NIMAC StatusRandy Morin and Chip Scott

Today’s TopicsNIMAC BackgroundStatesNational Forest SystemInternationalToolkit

NIMAC BackgroundNational Inventory and Monitoring

Applications Center (NIMAC)Mission:

To develop leading-edge forest ecosystem monitoring methods and tools to help FIA and its customers monitor forests, resulting in compatible results across the landscape. Methods and software tools are designed for use by land managers and across ownerships at landscape to national scales, but will also provide added flexibility to FIA.

States: WisconsinContract crews are in the third

panel of the second cycle of data collection on their 514,000 ac.

The second remeasured panel is now being processed by NIMAC and UNLV cooperators

WisFIDO is being upgraded to the new FIA FIDO version: http://wiscfi.fiatools.us/fido/index.html

Data and estimates for the first remeasured panel are available using PC EVALIDator, including some P3 data.

States: IndianaState crews are completing the first panel of the

second cycle on their 150,000 ac of state land. Plots are paneled by 1,000 ac compartments. We

are using this concept in the NFI of Peru.

IN DNR expanded the system to 600,000 ac of private conservation lands.

We prepared a PC version of NIMS so they can process the data themselves.

NIMAC has trained IN DNR on processing the data for use in PC EVALIDator.

States: MissouriMissouri crews have finished the third season

of fieldwork on 600,000 ac of State Forest land. Fieldwork is done during the “off season.”

MDC adopted the Wisconsin model of having NIMAC and UNLV do all the processing with NIMS and provide the results using PC EVALIDator. We are starting to process the data now.

National Forest SystemNIMAC worked with R9 so that the sample on

all Forests is intensified (2X or 3X). Region 8 has intensified some Forests and

contracted with Ray Sheffield (retired SRS-FIA) to aid them with analysis.

Working with Region 10 (Tongass National Forest)

NFS continues to fund the development of the Design and Analysis Toolkit for Inventory and Monitoring (DATIM).

International: Growing need for monitoring globallyPrimary factor is the financial incentives of REDD+

(Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation Plus), but others include timber production and conservation of biodiversity.

USAID & State Dept. are funding the FS, USGS, NASA, Smithsonian Inst., and EPA to provide technical assistance to Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Viet Nam, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon, Republic of Congo, and Gabon

Goal is to reduce carbon emissions and to encourage sustainable use of forests to help keep them as forests.

What is FIA doing about it?FIA’s role is to provide technical assistance

and training, not to do the work. NIMAC coordinates the technical assistance

for the FS.Skills Roster – about 60 folks have signed up

on the skills roster to provide technical assistance.

Built an optimal plot design tool which factors in both cost and precision.

ToolkitDeveloped portable data recorder program

(modern version of TALLY). We gave training in Honduras, Peru, Vietnam and Gabon.

DATIM version 1.2 is now being tested, but is not yet available outside the Forest Service.

Web version of the Design Tool for Inventory and Monitoring (DTIM) now includes NFS Planning Rule.

The Analytical Tool for Inventory and Monitoring (ATIM) and the Spatial Intersection Tool (SIT) are being integrated to facilitate spatial analyses.

SummaryNIMAC’s role is growing, especially in the

international arena States – continuing in MO and WI. Talking

with MA & NY.National Forest System – DATIM funding

continues but involvement with R8 & R9 has diminished.

International – developing documentation, training and tools

Toolkit – DATIM is testing version 1.2.

Questions / CommentsRandy Morin

FIA-NIMACUSDA Forest Service11 Campus Blvd., Suite

200Newtown Square, PA

19073610-557-4054rsmorin@fs.fed.us