and implementation.  The change has significant implications for traditional and new users of the national inventory system.

Pros and Cons of Continuous Forest Inventory:  Customer Perspectives.   Gillespie, Andrew J. R.   1998.  Paper presented at the "Integrated Tools For Natural Resources Inventories In The 21st Century" Conference, August 16-19 1998, Boise, Idaho.  (HTML)

 

Abstract.--The USDA Forest Service has historically conducted forest inventory on a state-by-state cycle, producing relatively high precision snapshots of forest resources for a given state at 7 to 15 year intervals.  We are now considering a change to a continuous inventory system where we would operate at reduced intensity simultaneously in all states every year. Advantages for customers include the continuous availability of data that is on average half a cycle old; access to data of a uniform age across administrative boundaries; increased opportunities for partnering with FIA, including funding intensification or special studies; a permanent role in an ongoing inventory program; and increased program efficiency.  Disadvantages include the elimination of the periodic higher precision inventory; a potential loss of credibility among end users, the risk of poor program service for states unable or unwilling to contribute to the program; and the possibility that the continuous approach will be more expensive than the periodic in some parts of the country.

Maps
 
• Forest Types of the United States

As a part of the 1997 Resource Planning Act Assessment, FIA collaborated with the US Geological Survey to update the 'Forest Types of the United States" map last published in 1993.  This new map shows the forests of the United States grouped into 27 major forest types.  The map includes Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, all mapped at the same 1:7,500,000 scale, Albers equal area projection.  Various versions of the map are available including:
 
Full view of the finished map, in GIF format (48 K).  This version of the map is simply a small graphic file suitable for inclusion in a report, but with minimal detail visible and no real analytical uses.

Full view of the finished map, in Acrobat (.PDF) format (3.9 M).  This version of the map is a high resolution .PDF file which includes the full map (including key and scale).  It can be zoomed in to read the fine detail, and can be printed at full scale (36" x 40"), or print at 25% size to fit on a standard 8.5 x 11 page.

Forest Type coverage in GEOTIFF format (1.8 M).  This version of the map is a unified image of forest cover for all 50 states + Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, in Lambert Azimuthal equal-area projection centered at (-100,45).   This is all the forest data in one large georeferenced image with no relief shading or map collar.  This version is suitable for further analysis using image processing or GIS tools.  The file is compressed (tar format); decompressed size is over 75 M.


Metadata for this map are available at http://www.nationalatlas.gov/fortypem.html

This map, along with many other useful map layers, are avalable electronically at the US National Atlas, an outstanding online resource for US mapped information.  Paper copies of this and other maps are also available through the US National Atlas.

Business and Organizational Documents
 
 

• Annual Business Reports for the Forest Inventory and Analysis Program
  These Annual Business Reports are modeled on a corporate annual business report and are another step in our efforts to make ourselves more accountable to our partners and customers.  Each Annual Business Report contains basic business information about the FIA program including current fiscal year accomplishments, performance measures, plans for the next fiscal year, and basic financial and staffing data.  These reports are prepared by the National Office staff of the FIA Program, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Washington, DC.
   
  • 2002 Annual Business Report for the Forest Inventory and Analysis Program.   (PDF 2136K)
  • 2001 Annual Business Report for the Forest Inventory and Analysis Program.   (PDF 619K)
  • 2000 Annual Business Report for the Forest Inventory and Analysis Program.   (PDF 563K)
  • 1999 Annual Business Report for the Forest Inventory and Analysis Program.   (PDF 341K)
  • 1998 Annual Business Report for the Forest Inventory and Analysis Program.   (PDF 364K)

Strategic Plan for Forest Inventory and Monitoring.   U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Washington, DC. 1998.  (PDF 212K)

The Strategic Plan for Forest Inventory and Monitoring. was written in response to The Agriculture Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998, which directed the Forest Service to make a number of major program changes including.  The Plan describes the funding, staffing, and programmatic changes needed to achieve the level of service described by the Act.

• Reports of the Blue Ribbon Panels on Forest Inventory and Analysis

The Blue Ribbon Panels on Forest Inventory and Analysis are groups of high-level leaders from the full forestry community - federal and state agencies, industry, academia, environmental organizations, and other user groups - who provide periodic overviews of the FIA program.  The Panels have met several times since 1992, and are one mechanism used to guide the direction of FIA program evolution.   Below are the major findings from past Blue Ribbon Panels, listed from most recent to oldest:
 
• Update to the Second Report of the Blue Ribbon Panel on Forest Inventory and Analysis (2001).  American Forest and Paper Association, 1111 19th Street, NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC  20036. 2001.  (PDF 4,734K)
   
• Second Report of the Blue Ribbon Panel on Forest Inventory and Analysis (1998). American Forest and Paper Association, 1111 19th Street, NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC  20036.   1998.  (HTML)
   
• First Report of the Blue Ribbon Panel on Forest Inventory and Analysis (1992). U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Inventory, Economics, and Recreation Research, Washington, DC. 1992.  (PDF 61KB)

• Memorandum of Understanding between the USDA Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters.   This agreement between Chief Mike Dombeck of the USDA Forest Service and President Stan Adams of the National Association of State Foresters identifies a commitment by both parties to collaborate in fully implementing a base annual FIA program by the year 2003.

Field Guides, Methods, and Procedures
 
 
NEW!  FIA Field Methods Guide for Phase 2 Measurements, 2004
 

This version 2.0 of the FIA field methods guide was released 1/2004, and describes the current set of nationally consistent core field procedures used by all FIA units for projects which begin after the date of release.  This version of the field guide covers all core and core optional measurements collected on Phase 2 plots (the standard base FIA sample grid, 1 sample location per roughly 6,000 acres). 

The field guide is distributed electronically as a .pdf file and is about 3.9 megabytes in size.  A separate file contains the citation for the field guide.

        Download the Phase 2 Measurement Field Guide, Version 2.0


FIA Field Methods for Phase 3 Measurements, 2003
 

These documents describe current (2003 field season, 1.7) protocols for FIA Phase 3 measurements (formerly known as Forest Health Detection Monitoring plots). These measurements are collected on a 1/16^th subset of the standard base FIA grid plots. All documents are in MS Word 2002 format. Chapter numbers follow the numbers established for the Phase 2 measurement field guide.  These chapters are the same as those used in 2002, except for the two Ozone Bioindicator Plants chapters..
 
•   Ozone Bioindicator Plants (Eastern US)
•   Ozone Bioindicator Plants (Western US)
  New Ozone Grid Background and Documentation, tables, Figures Set 1, Figures Set 2
•   Lichen Community Sampling
•   Soil Measurements and Sampling
•   Crown Condition Classification
•   Vegetation Diversity and Structure
•   Down Woody Debris and Fuels
   

Demonstration Plot Handouts

The FIA program, in cooperation with the Society of American Foresters (SAF), maintains a demonstration plot on the grounds of the SAF headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland.  This plot serves as a a teaching tool for groups and individuals interested in how the FIA program does their work.  The following documents describe how an FIA plot is located and measured, using the demonstration plot as an example.
 

• FIA Demonstration Plot Handout.  (MS Powerpoint document, 2,977 KB)

• FIA Plot Layout Explanation.  (MS Word 137 KB)

Last updated 9/01/2003