Download SNE 2008

What Do NGOs Do
With FIA Data?
(Preview: a lot!)
Christine Negra
The Heinz Center for Science,
Economics and the Environment
March 2009
SAF National FIA User Group
FIA and Heinz Center
Projects – I. Observation
& Understanding
 The State of the Nation’s Ecosystems
• Indicators of condition and use of ecosystems
 Air Quality
• Indicators of ecological effects of air pollution
Process:
 Industry, NGOs, federalstate-local government, and
academics
 Data from many monitoring
programs
Audiences:
 Public/ private resource (and
budget) managers, e.g.,
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Fiber, wood products
Air/water quality
protection
Species conservation
Biofuels, carbon credits
SNE 2008 –
Forest cover
types
USFS. All 50 states.
1963 to 2006:
• Up and down
trends for
different forest
types (increase
in oak-hickory)
Million acres
SNE 2008 –
Forest
disturbance
USFS-FHM. All 50 states.
1979-1996: 5 major insects.
• Since 1997, continuous tree mortality has
been observed in an increasing number of
forest acres.
SNE 2008 –
Forest
Productivity
USFS.
All 50 states.
• Growth > harvest on timberlands nationally
• Growth  harvest on private timberlands in
Pacific Coast and Interior West (2005)
SNE 2008 – Forest carbon
• 1995-2005: 150 MMt gained annually
• 62% of forest acres increased in carbon
density
USFS/NREL. Lower 48 states.
SNE 2008 –
Forest carbon
USFS-FHM. All 50 states.
1979-1996: 5 major insects.
• Since 1953, 43% increase in carbon in live trees.
Since 1990, 4-8% increases in other pools.
• Northern forests store the most, Interior West
forests store the least.
Observations about the data system
• Monitoring programs
are widely dispersed
• Data is often not
consistent,
comparable
• Demands growing –
resources flat
• No system for
coordinated data
integration or prioritysetting
Recommendations for
improving “the system”
 Congress establish
national indicator system
 Early executive branch
action
 Increased funding
 Increased state-level
integration activities
FIA and Air Quality
Indicators
 Acidification of soils and surface waters
– Soils: % base saturation, C:N ratio
– Waters: ANC, nitrate
 Ozone impacts on plants
– Biosite Index, decline in ozone-sensitive species
 Mercury accumulation in food webs
– Hg in YOY fish
FIA and Heinz Center Projects
II. Climate Change Adaptation
 Downscaling projects
• Engage stakeholders
• Downscaling models (FIA data for baselines,
calibration / verification)
• Adaptation planning
 Wildlife outcome & performance metrics
• Measuring results of wildlife management
(e.g., state wildlife plans)
FIA Data in Wildlife Monitoring Programs
• States need to include data on
ecosystem condition, not just
wildlife population status and
trends
• Data of interest: Extent of forest
cover; change in coverage of
particular forest types of benefit to
wildlife
• Contact Jonathan Mawdsley
[email protected] for more
information
FIA and Heinz Center Projects –
III. Climate Change Mitigation
 Terrestrial Carbon projects
• REDD and MRV
• REDD & Biodiversity
• Research needs
 Energy projects
• Forests and Bioenergy stakeholder meetings
• Global Energy Assessment: US support office
FIA and Forest Bioenergy project
Need realistic assessment of:
1. overall forest bioenergy resource
– how much biomass of what types (trees/slash/residue)
– by region, fine-scale (sourcing: 50-100 mile radius)
2. “Supply” – what feedstock buyers can expect (based on
technology for harvest, landowner plans, etc.)
FIA:
• provide data and facilitate analyses
• joint regional assessments with NRCS, etc. (forest plus
ag) – many technologies can use multiple feedstocks
Contact Robin O’Malley ([email protected])
Climate change and the data system
Ecological changes of unusual and increasing
rapidity and uncertainty  need adequate
information to respond:
• Multiple scales, multiple users
• Timely information tailored to managers’
needs
• E.g., baselines; predictions
Thank you
www.heinzcenter.org
SNE 2008 –
Extent of
forests
USFS. All 50 states.
• Since 1953, forest area has decreased
significantly in the South and Pacific Coast
and increased significantly in the North.
• Nationally the amount of forest area has
changed little.
SNE 2008 –
Forest
disturbance
USFS/NIFC. All 50 states.
Includes forests,
grass/shrublands.
• 1979-2006: slight but significant increase in
area disturbed by fire
SNE 2008 – Forest populations
• One-fifth of
native U.S.
forest animal
species are at
risk of extinction
• State-level
percentages are
highly variable
NatureServe.
All 50 states.
SNE 2008 – Air quality in forests
• 66% of U.S. had
ozone levels
>0.06 ppm for
>10 hours
• 4% for >30
hours (2005)
EPA (analysis by USFS).
Lower 48 states.
12-hour, 3-month SUM06.
• CO2 levels are 20% higher than in 1950s and
36% higher than preindustrial times.
Beyond the report…
• ‘Cross-cutting’ topical
factsheets
• Climate change
• Nitrogen
• Wildlife
• Contaminants
SNE 2008 –
Land cover in
forests
NLCD/ESRI (analysis by USFS,
EPA). Lower 48 states.
• Greater % of Interior West and Pacific Coast
forest lands have core patches >100 square
miles in size, while patches in nearly all
southern forests were <100 square miles.