Richard W. Guldin Director, Quantitative Sciences USDA Forest Service 2012 FIA National Users’ Group Meeting Baltimore, MD Richard W. Guldin Director, Quantitative Sciences USDA Forest Service 2012 FIA National Users’ Group Meeting Baltimore, MD

2012 FIA National Users’ Group Meeting, Baltimore, MDSlide # 2 BLUF: Bottom Line, Up Front The current federal budgetary situation is very fluid. FIA funding dropped $2.6 million in FY 2012 A further $2.35 million drop is proposed for FY 2013 If funding reductions continue, I propose two core strategies for FY 2013: Maintain a consistent national program--active in all 50 states Continue with an annualized inventory, but with fewer plots Despite the budget challenges, opportunities are emerging to use FIA data in new and different ways. Three recent examples: Reporting on forest sector impacts from the recent economic downturn Testing iPads for improving program efficiency, delivering FIA information in new and different ways, and developing new mobile applications for FIA data. Building on 2010 RPA Assessment findings

2012 FIA National Users’ Group Meeting, Baltimore, MDSlide # 3 R&D Budget Overview FS R&D Appropriation (million dollars) FY 2011 Enacted FY 2012 Enacted FY 2013 Pres. Budget Change FY 2012 to 2013 PB Strategic R&D Programs $ $ $ $5.040 Forest Inventory & Analysis Program $66.939$64.269$ $2.536 FS R&D Appropriation $ $ $ $2.504 Other FS Funding for Research Programs National Fire Plan$23.917$22.697$ $2.063 Joint Fire Sciences Program $8.000$7.250$7.226-$0.024 S&PF: (Grants to States for FIA) $4.647$4.917$0.000-$4.917 Total FS Funding for R&D Programs $ $ $ $9.508

2012 FIA National Users’ Group Meeting, Baltimore, MDSlide # 4 FY 2013 R&D Pres Budget Focus Maintain critical research on:  Watershed restoration  Forest restoration and forest resiliency, including selected silviculture, management, operations, & forest products R&D  Wildland fire and fuels research; effectiveness of hazardous fuels treatments and biomass use  Recreation and urban forestry research for Vibrant Communities initiative Where possible, emphasize research that creates jobs and captures efficiencies Significant realignments in other research priorities will occur:  Reduce work on established pests and refocus pest research on invasive species  Manage workforce size to align with the multi-year funding trend; reduce capacity to match reduced funding

2012 FIA National Users’ Group Meeting, Baltimore, MDSlide # 5 FIA Program Funding Summary Total Federal Funding FY 2011 Enacted FY 2012 Enacted FY 2013 President’s Budget Change from FY 2012 R&D Appropriation$66.939$64.269$ $2.536 S&PF Appropriation$4.647$4.917$0-$4.917 Total Federal Funding for FIA $71.452$69.186$ $2.354 In FY 2011, FIA partners contributed +$9.1 million of cash and in-kind support to the FIA program  13% in additional program funding In FY 2011, the FIA program provided $14.3 million in grants and cooperative agreements to fund partners to:  Collect data  Develop new inventory methods, and  Conduct analyses State governments’ funding situations and the FY 2013 proposal puts these partnerships at risk

2012 FIA National Users’ Group Meeting, Baltimore, MDSlide # 6 FIA Program Proposals For FY 2013 Continue delivering the FIA program in all 50 States, except in interior Alaska, but at a slower rate than in FY 2012 Delay re-measurement of 1,600 plots Delay next round of State reports by one year Transform Timber Products Output (TPO) work Improve efficiency of data collection and analysis Improve regional and national reporting Continue stronger emphasis on safety in field operations and office procedures Continue work on next-generation biomass estimation models begun in FY 2011

2012 FIA National Users’ Group Meeting, Baltimore, MDSlide # 7 Shifting from Future Plans ….. To Real Work Funded this Year

2012 FIA National Users’ Group Meeting, Baltimore, MDSlide # 8 Emphasis Areas in FY 2012 (#1 of 3) Deliver the program in all 50 States Stay on top of data collection, compilation, analyses, and production of State reports. State partners, PMs and field supervisors need a good pat on the back for their accomplishments in FY 2011 !! Safety will be a continued emphasis Safety reviews at RMRS and NRS this year Encourage partners to focus on safety too FS agency-wide team working on “Check-in/Check-out” procedures for agency employees

2012 FIA National Users’ Group Meeting, Baltimore, MDSlide # 9 Emphasis Areas in FY 2012 (#2 of 3) Blending FIA data with other data for value-added info The forest sector reporting on mill closures & job losses Build database for 2015 RPA Assessment Update Revise the 2008 forest area total to current number Use new land use and land cover change information Use current FIA information in forest planning, state forest resources assessments, forest health risk mapping, etc.

2012 FIA National Users’ Group Meeting, Baltimore, MDSlide # 10 Emphasis Areas in FY 2012 (#3 of 3) Continue work on next-generation biomass estimation models Develop and test new mobile applications for FIA information Improve efficiency of field crews; test utility in collecting data Develop new communications and information dissemination approaches Develop new mobile applications for downloading, analyzing, and using FIA data and other geospatial data

2012 FIA National Users’ Group Meeting, Baltimore, MDSlide # 11 What We Think Users Want … Keep two prime objectives: Maintain a consistent national program—active in all 50 states Continue with an annualized inventory Prudently manage FY 2012 activities with an eye towards future funding outlined in the FY 2013 President’s Budget Critically evaluate what data and analyses we can no longer afford at a reduced funding level ? Move key forest health measures to some summer P2 sub-panels (e.g., soils, “light” versions of down woody materials and vegetation), because they contribute to carbon analyses Make other P3 measures regionally optional (e.g., crowns, lichens, ozone), dependent on “soft” funding Terminate some external research & applications linked to it Reduce the number of plots measured each year; thin the grid ? Are these in sync with users’ thinking? What other options exist?

2012 FIA National Users’ Group Meeting, Baltimore, MDSlide # 12 Topics for Discussion Additional presentations today and tomorrow by FIA headquarters staff and regional program managers will delve more deeply into potential adjustments for FY 2012 and 2013 We very much value your input on the tactical steps we will propose to take: To respond to the $2.5 million drop in FY 2012 funding To retain flexibility to respond to whatever FY 2013 funding level ultimately emerges To consider other options users lay on the table We look forward to your comments on our FY 2012 emphasis areas Safety journey Better integrating FIA and other info to add value; TPO & RPA Next-generation biomass estimation equations iPad tests for data collection, dissemination, mobile applications