1. Access and Use of FIA Data Through FIA Spatial Data Services Elizabeth LaPoint

2. Why am I Here? ► Facilitate access to FIA data without violating the law - revealing plot location or ownership information ► Connect customers’ GIS layers or imagery with FIA plots ► Summarize data over a given area ► Assist by providing information or knowledge

3. The Law ► FY 2000 Appropriations Bill modified the Food Security Act of 1985 (7 U.S.C. 2276(d)) ► Data must be in an aggregate form so that the landowner’s identity cannot be determined ► Violation of the law can result in fines up to $10,000 and/or 1 year in jail

4. Who Makes Requests? ► Academia - #1 Customer ► Federal Agencies –USGS, EPA, BLM ► Forest Service – NFS, Researchers ► State Agencies ► FIA – between Units; within Units ► NGO – The Nature Conservancy

5. Data Requests by Organization

6. Request Process ► Initial contact ► Review & explain the law and security policy ► Protecting the landowner’s privacy & plot location is #1 concern ► Refine the idea – What question do they really want answered? ► Focus the request ► No charge for requests

7. Regional Data Requests ► If a data request falls entirely into a single FIA Unit then the request may be handled by the FIA Unit itself

8. Request Process ► Limitations of the data – GPS, gaps in coverage, differences between states ► Does FIA data answer their question? ► Can we modify the request so it does? ► Present plan to Program Manager(s)

9. Request Process ► Approve – I handle request ► Approve – FIA Unit involved does request ► Deny – I work with requestor to figure out alternative that will work ► Do the analysis ► Final security review ► Product is shipped

10. Examples ► Wood Basket – Circular retrieval. 150 miles around a given location. Return growth within area. ► Accuracy assessment of imagery classification. Return classes with plot information.

11. How Busy Have I Been? ► In FY2004 70 new requests made so far ► 24 active requests currently ► 11 active national requests ► Estimated wait time - about 4-8 weeks ► 67% completed within 4 weeks in FY2003

12. Fuzzing & Swapping ► FIADB will have coordinates again.….BUT…..

13. First the Fuzzing ► Coordinates will be fuzzed

14. Then Swapping ► Up to 20% of privately owned plots “swapped” ► Similar plots have their data swapped  Plot A’s data assigned to Plot B’s location

15. What Does This Mean? ► Customers may choose to download the fuzzed & swapped data to use ► Refine their ideas using fuzzed & swapped data and then call me

16. Fuzzed/Swapped Data Available

17. Fuzzing and Swapping Future ► Available now on FIADB web site http://ncrs2.fs.fed.us/4801/fiadb/fiadb17_dump/fiadb17_dump.htm

18. Elizabeth LaPoint FIA National Spatial Data Services Northeastern Research Station Newtown Square, PA 610-557-4049 elapoint@fs.fed.us www.fs.fed.us/ne/fia/spatial/index_ss.html