Treesearch

Existing habitat suitability index (HSI) models are evaluated for assessing the biotic resources on Champion International Corporation (CIC) lands with data from a standard and an expanded timber inventory. Forty HSI models for 34 species that occur in the Southern Appalachians have been identified from the literature. All of the variables for 14 models are provided (collected or calculated) from the standard or enhanced inventory and from other sources. Based on these results, we recommend using a land- and habitat-based approach such as landscape ecosystem classification to assess biotic...

Spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana Clem.) outbreaks cause severe mortality and growth loss of spruce and fir forest over ranch of eastern North America. The Spruce Budworm Decision Support System (DSS) links prediction and interpretation models to the ARC/1NFO GIS, under an ArcView graphical user interface. It helps forest managers predict budworm outbreak effects on forest structure and productivity, forecast forest growing stock and sustainable harvest levels, optimize protection (biological insecticide use) programs, and use silviculture and harvest scheduling to restructure...

The Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program of the USDA Forest Service maintains a network of permanent plots to monitor changing forest conditions. These plots were originally established to monitor the nation's timber supply; however, these data have great potential for evaluating other forest resources. To demonstrate a wildlife application, an assessment of Mexican spotted owl habitat was done with FIA data from the Gila National Forest, New Mexico.

Through combined use of satellite imagery, aerial photographs, and ground truthing, a multilevel assessment was conducted in a forest block that forms a unique dispersal zone to the Maasai Mara National Reserve ecosystem. Results of the survey revealed considerable ecological diversity on an area-scale basis - in terms of ecotypes. Forest types ranged from Afro-montane dry conifer forests to semi-deciduous to dry deciduous forests. Distinct monospecific vegetation zones interspersed by mixed species clusters were delineated within the forest block. Forest edges and, in some cases, open...

From 1992 to 1997, standardized plots were established at about 500 sites in California, Oregon, and Washington as part of the national Forest Health Monitoring program. In California, 197 plots were established from 1992 to 1995; in Oregon and Washington, a total of 304 plots were established in 1997. Summarization of baseline data by state reveals similarities and differences among states. Trend analysis of the California data reveals few changes in forest structure variables, but substantial changes in certain crown indicator variables. For example, foliage transparency and crown...

Extensive forest surveys can be periodic or permanent, regional or national, can include midcycle updates or not, or use partial replacement of plots or not. Fifty-two combinations of these and other factors were evaluated, not solely on a statistical basis, but also on their perceived ability to meet various design and customer objectives. These criteria include survey cost, precision and reliability of the results, reporting and customer satisfaction, simplicity, and flexibility. Based on this evaluation of permanent and periodic surveys, we recommend that planners compare their current...

The objective of this paper is to assess the current timber volume by stratified sampling on a proposed plantation area. The study area is located in Gunung Rara Forest Reserve in the district of Tawau, Sabah, Malaysia.

The Northwest Forest Plan is a large-scale ecosystem management plan for federal lands in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. An effectiveness monitoring program has been developed to determine the extent to which the goals and objectives of this Plan are being achieved. Priority resources identified for ecological monitoring include late-successional and old-growth forests, northern spotted owls, marbled murrelets, and aquatic and riparian ecosystems. The challenge in developing the monitoring program has been to integrate all of these critical components into one efficient and...

This paper examines the current status of Virginia pine, focusing on Forest Health Monitoring (FHM) results and using Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) information to determine if Virginia pine is showing a decline. An examination of crown condition data from live trees in the FHM program from 1991 through 1997 showed that Virginia pine had significantly poorer crown conditions for crown dieback and crown density. The crown variable relationships were poorer for trees that died alter 1993. In addition, the numbers of Virginia pines on the FHM plots declined daring the same time period,...

The USDA Forest Service has historically conducted forest inventory on a state-by-state cycle, producing relatively high precision snapshots of forest resources for a given state at 7- to 15-year intervals. We are now considering a change to a continuous inventory system where we would operate at reduced intensity simultaneously in all states every year. Advantages for customers include the continuous availability of data that are on average half a cycle old; access to data of a uniform age across administrative boundaries; increased opportunities for partnering with Forest Inventory and...