1. DEC Forest Products Utilization Program
Revised USFS State-Wide Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA)---
Background, Process & Selected Year Two Results

2. Revised US Forest Service State-Wide Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA)
- Topics -
State-Wide Inventory Background
Why a New Design?
Overview of Revised FIA Design
Selected Year Two Results

3. History/Background Four Previous Inventories -1949-1952 -1966-1968
Data Collection-- State Wide
Mostly Timber Variables
Reporting-- State, Regional, County
Focused on Timber on Non-Reserved Land

4. Why a Revised Inventory Design. …. User Community Demand
Why a Revised Inventory Design?….. User Community Demand! Recognition of Importance of Data
Led to
AF&PA Blue Ribbon Panel Recommendations (91 & 97)
Led to---
Requirements in
1998 Farm Bill Authorizing Legislation
Section 253(c)

5. Major Changes Overview
• Produce More Current Data (periodic to annualized
5 yr. cycle inventories)
• Improve and Expand Information on Health, Ecosystems and Non-commodity Values (merge FIA and FHM)
• Increase Consistency and Compatibility among FIA Units
• Improve Service/Reporting to User Groups
• Sample All Land (includes Forest Preserves)
• 50 Year Projections

6. Inventory Phases
Phase One – Remote Sensing to Develop Expansion Factors
Phase Two – Revised Ground Sampling of Forest Variables
5,094 Plots Total (3,178 Forest Plots)
revised method for plot distribution
and
revised plot design
Phase Three – Forest Health Monitoring Ground Sampling
338 Plots Total (Approx. 240 Forest)
Each sample plot represents 95,000 acres---subset of Phase two plots

7. Phase Two – Sampling Grid
Grid Design
Sample Intensity = 1 sample location per 5,933 acres of land
(same precision as previous inventories)
Reflects Five Year annualized Inventory Cycle Length
Advantage
Each year’s panel is evenly distributed
across the state. Includes Forest Preserve and other reserved land.

8. Phase Two – Sampling Grid (cont.)
Assigning Sample Locations
Step One: Utilize existing FHM samples
within a given hex.
Step Two: Utilize previously measured
FIA samples within a given
hex.
Step Three: Locate new sample at a
random distance and azimuth
from hex center.

9. Changes Affect Time Frame for Reliable Change Data--- in Two Ways
New Sampling Grid-- A Short-Term Problem for Identifying Change
Changes Affect Time Frame for Reliable Change Data--- in
Two Ways
1. Just one-half existing plots will be
re-measured. Balance to be abandoned.
So final sample on forestland is:
1,520 re-measured
1,638 new
3,158 Total Forestland Plots

10. New Sampling Grid--A Problem for Identifying Change (cont.)
2. Will not re-measure the entire existing plot. Just 1/24 acre. Not 1/5 acre.

11. Revised Sample Plot Design
Tree Variables
Species Yellow Poplar
DBH 12.9 inches
Tree history Live
Tree Class Growing Stock
Sample-Location Variables
Location ID St, Un, Co, #
Date Mo, Day, Yr
Sample Kind Remeas. 1/5th
GPS Lat-Long.
Old 1/5-acre plot
Condition Variables
Slope & Aspect Pct & Degrees
Land Use Forest
Stand Origin Natural
Owner Class Individual
New Sample Design
Trees 5.0 inches & larger: Four 24-foot radius fixed subplots
spaced 120 feet apart.
Trees from 1.0 to 4.9 inches: One 6.8-foot radius plot per subplot (not shown).
Tree Seedlings/ Woody Shrubs: One 3.7-foot radius plot per subplot (not shown). .

12. Sample Location Variables - Forested Sample Locations -
Location ID
Sample Kind
Measurement Date
Previous Land Use
Terrain Position
Site Productivity Class
GPS Coordinates
Use
Identifying and locating the plot
Referencing with satellite imagery
Accounting for sample locations

13. Condition-Level Variables - Forested Sample Locations -
Slope and Aspect
Land Use
Forest Type
Stand Origin
Stand Size
Stand Age
Physiographic Class
Stand History
Owner Class

14. Tree-Level Variables - Forested Sample Locations -
Species
Tree History
Diameter at Breast Height
Condition Class
Sawlog Length
Board-foot Cull
Bole Length
Cubic-foot Cull
Total Height
Crown Class
General Damage/Cause of Death
Special Damage
Tree Class
Use
Compute Derived Variables
Forest Type
Stand-Size Class
Stocking Class
Inventory Volume (CF and BF)
Inventory Change Components
Others

15. Phase Three – Forest Health Monitoring
FHM and FIA sample locations will be co-located under the annual system.
Standard FIA protocols.
Standard FHM protocols.
FHM intensity will be boosted under the annual system.
Convert to a 5-year measurement cycle
From 1 sample per 160,000 ac. to 1 sample per 95,000 ac.

16. Phase Three – Measurement Variables. - Many Classes of
Phase Three – Measurement Variables Many Classes of Health Indicators Addressed
Crown Condition Classification
Crown Ratio, Crown Diameter, Crown Density, Crown Dieback, Foliage Transparency and vigor class (seedlings).
Damage and Catastrophic Mortality Assessment
Tree Damage, Location, and Severity.
Vegetation Structure
Plant Occupancy of a three dimensional cone by Life Form.
Ozone Bio-indicator Plants
Species, Number, Amount and Severity of Injury.
Lichen Communities
Collection of Voucher Specimens and Estimate of Abundance.
Soils
Soil Litter, Erosion Measures, Soil Texture, and Lab Analysis of pH, Organic Carbon, Nitrogen, Exchangeable Calcium, Exchangeable Magnesium, Exchangeable Potassium and Phosphorus.

