Introduction to FFI: Why and how FFI was developed Introduction to FFI: Why and how FFI was developed 04/02/2013

FFI was created by merging two well-known, and very similar fire effects monitoring systems – FIREMON and FEAT - with the goal of creating one, interagency application for managers to use for completing their Federally mandated monitoring tasks. Additional benefits Reduce development and maintenance costs Increase potential for interagency data sharing FFI Development Goal

What does FFI stand for? FIREMON a FEAT b Integrated a Fire Effects Monitoring system b Fire Ecology Assessment Tool

What is FIREMON? JFSP funded fire effects monitoring developed by the Missoula Fire Science Lab. What was the Fire Ecology Assessment Tool (FEAT)? NPS funded fire effects monitoring system developed by the NPS.

What is FFI? An ecological monitoring tool initially funded by the Fuels Management Committee and developed by an interagency team led by the NPS. Continuing funding is from the USFS, NPS and Fuels Management Committee Plot level monitoring tool for entry, storage, analysis and reporting of ecological monitoring data. Note: No field guide. No sampling strategy guidance.

General information, training announcements, software, user guide, help documentation… Discussion group - Need a Google account and must be a member of the FFI Google Discussion Group. Join here: For general technical support contact: Duncan Lutes (406) Software and support

Getting Started with FFI

Installation and initial configuration Relationship between the FFI components Database Administration Protocol Manager Data Tools GIS Module Brief overview of FFI programs Help files and documentation Terminology FFI - Getting Started Topics covered in this presentation

Getting Started Terminology Protocol – A way to collect data in the field. Protocols are made up of methods. For instance, the Surface Fuels protocol is made up of methods for sampling duff and litter, and fine and coarse woody debris. Standard protocols – Includes the protocols in FEAT and FIREMON, plus some new protocols that users requested. They will all be described in the Sampling Methods presentation. Custom protocols – These protocols are designed by the user in Protocol Manager. Reports for data stored in custom protocols must be created in the FFI Query Builder.

Administrative unit – A relatively large area that is unique in some way – administrative goals, location, etc. For example, a FWS office may manage multiple refuges so each refuge could be its own administrative unit. In FFI each administrative unit has its own species list. Reports, analyses and queries can only be done within one administrative unit. Project unit – These are usually areas where specific treatments were applied such as a fuel reduction treatment. Some people use cover types as the projects. Reports, analyses and queries can only be done within one project unit. Getting Started Terminology

Macro plot – The physical area on the ground where observations are made and data collected. A plot can be assigned to more than one project unit. Sample event – The date a macro plot was visited for sampling. Monitoring status – Used to name, group and order sample events. You should choose a name that describes the sampling visit. For instance, postfire2012year01 might be assigned to plots that were sampled one year after a prescribed fire set in Statuses must be assigned for plots to be included in reports, analyzes and queries. Getting Started Terminology

Database Administrative unit Project Macroplot Sample event Managed in Database Administration Managed in FFI Data Tools FFI - Getting Started Data Hierarchy

Project unit Macro plot Sample event Tree view Navigation bars Menu bar SQL instance DatabaseAdministrative unit Getting Started Terminology – user interface

Administrative unit 1 Administrative unit Project unit 1 Project unit 2 Project unit 3 3 Project units with treatments (3 plots each) Project unit 4 1 Project unit based on wildfire (8 plots) Getting Started Terminology – example

FFI – The setup package installs the three FFI components: Data Tools (FFI) Database Administration Protocol Manager SQL Server Express 2005, 2008 R2, 2012 or the full version of SQL Server. Instructions for installing SQL 2005 are included in the FFI User Guide. SQL 2012 installation instructions are posted on the Other Documents page on FRAMES. GIS toolbar (optional) Install ArcGIS (9.2 with SP2 through 10) Install Spatial Analyst Install FFI GIS toolbar Getting Started Software that needs to be installed to use FFI

Database Administration FFI Data Tools Protocol Manager GIS module Create, backup, delete and restore SQL databases. Set users and roles. Create and manage data collection protocols Enter and edit data, create reports and analysis Interact with plot data in GIS Protocol Manager databases FFI databases Protocols imported into FFI Getting Started Relationship of the three FFI components

Getting Started Description of components 1)Database Administration (used to communicate with SQL Server) Create databases Protocol Manger FFI Backup / Restore / Delete databases Add / Delete users and roles Patch databases Update previous versions to current version

2) FFI Data Tools Project Management PDA Coordination Data Entry and Edit Query Reports and Analysis Species Management Toolbox Getting Started Description of components

Project Management Getting Started Description of components – Navigation bar Create project units, macro plots, sample events, monitoring statuses…

PDA Coordination Getting Started Description of components – Navigation bar Import and export data from a PDA. Only Windows Mobile 5 OS devices are supported

Data Entry and Edit Getting Started Description of components – Navigation bar Enter, edit and manage data collected in the field.

Query Getting Started Description of components – Navigation bar Create custom reports and calculations. This is The only way to summarize data in custom protocols. Can also be used to create reports for the standard protocols that you can’t do with the canned FFI reports.

Reports and Analysis Getting Started Description of components – Navigation bar Create data summary reports, which can be stratified in any user-defined way. Do statistical analysis. Setup custom tree reports. Create export files for FVS and FuelCalc.

Species Management Getting Started Description of components – Navigation bar Select species from the NRCS master list to be added to the FFI local species list. Add user species. Create “picklists”. Replace species names…

Toolbox Getting Started Description of components – Navigation bar Manage installed protocols. Do external data analysis.

GIS module Getting Started Description of components View FFI plot locations in relation to other spatial features. Create project units. Do analysis of dNBR data. Create tree maps.

3) Protocol Manager View Protocols and Methods Methods in each Protocol Fields in each method Properties for each field Manage Protocols and Methods Create new protocols Create new methods Create new projects (groups of protocols) Export.pmd files for input into FFI Getting Started Description of components

Database Administration Create new FFI database FFI Data Tools Import Protocol Manager database file (.pmd) Setup projects / macro plots / sample events Assign protocols to sample events Add species to local species list and/or user species list(s) Protocol Manager - optional Create new Protocol Manager database (in FFI DBA) Create new methods and protocols as needed Export Protocol Manager database file (.pmd) Getting Started Tasks for first time software configuration

FFI - Getting Started Review the Key Terms document - especially terms in the Data Hierarchy section.