Emerging Issue(s) for FIA SAF National FIA User Group Meeting Rancho Cordova, California

Charley Peterson

Pacific Region Forest Inventory & AnalysisResource Monitoring and Assessment Program

Pacific Northwest Station, Portland, Oregon

Emerging Issue(s) for FIA

SAF National FIA User Group MeetingRancho Cordova, California

March 09, 2011

12010 National FIA User Meeting – Peterson: emerging issues

Increased need for science in land management decisions is spurring new requests for FIA data,

especially more exact plot information

• What types of requests and by whom,• Drivers behind the requests, and• Benefits and Challenges for FIA


FIA Spatial Data Services Centerteam members (brochure in back)

• Liz LaPoint – Team Lead, Northern National projects • Rich McCullough – Northern Research Station FIA• Sam Lambert – Southern Research Station FIA• Jock Blackard – Interior West FIA• Dale Weyermann and John Chase – Pacific Region FIA

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2010 Business Report, Figure 9 – Requests made to the FIA Spatial Data Service Center,

4

Academic27%

Industry8%

National Forest System

8%

Non-Governmental Organizations

7%

Other11%

Other Federal28%

State (not Academia)

11%

FY2010 Requests by Organization


Increased requests for information beyond public FIADB, and/or plot locations

(2010 Business Report)

Requests have shifted in recent years from knowledge types to summary and spatial type.


Spatial Knowledge Summary

34%

31%

35%

FY 2010 Request Type

More requests for sample data on all lands from Spatial Data Services in past year (2010 Business Report)

• Academia: SDS’s largest client with 27% of new requests• Requests by National Forest System: from 4% to 8%• Requests by other Federal groups from 15% to 28%


Q: Are needs for FIA confidential plot data legitimate ?

A: Yes, but the need for plot confidentiality conflicts with FIA role of being of service to the public.

Changing User Needs drive nature of data requests from Spatial Data Services

• All Lands Approach contributes to needs [e.g., Region 5 (Carlos Ramirez) and Regions 3/6 Integrated Landscape Assessment Project for Forest Planning];

• State assessment requirements [e.g. WA and OR used GNN imputation that combines FIA plots and remote sensing];

• Universities and mega-remote sensing labs (e.g., LANL) wanting plots for ground validation.


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•Land Cover Mapping Monitoring Program

•Statewide vegetation map

•Statewide fuels database

Integrated Landscape Assessment Project Regions 3 and 6 using (FIA) Plot Data

• Landscape cross-ownership information on vegetation (existing/ potential) conditions in AZ, NM, OR, and WA. • Information to be used for mid- and broad-scale landscape assessment and planning efforts.• Currently using imputation methods to map existing and potential vegetation for these clients. • FIA data is the cornerstone plot data set that ILAP uses to develop imputation maps.


Integrated Landscape Assessment Project Regions 3 and 6 using (FIA) Plot Data

• Accurate spatial plot locations are necessary to build accurate imputation maps.

• Fuzzed coordinates do not allow development of accurate relationships between geographic data and vegetation plots.

• LANDFIRE data, while comprehensive, are not of sufficient resolution for client needs.

• MOU can be developed so to specify safeguards of plot locations as required by FIA data security protocols.


Challenges for FIA and Spatial Data Services

• More atypical (non-traditional) users unfamiliar with the data, design, or confidentiality procedures;

• Increased demand from FIA for both time and resources to educate and fulfill needs of the request;

• Increased scrutiny comes with increased availability as more people are looking at the data, perhaps suggesting

• A need to re-invigorate our Quality Assurance process


Benefits to FIA: what do we want in exchange for using our confidential data?

• Remains confidential (non-negotiable)

• Program acknowledged (preferably in a grateful tone); a standard acknowledgement for publications

• Offers of FIA participation, particularly in complex non-routine projects


Be more pro-active in getting the information out

• Websites need help, and there's a lot of potential to populate websites with content we're already creating (e.g. , input to regional and national accomplishments)…topic unto itself

• Utilize publications to help people navigate the pitfalls, find the gems in FIA data when they think they want the coordinates or try to use what's publicly available


Be more pro-active in getting the information out

• Recognize our client base has broadened• Understand client base and needs• Actively teach the users about the data • Informing new users of the process for acquiring the data and assuring confidentiality


On the bright side, the national FIA Program of Research is definitely on the map and very much in demand as a recognized resource , especially compared to just 10 yrs ago when many folks didn’t knew who or what FIA was, or perhaps recognize its value.

2010 National FIA User Meeting – Peterson: emerging issues15

Emerging Issue(s) for FIA SAF National FIA User Group Meeting Rancho Cordova, California

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