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Abstract
The annual inventory system was designed under the assumption that a fixed percentage of plots would be measured annually in each State. The initial plan was to assign plots to panels to provide systematic coverage of a State. One panel would be measured each year to allow for annual updates of each State using simple estimation procedures. The reality is that fluctuating budgets don't always permit a panel to be finished before the end of the field season. Therefore, sections of the State are left unmeasured, and State-level estimates can't be updated until the panel is completed. Creating extra panels is one way to reduce the impact of taking more than 1 year to measure a panel.
Parent Publication
Citation
Van Deusen, Paul C. 2002. Issues related to panel creep. In: McRoberts, Ronald E.; Reams, Gregory A.; Van Deusen, Paul C.; Moser, John W., eds. Proceedings of the Thrid Annual Forest Inventory and Analysis Symposium; Gen. Tech. Rep. NC-230. St. Paul, MN: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, North Central Research Station: 31-35
