North American Forest CommissionInventory, Monitoring and Assessment Working Group

Integrated Working Group MeetingMarch 3-6, 2008

Simon BridgeCanadian Forest Service

Natural Resources Canada.

March 3-7, 2008 NAFC Integrated Working Group Meeting, Washington, DC

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Background

Need for North American perspective on forest inventory, monitoring and reporting

All three countries are revising their approaches to National Forest Inventory

Opportunity To increase consistency in analysis and reporting To move towards a common framework for

inventory and monitoring

March 3-7, 2008 NAFC Integrated Working Group Meeting, Washington, DC

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Objectives

Share research and information

Take advantage of opportunities for collaboration and scientific exchange on forest inventory and monitoring

Focus on: Fostering compatible approaches Use of remote sensing and other technologies Sponsor and facilitate exchanges to build capacity Advise member countries Fostering communication

March 3-7, 2008 NAFC Integrated Working Group Meeting, Washington, DC

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Accomplishments

Presentations: NAFC Commission

Meeting (Vera Cruz) Monitoring, Science and

Technology Workshop (Denver)

CIF/SAF Joint AGM (Edmonton)

Reports: North America regional

assessment Remote sensing tools for

forest inventory

March 3-7, 2008 NAFC Integrated Working Group Meeting, Washington, DC

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Current Activities

Regional Forest Resources Database

What: A spatially defined forest inventory database for North America using: FAO ecological reporting framework Common protocols to facilitate data exchange, evaluation and

assessmentWhy: Support an NAFC objective to have consistent forest reporting for all

major North American forest ecosystems from a continental perspective.How:

1. Enlist country forest inventory experts to outline preliminary structure and attributes for database development.

2. Hire a contractor to evaluate, document and report on database feasibility and potential outputs.

March 3-7, 2008 NAFC Integrated Working Group Meeting, Washington, DC

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Current Activities

March 3-7, 2008 NAFC Integrated Working Group Meeting, Washington, DC

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Current Activities

March 3-7, 2008 NAFC Integrated Working Group Meeting, Washington, DC

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North American Forests

Boreal /boréale /boreal

38%

Temperate /tempérée /templado

37%

Tropical / tropicale/ tropical

7% Subtropical /subtropicale /subtropical

18%

Nonforest

47%

Other wooded land

19%

Forest

28%

Unclassified

0.3%Water

6%

March 3-7, 2008 NAFC Integrated Working Group Meeting, Washington, DC

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Next Steps

Further develop Regional Forest Resources Database;

Present findings of regional assessment at 2009 World Forest Congress;

Regional workshop for FRA 2010 at next WG meeting (June 2008, Canada)

March 3-7, 2008 NAFC Integrated Working Group Meeting, Washington, DC

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Membership

Mexico: Alberto Sandoval Arturo Victoria Francisco Takaki Takaki Rigoberto Palafox Rivas USA: Greg Reams Brad Smith Michael Wilson

Canada: Mark Gillis Simon Bridge Joe Kapron