FIA Ownership Classification Brett J. Butler National Woodland Owner Survey Coordinator Forest Inventory and Analysis USDA Forest Service National FIA Users Group Meeting August 1, 2002

Quick Overview Why does FIA collect ownership information? What information have we been collecting? How do we collect this information? How are data stored and distributed? Where are we headed? Discussion

The Need for Ownership Data It is ultimately the owners who decide if the land will be developed, timber will be harvested, or a nature preserve will be established It is ultimately the owners who decide if the land will be developed, timber will be harvested, or a nature preserve will be established “Recognize and identify ownership, regulatory, and social impacts on forest productivity” - FIA Blue Ribbon Panel “Recognize and identify ownership, regulatory, and social impacts on forest productivity” - FIA Blue Ribbon Panel “Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.” “Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.” - Albert Einstein

Forest Ownership in the U.S. Source: USDA Forest Service 1958, Birch et al. 1978, Birch 1996, Smith et al. 1997

Ownership Information Collected RPA Ownership RPA Ownership Current FIA forest inventory Current FIA forest inventory Current FIA ownerships survey Current FIA ownerships survey

Ownership Schema for National Forest Assessments, All Forest Ownerships 1907 PublicPrivate Other Private Farmer National Forests National Parks Tribal Lands Military Reserves Public Domain All Forest Ownerships 1953 PublicPrivate State County Federal National Forest Non-FederalForest Industry Tribal Lands Other Federal Bureau of Land Management Lumber Manuf. Other Wood Manuf. Pulp Manuf. Other PrivateFarmer Municipal and Local All Forest Ownerships 1987 PublicPrivate FederalNon-FederalForest Industry National Forest Other Federal Bureau of Land Management Other PrivateFarmer State Tribal Lands County and Municipal All Forest Ownerships 1997 Public Private State County Federal National Forest Non-Federal Forest Industry Other Federal Bureau of Land Management Nonindustrial Private Municipal and Local

FIA Forest Inventory Ownership Group Ownership Group –Forest Service, other federal, state/local, private Ownership Class Ownership Class –National Forest, National Grassland, other forest service, NPS, BLM, F&WS DOD/DOE, Other federal, state, local, other non-federal public, corporation, NGO/natural resource organization, unincorporated Partnership/assoc./club, Native American, individual Industrial Status Industrial Status

Collection of Ownership Data Forest Inventory Aerial photographs → County/municipal tax offices → County/municipal tax offices → Ownership name and address → Ownership name and address → Categorize ownership → Categorize ownership → Ask for access

FIA Ownership Survey Forestland characteristics Forestland characteristics –Size of forestland holdings –Number of forestland parcels Ownership traits Ownership traits –Form of ownership –Reasons for ownership –Forestland uses and management –Constraints and future plans –Demographics

Collection of Ownership Data Ownership Survey Name and address from forest inventory → Direct mailing (→ Telephone follow-up) → Completed questionnaires

Data Storage & Distribution Storage Storage –Confidentiality –Fire walls & data keys Distribution Distribution –Publications –Databases

Where are we headed? A system that: –Accurately reflects the intentions, opportunities, and constraints of landowners; –Provides consistent and timely data across all ownerships and across the whole country; and –Is capable of tracking large-scale changes.

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