Preliminary Results for Individual Sites NEG/ECP Forest Mapping Group Brief background on approaches Preliminary Maps –Compared with ecological unit analysis –Incorporating FIA/FHM plots –CL nutrient N Forest Health Parameters

Approaches for Calculating Critical Loads 1.Site specific approach –Data from individual sites Soil pits Forest inventories Air quality stations 2.Ecological unit approach –GIS layers/regional models

An Important Difference… The site-specific approach –Heterogeneous forest ecosystem –Multiple data sources –Multiple ways to calculate critical load

An Important Difference… Multiple data sources DepositionStand CompositionTree Chemistry Site dataDominant speciesSite data ClimCalc2-3 speciesTree Chem. DB HRDMForest types

An Important Difference… Multiple data sources Soil DataMineral Weathering Dominant soilPROFILE (site) 2-3 soil typesPROFILE (reg.) Depth, bulk density, texture Substrate type/Clay content

Vermont Sites Type of Site# SitesSite Level None Vegetation surveys, Soil surveys, Additional research sites Level 3 Sites (Many data are unavailable) Intensive studiesLevel 2 Sites (Some data are unavailable) Level 1 Sites (All data are available)

Vermont Sites Intensive Research SitesAdditional Research Sites NRCS Soil Survey Sites Private Timberlands Vegetation Survey Sites

Incorporating FIA and FHM Sites Advantages –Much better coverage –Forest health parameters Disadvantages –Primarily vegetation data –Limited in the approach we are able to use

Vermont Sites with FIA and FHM Plots Intensive Research SitesAdditional Research Sites NRCS Soil Survey Sites Private Timberlands Vegetation Survey SitesFIA and FHM Plots

New England FIA and FHM Plots New England FIA Sites Forested FIA plots used in the FMG critical load calculations. Inclusion is based on availability of digitized soil surveys. State VTNHMACT RIME #sites Total# ,620 Counties shaded red do not have digitized county soil maps available and will not be included in this analysis.

Where we’re going from here (next steps) Complete calculations for the rest of New England (and NY) Adjustments to the Ecological Unit analysis Further comparisons between the approaches Forest Health Surface water