Download - General thoughts on Criteria and Indicators
Forest Inventory and AnalysisThe Nation’s Forest Census
General thoughts onCriteria and Indicators
fiaThe Nation’s Forest Census
presented by
W. Brad SmithAssociate National Program Manager, FIA
Forest Inventory and AnalysisThe Nation’s Forest Census
Why are we doing this?
Forest Inventory and AnalysisThe Nation’s Forest Census
ProductsSpecies
Use
TIMBERLAND
Monitortimber supplies
forsustainability
TIMBER
1928 McSweeney-McNary Act
Criteria and Indicators are not new, but the old paradigm was simpler
Forest Inventory and AnalysisThe Nation’s Forest Census
In the 1960’s and 70’s many significant changes in U.S. policy
began“ The days have ended when the forest may be viewed
only as trees and trees only as timber”
Hon. Senator Hubert H. HumphreyDuring debate on NFMA, 1976
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
AGRICULTURE HANDBOOK NO. 475
1977
Vegetation and Environmental Features of Forest and Range Ecosystems
FOREST SERVICE
Forest Inventory and AnalysisThe Nation’s Forest Census
Clearly, the new monitoring puzzle was going to be more complex
Monitorforest
ecosystems and social-economic impacts
Reserved for future issues!
Forest Inventory and AnalysisThe Nation’s Forest Census
We would need a broader view of the forest
Flora Fauna Soils Water Air
Humans Management Pollution
Animals Insects/disease Fire Weather/Climate Geologic events
Biodiversity Habitat Forage Wood products Non-wood products Soil/water protection Recreation/tourism Cultural/spiritual
Composition Agents of change Desired outcomes
Elements of Criterion 2 highlighted in blue
Forest Inventory and AnalysisThe Nation’s Forest Census
US National Report on Sustainable Forests 2003 US
Montreal Process First Forest Overview Rep. 2003 Intnl EPA State of the Environment Report US HEINZ Report on the State of the Nation’s Ecosystems US UNEP Global Environmental Outlook Intnl Forest Resources of the United States, 2003 US Temperate-Boreal Forest Resource Assessment 2000 Intnl Global Forest Resource Assessment 2000 Intnl Forest Resources of the United States, 1997 US Montreal Process First Approximation Report 1997 Intnl
And, repeated assessments have enlightened
the discussion if not the answersReport Type
on U.S. forests from local to global
Local Sub-State region State Regional/National
Global Internationalmulti-process
National sector C&INational multi-sector
Main information flowFeedback loop
FIA, the keystone of Criterion 2, has reported
Forest Inventory and AnalysisThe Nation’s Forest Census
U.S. Forest Production, Consumption, Growing Stock and Area Sustainability Indices
P-indexIndicator 13
C-indexIndicator 31
GS50-IndexIndicator 11
F50-IndexIndicator 2,10
ReservedIndicator 4
PlantationsIndicator 12
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Ind
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E-Line 1.0
2003 National Report on Sustainable Forests- What the data showed…
Indicators 2, 4, 10, 11, 12, 13, 31
Forest Inventory and AnalysisThe Nation’s Forest Census
Area of mid to late successional forests is increasing
Area of early successional or pioneer forests is declining
Harvesting has leveled off but we are importing more wood than ever. More pressure on private forests.
We have many regional and local issues that are masked by national level data
Other findings…
Forest Inventory and AnalysisThe Nation’s Forest Census
What does it mean, who cares? National interest— State Dept., Trade Rep, White
House Foundation for multi-faceted US national and international policy
State interest— National Association of State Foresters
Another way to leverage/influence better forest monitoring World is being globalized, need to keep up
Industry interest— AF&PA, NCASI, others
Protect commercial interests Protect market share, National C&I and certification
Environmental Groups— Def.of Wildlife, WWF, TNC, others
Better data to support their point of view Complement certification
Forest Inventory and AnalysisThe Nation’s Forest Census
Putting continuous systems into consistent and
meaningful discrete boxes is hard work.
Making sense of the relationships between the
stuff in those boxes is even harder!
Making sense of it
Forest Inventory and AnalysisThe Nation’s Forest Census
The Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC)
and Sustainability Roundtable are committed to
building on what we have learned by :
Assessing data gaps Continuing to involve stakeholders Improving coordination Refining the assessment framework Improving links to other resource sectors
Moving forward on forest sustainability in
the U.S.
Forest Inventory and AnalysisThe Nation’s Forest Census
The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) is taking on the task of integrating what we have learned and developing a framework to move forward in an organized way across resource sectors.
FORESTS, RANGELANDS, CROPLANDS, URBAN, FRESHWATER, COASTAL MARINE
Moving forward across resource sectors in the
U.S.
Forest Inventory and AnalysisThe Nation’s Forest Census
In the private sector, competition is seen as assuring the best product for the customer.
In the public sector, competition is seen as redundant and a waste of taxpayer dollars.
Hmmmmmm…….
Are all these efforts necessary?
Forest Inventory and AnalysisThe Nation’s Forest Census
Some competition is critical to assuring all the key stakeholders have a viable space to voice their concerns, but it must be effectively managed.
REMEMBER: Sustainable forest management is a journey not just a destination.
A better outcome
Forest Inventory and AnalysisThe Nation’s Forest Census
The political courage and leadership to support and maintain progress toward the goals of sustainable forest management without knowing the outcome in advance.
Assuring the collection of consistent, reliable data is the first critical step.
The Biggest Gap?
Forest Inventory and AnalysisThe Nation’s Forest Census
And, a key consistency and reliablity iscore data and common definitions
National Core Data
Regional Core Data
International Core Data
Forest Inventory and AnalysisThe Nation’s Forest Census
If I were King…. Fully implement FIA Annualized Inventory
Complete the work on NVCS with NatureServe
Complete development of Protected Areas Database with Conservation Biology Institute (CBI)
Drop indicators 1 and 3 (data already in 2 and 4)
Make data scalable to regions and lower for more reporting flexibility
Change “growing stock and merchantable” in indicator 10 to “standing stock and merchantable” AND
2, 4, 8, 9, 10,11, 12, 13, 18,19, 26, 29, 31
2, 4, 9
1, 3
2, 4, 9
Indicatorsaffected
2, 4, 8, 9, 10,11, 12, 13, 18,19, 26, 29, 31
10
Forest Inventory and AnalysisThe Nation’s Forest Census
YES….
Continue the Roundtables and do another sustainability assessment…
thinking multi-sector, not just forests next time
Forest Inventory and AnalysisThe Nation’s Forest Census
Questions?