Extending and Intensifying the FIA
Inventory of Down Forest Fuels
Boundary Waters Canoe Area (MN) and the
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore (MI)
Christopher Woodall
USDA Northern Research Station Forest
Inventory and Analysis Program
St. Paul, Minnesota
Outline
• Introduction
– Intensification
– Extension
• Objectives
• Study Sites
– BWCA and PRNL
• Results
• Conclusions
Intensification
• Increase sample
intensity from P3 base
• Reduces variance
• More analytical
opportunities
• Expands FIA user
group and technology
Extension
• Agencies/individuals
use FIA sample
protocols
30°
2
Transect Information
FWD < 0.25”
6 ft. s.d. & 0.26”-0.99”
270°
N
10 ft. s.d.
150°
30°
24 ft. h.d.
FWD 1.00”2.99”
CWD ? 3.00”
1
s.d.= slope dist., h.d.=horizontal dist.
270°
• No FIA affiliation
30°
4
270°
Key
150°
30°
3
Sub-plot
Micro-plot
270°
CWD Transect
FWD Transect
150°
• Estimation procedures
may vary
150°
Distances between sub-plot points: 120 ft., Distance from sub-plot center and microplot center: 12 ft., Distance between
Sub-plot 1 and sub-plots 2, 3, and 4: 207.8 ft. at angles (degrees) 150, 210, and 270 respectively.
Objectives
• Evaluate contribution of
intensification to
inventory/analysis
• Evaluate “extension” of
sampling protocol (i.e.,
partner adoption)
• Context of fuels issues
BWCA and PRNL
BWCA Background
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
1.029 million acres
Superior National Forest
Established in 1978
1,500+ miles canoe routes
July 4, 1999, blowdown
1/3 of BWCA affected
90-mph winds
BWCA Intensification
• Phase 2 × 2
• Down woody
sampled on all
forested plots
• 2001 and 2002
• 84 forested plots
PRNL Background
• 71,000 acres
• First National Lakeshore
• 1998  Inventory and
monitor baseline trends
in resources
• Mitigate Fire Suppression
Effects
PRNL Extension
• FIA DWM
Protocols
• Sample Intensity
• 131 forested plots
• 2001 and 2002
• FIA processing
routines
• FIA core tables
PRNL Extension
Results — Intensification
30
Tons/acre
25
20
15
10
5
0
1-hr
10-hr
100-hr
1000-hr
Duff
Litter
Fuel Component
Means and associated standard errors for fuels on forested plots in BWCA
Analytical Context
30
BWCA
25
NC States
Tons/acre
20
15
10
5
0
1-hr
10-hr
100-hr
1000-hr
Duff
Litter
Fuel Component
Means and standard errors for fuels on forested plots in BWCA and all
North Central (NC) states
Bailey’s Eco-Province 212
Analytical Context
35
30
BWCA
Eco Prov 212
Tons/acre
25
20
15
10
5
0
1-hr
10-hr
100-hr
1000-hr
Duff
Fuel Component
Means and standard errors for fuels on forested plots
in BWCA and Ecological Province 212
Litter
Multi-Scale Capability
Multi-Scale Capability
Fuel/Stand Dynamics
1600
BWCA
Eco Prov 212
CWD Volume (cu.ft./ac)
1400
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
0-29.9
30.0-59.9
60.0-89.9
90.0-119.9
120.0+
Stand Basal Area (sq. ft./ac)
Means/ standard errors for CWD on forested plots
by live BA in BWCA and Ecological Province 212
For Further Reading
Woodall and Nagel. 2007. FEM.
247: 194-199.
“Extension” Results
Standard Processing and Tables
Hex_ID
1027301
1027303
1027310
1027311
1027314
3609268
3709556
4308964
4308976
11
13
14
15
17
3609268
3609355
3709488
3709538
State
27
27
27
27
27
29
20
55
55
26
26
26
26
26
29
29
20
20
FWD
(tons/ac)
0.97
5.79
4.96
3.22
3.21
0.42
0
0.46
2.86
2.84
0.47
1.19
1.18
3.16
0.42
0.76
1.95
2.42
CWD
(tons/ac)
1.11
5.39
3.83
3.26
1.71
0
0
1.21
3.46
6.28
0
9.57
0.4
8.24
0
1.08
0
0.92
Duff
(tons/ac)
6.19
9.69
6.41
31.9
34.5
39.1
4.27
53.7
7.74
0.29
4.09
25.16
11.08
8.49
39.1
46.5
1.6
3.5
Litter
(tons/ac)
2.58
3.44
2.76
5.87
3.26
0.71
0.01
1.8
3.12
0.67
0.59
0.49
2.18
1.8
0.71
1.21
0
1.93
Decay 3
(logs/ac)
37.29
73.81
62.15
0
93.23
0
0
83.18
317.49
64.23
0
96.46
6.3
87.11
0
0
0
27.3
Diameter 3
(logs/ac)
68.75
139.84
126.32
167.05
184.28
0
0
83.18
344.22
187.01
0
130.35
6.3
242.71
0
39.64
0
27.3
Forest
Type
900
900
900
120
120
120
700
500
500
807
101
127
807
801
120
400
400
500
Stand BA
(sq.ft./ac)
99
69
188
51
69
123
53
67
65
124
62
351
198
75
22
69
34
73
Analytical Context — PRNL
35
NC States
Eco Prov 212
PRNL
30
Tons/acre
25
20
15
10
5
0
1-hr
10-hr
100-hr
1000-hr
Duff
Litter
Fuel Component
Means and standard errors for forested plots in NC States, Ecol. Prov. 212, and PRNL
PRNL Fuel Hazard Identification
Fuel/Stand Dynamics
5
FWD (tons/ac)
4.5
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
PRNL
Eco Prov 212
0.5
0
0-29.9
30.0-59.9
60.0-89.9
90.0-119.9
120.0+
Stand Basal Area (sq. ft./ac)
Means/std. errors for FWD on forested plots by stand BA in PRNL and Ecol. Prov. 212
Regional Fuel Hazard Assessment
Conclusions
• Framework for Regional Monitoring?
–
FIA provides context for intensive monitoring
– Economics of scale when non-FIA partners adopt
FIA-like protocols/sample design
• FIA’s NIMAC Program
– Indiana and Wisconsin DNR Inventories
– Silvacarbon
Questions??