A spatial and temporal assessment of nonresponse in the national forest inventory of the U.S.

In nearly all national forest inventories (NFI), some sample plots are unable to be measured such that nonresponse may be an issue of concern. Thus, it is of particular interest to understand the phenomenon in terms of current status and temporal change in nonresponse rates and the associated spatial distribution on the landscape. In the NFI of the USA, denial of access permission on privately owned forest land and hazardous conditions has led to an overall nonresponse rate of 9.

Strategies for the use of mixed-effects models in continuous forest inventories.

Forest inventory data often consists of measurements taken on field plots as well as values predicted from statistical models, e.g., tree biomass.

Precision and cost considerations for two-stage sampling in a panelized forest inventory design.

Due to the relatively high cost of measuring sample plots in forest inventories, considerable attention is given to sampling and plot designs during the forest inventory planning phase. A two-stage design can be efficient from a field work perspective as spatially proximate plots are grouped into work zones. A comparison between subsampling with units of unequal size (SUUS) and a simple random sample (SRS) design in a panelized framework assessed the statistical and economic implications of using the SUUS design for a case study in the Northeastern USA.

Detecting change in advance tree regeneration using forest inventory data: the implications of type II error.

Achieving adequate and desirable forest regeneration is necessary for maintaining native tree species and forest composition. Advance tree seedling and sapling regeneration is the basis of the next stand and serves as an indicator of future composition. The Pennsylvania Regeneration Study was implemented statewide to monitor regeneration on a subset of Forest Inventory and Analysis plots measured by the U.

A primer for nonresponse in the US forest inventory and analysis program.

Nonresponse caused by denied access and hazardous conditions are a concern for the USDA Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program, whose mission is to quantify status and trends in forest resources across the USA. Any appreciable amount of nonresponse can cause bias in FIA's estimates of population parameters. This paper will quantify the magnitude of nonresponse and describe the mechanisms that result in nonresponse, describe and qualitatively evaluate FIA's assumptions regarding nonresponse, provide a recommendation concerning plot replacement strategies, and identify appropriate strategies to pursue that minimize bias.