1. 2012 User’s Group Meeting Data Collection Group Topic: Incorporating Flexibilities in FIA Data Collection Effort Bob Ilgenfritz – Data Collection Group lead

2. Need for Greater Flexibility: Responsive to Budget fluctuations: ▫ Increasing/decreasing or flat Responsive to new natural resource priorities or issues: ▫ Carbon/Biomass/Urban/Others

3. Five FIA Flexibility Tools: 1.Subpaneling 2.Interpenetrating subsampling of subpanels 3.Subsampling within plots 4.Level of attribution sampling 5.Temporal cycle lengths

4. Definitions Panel – A complete set of FIA plots completed in a state in a year. Subpanel – A equally proportional subset of a cycle with spatial distribution of plots across a state Cycle –The total of all plots in a state Sub-cycle – Number of subpanels (plots) done per year

5. 1.Subpaneling Each state’s panel is subdivided into 70 subpanels with roughly equal numbers of plots in each subpanel. Why 70 subpanels? 10 year cycle in west and 7 year cycle in east with option to buy down to 5 year cycle.  5 year cycle = 14 subpanels/yr.  7 year cycle = 10 subpanels/yr.  10 year cycle = 7 subpanels/yr. Decreased budgets - Completing fewer subpanels per year increases cycle length and decreases the number of plots done per year Increased budgets - Completing more subpanels per year decreases cycle length and increases the number of plots done per year

6. 2.Interpenetrating subsample of subpanels – P3 and P2+ plots Panel 70 subpanels subsample of each subpanel ▫ Predetermined sample % ▫ Assure that subsample of subpanel is spatial too ▫ Subsample % of total plots is constant regardless of the cycle length Past  P3 – 1 of every 16 FIA plots is a P3 plot Current  P2+ - 1 of every 8 FIA plots is a P2+ plot

7. 2.Interpenetrating subsample of subpanels Future? ▫ Increase P2+ subsample size from 1 in 8 to:  3 in 16 – 3 X P3 sample  1 in 4 – 4 X P3 sample ▫ Subsample size based on protocol type and respective window:  Soils – Frost free soils window  DWM - Snow free window  Vegetation/Invasives/Regeneration – Leaf on window

8. 3.Subsampling within plots Not currently in use but: ▫ We could sample protocols or individual data items on a subsample of the subplots, microplots or macroplots. Examples: ▫ Protocols:  Veg/DWM/Invasives/Crowns on fewer than all 4 subplots  Advanced Seedling Tree Regeneration on fewer than all 4 microplots

9. 4.Level of attribution sampling Down Woody Materials: ▫ Base – captures volume, biomass, carbon, and fuel loads ▫ Wildlife/ecological data - Base plus additional CWD structural variables for wildlife habitat (P3 protocols) ▫ Rapid assessment – customized protocol designed for disturbances Hurricanes, volcanoes, etc. P2 Vegetation Profile: ▫ Level of Detail 1– Vegetation structure ▫ Level of Detail 2 – Veg structure plus understory species composition ▫ Level of Detail 3 – Level of detail 2 plus overstory species composition ▫ P3 Veg – Botanist identifies all veg species on sample plot

10. 5.Temporal Cycle Length Remeasurement cycle relative to protocol’s potential for change. ▫ Less potential for change - longer remeasurement cycle ▫ More potential for change – shorter remeasurement cycle Example: ▫ Soils and current 10 years remeasurement. Results of first remeasurement may indicate need for longer cycle length.

12. 2012 User’s Group Meeting - Data Collection Group Topic: P2+ November 27, 2012

13. P3 Redesign in Summer 2012– What is “P2 +” Leaf on “Window” Plots and an expansion of the P3 Sample: ▫ Carbon, Biomass, Vegetation Structure, Invasives, Wildlife, Fuel Loads, and Tree Regeneration Interpenetrating Sample of FIA Sub Panels ▫ Flexible and Consistent Sampling Percentages Regardless of Cycle Length Designed to Meet Data Collection Business Models ▫ Including Contractors and One Person Crews Less Detailed Data / Greater Sample Size ▫ Better suited for FIA’s strategic sample-based inventory

14. P2+ Protocols 1.Crown Dieback and Uncompacted Crown Ratio 2.Base Down Woody Material (DWM) 3.Vegetation Structure by Growth Habitat 4.Invasive Plants 5.ASTR - Advanced Seeding Tree Regeneration 6.Soils on P3 sample

15. Pros to P2+ More plots for less or similar costs More plots mean greater sample size, finer resolution data, and greater utility to more users. Better meets the needs of a strategic inventory. Cost savings helped re-initiate FIA ecosystem indicators -DWM lite, Veg lite, Invasives, Crowns lite, regional protocol ASTR, and Soils.

16. P2 +Sample Size Implementation Schedule Summer 2012 – Double P3 Sample ▫ 1 of every 8 plots or 12.5% Summer 2013 – Same sample size as 2012 ▫ Evaluate time study from last summer.  Identify P2+ protocols that are outliers  Redesign protocols if necessary

17. Questions???

18. P2+ Data P2 Vegetation ▫ Vegetation by growth habitat  Tally trees  Non tally trees  Shrubs/Vines  Graminoids ▫ Species composition ?????

19. P2+ Data P2 DWM protocols – Down Woody Material ▫ Captures volume, carbon, biomass, and fuel loading Crowns ▫ Uncompacted crown ratio ▫ Die back