17. Broadened Program… Other Elements of FIA
Woodland Owner Study
Full Vegetation
Survey
Mapping Services
-species distribution
-forest typing
-forest fragmentation
-land use change
Urban Forest Area Inventory
Integrating FHM data with other data sources (e.g.--USGS, Weather Data) for Risk Mapping
Non-Forest Tree Inventory
Special Projects

18. NYS Buy-Down to Five Year Cycle?? Where do we stand?
Buydown funds included in
DEC Budget Proposal
Governor’s Budget…..Again
ESFPA
Region 7 FPB
User’s that helped to make a difference

19. Selected Year Two Results…. based on 40% of Forested Plots Measured

20. Forestland Stabilized

22. Forest Types Stabilized

24. Still Increasing Total Volume Statewide…+20% Ave. Annual 1.8%

26. Still Increasing Sawtimber Volume…+21% 1.9% Ave. Annual Increase

27. But Look at Recent History…. +46% --1980-1993 3. 5% Ave
But Look at Recent History…. +46% % Ave. Annual Increase

28. % Increase in Small-Sawtimber Stocking… Slowdown

29. Possible Causes of Sawtimber Stocking Slowdown
Structural Balance Changes
Ingrowth vs. Accretion
Increased Harvest Level
Increased Acres of Poorly Stocked Stands….. caused by heavy partial cutting?

30. Sugar Maple—Still the State Tree??

31. Sugar Maple—Still the State Tree?? (Cont.)

32. But In Fact…Red Maple More Prevalent for 25 Years+

34. Small Diameter Classes Rate of Volume Increase— 1993-2004 Sugar Maple vs. Red Maple

35. Top Species--Harvest Pressure

36. Percent of Log Harvest Level ---Top 6 Species
1952
2003
White Pine--23% of Log Harvest
Sugar Maple--26% of Log Harvest
Sugar Maple
Red Oak
Birch
Red Maple
Beech
Black Cherry
White Pine
Hemlock
White Ash
83% of Harvest
82% of Harvest

37. 1999 NYS Timber Products Output (TPO) Study
-Topics-
Purpose of TPO
Why do a TPO Study?
Study Method
Production
NY Consumption (Receipts)
Exports

38. Primary Purpose:
To assess the most important and largest component of wood removals in New York State, namely, wood harvested for industrial use…
by: Type
Quantity
and Species
The interim study does not measure the following:
Fuelwood harvested for residential use
Quantities of logging residue
Wood removed due to land use change

39. Secondary Purposes:
• Determine Primary mill Consumption (receipts) level
• Determine status as net importer or exporter

40. Why do a TPO Study?
• Allows New York to know where it stands regarding current and past use, sustainability, and economic importance of the timber resource
- enhance resource assessments
- improves response to public issues and policy making
- timely, easy to carry out

41. Why do a TPO Study? (cont.)
• Can verify and/or supplement other data sources such as:
--FIA timber removals
and
--U.S. Census Current Industrial Reports Program
• Chance to update Primary Directory

42. Study Method
100% survey of all fixed primary wood products manufacturers and consumers in New York using roundwood or roundwood chips
Determine receipts by industry out of state* using reported data or survey
Estimate receipts by portable and Amish mills and non-responding mills
*does not include negligible volume states or some overseas exports

43. Total Production 189 MM ft3 62% Sawlogs/Veneer Logs
38% Pulpwood or Roundwood Chips

44. Total Production HW vs. SW

45. Total Production by Product and HW / SW
71% Log Harvest --Hardwood
58% Pulpwood Harvest --Hardwood

46. Total Sawlog/Veneer Log Production
893.2 MMbf (International 1/4 inch)
5 species--2/3rds Reported Production
Sugar Maple alone--1/5th Reported Production

47. Sawlog/Veneer Log Species Specific Harvest Level vs
Sawlog/Veneer Log Species Specific Harvest Level vs. Level in the Resource Base
Function of Relative Scarcity and Markets

48. Sawlog/Veneer Log Species Specific Harvest Level vs
Sawlog/Veneer Log Species Specific Harvest Level vs. Average Annual net Growth
Used extrapolated harvest level

49. Total Pulpwood and RW Chip Production
851,000 Cords
Mostly to Pulpmills--NY, Canada, PA, MD
Mostly Roundwood
6% to Industrial Wood Energy & Other
Does not Include Mill Residues

50. Fixed Sawmill Profile 250 Active Sawmills--1999
179 Reporting--86% of mills >1MMbf
10 % of mills account for 42% of total
50% for just over 90%

51. NY Sawmill Consumption Reported & Estimates
651.8 MMbf Total Consumption
57% of Total Volume Consumption by NY Facilities

52. Estimated Consumption-- Non-Responding Mills and Portables

53. NY Pulpwood/RW Chip Consumption
65.2 Million cu. ft. (767,000 Cords)_
43% of Total Volume Consumption by NY Facilities

54. Total Production Exported

55. Export by Product and HW/SW

56. Disposition of Exports-- All Products

57. Export by Product and The Canada Question
32% of Sawlog/Veneer Logs Production
77% of this to Canada (218.4 MMbf)
44% Hardwood
56% Softwood
So……………About 25% of our total Production in this Product Category is shipped to Canada.
24% of Pulpwood and Roundwood Chip Production
45% of this to Canada
So………….About 11% of our total Production in this Product Category is shipped to Canada

58. Summary Production-Consumption-Trade 1993 vs. 1999

59. Reporting Forest Service Publication (Resource Bulletin) mid 2002
1-2 Page Summary for Industry

60. Sugar Maple—Still the State Tree??