F I A Forest Inventory and Analysis Program The Nation’s Forest Census OVERVIEW The Protected Areas Database of the U.S. and Recent developments on FIA reserved forest classification W. Brad Smith, J.R. Strittholt and Andrew Gray

F I A Forest Inventory and Analysis Program The Nation’s Forest Census Why is protected area data important?

F I A Forest Inventory and Analysis Program The Nation’s Forest Census Support for PA & Easement Spatial Data The Forest Service has funded the project with $ ,000 annually through the R&D FIA program and S&PF Cooperative Forestry (CF) program for the past 3 years. NRCS has been briefed and expressed interest in providing funding and data for the easements portion of the project and support and participation from NFS is also being sought. The goal for USDA is $750,000 annually thru FY 2012.

F I A Forest Inventory and Analysis Program The Nation’s Forest Census What is the PAD-US? A comprehensive and current inventory of fee simple ownership of America’s protected lands created through a public-private collaboration * Next release is scheduled for Spring 2010* Two different releases – Source data – GAP Enhanced data - CBI

F I A Forest Inventory and Analysis Program The Nation’s Forest Census Some critical issues with current data Incomplete Disaggregated Conflict issues Timeliness of updates Lack of consistent funding NV CA Lake Tahoe

F I A Forest Inventory and Analysis Program The Nation’s Forest Census National Conservation Easement Database  Conservation Biology Institute  Trust for Public Land  NatureServe  Ducks Unlimited  Defenders of Wildlife Different partnership initiated by a grant from the US Endowment of Forestry and Communities.

F I A Forest Inventory and Analysis Program The Nation’s Forest Census National Conservation Easement Database

F I A Forest Inventory and Analysis Program The Nation’s Forest Census Fee and Easement Comparison Massachusetts GAP 1212 records97,435 ac GAP 2739 records92,583 ac GAP 34,950 records219,228 ac Easements6,157 records208,039 ac Virginia GAP 15 records89,192 ac GAP 240 records77,472 ac GAP 353 records174,108 ac Easements4,361 records807,108 ac* Illinois GAP 1595 records364,218 ac GAP 29 records71,770 ac GAP 33 records397,916 ac Easements225 records5,657 ac Florida GAP 1303 records3,235,664 ac GAP 2547 records2,324,560 ac GAP 31,134 records6,346,421 ac Easements526 records586,781 ac

F I A Forest Inventory and Analysis Program The Nation’s Forest Census Integrating fee and easement data

F I A Forest Inventory and Analysis Program The Nation’s Forest Census Data Basin –

F I A Forest Inventory and Analysis Program The Nation’s Forest Census FIA reserved forest classification update Effort started in early 2008 to: Improve consistency of applying reserved definition to the variety of laws and rules concerning management on the ground, Define application of reserved status for nonforest land, Develop definition for administratively withdrawn lands, and Provide recommendations for classifying lands in field and office, and QA’ing results.

F I A Forest Inventory and Analysis Program The Nation’s Forest Census FIA Reserved Lands Definition Reserved land is withdrawn by law(s) prohibiting the management of land for the production of wood products (not merely controlling or prohibiting wood-harvesting methods). Such authority is vested in a public agency or department, and supersedes rights of ownership. The prohibition against management for wood products cannot be changed through decision of the land manager (management agency) or through a change in land management personnel, but rather is permanent in nature.

F I A Forest Inventory and Analysis Program The Nation’s Forest Census Administratively withdrawn example BLM forest land Oregon: FIA estimate of non- reserved forest = 97% (no change since ‘84) BLM estimate of land available for timber management under Northwest Forest Plan = 33%

F I A Forest Inventory and Analysis Program The Nation’s Forest Census Proposal recommendations adopted Dec ‘09 Clarify reserved status definition: Federal: Adopt list of default status for each type of Congressional designations on Federal lands (exceptions allowed for specific laws) State and local: Default list, clear agency mandate suffices in absence of law (e.g., “parks”) Private: not reserved (assessing legal status not practical) Nonforest: same default list by designation as for forestland; determine status as if forestland present

F I A Forest Inventory and Analysis Program The Nation’s Forest Census Proposal recommendations adopted Dec ’09 (cont’d) Adopt definition for Administratively Withdrawn: Must preclude “management for timber production” (like reserved), and be designated in a formal management plan. Optional attribute, likely populated by GIS overlay for custom assessments. Implementation recommendations: Assign FTEs in each unit to compile area names + GIS layers, and keep on top of additions/changes, consult with NFS and other agencies to determine correct status. Provide pre-field estimates to crews to confirm/change downloaded status. Assess accuracy post-field, resolve real change vs. measurement error.

F I A Forest Inventory and Analysis Program The Nation’s Forest Census The future is bright: FIA use of PAD-US Assignment of FIA reserve status (dark green) and admin withdrawn (light green-- incomplete) to PAD-US v.1