Nevada’s forest resources, 2009-2018

Christopher Witt; Kristen A. Pelz; Sara A. Goeking; John D. Shaw; Jennifer Bakken; Jim A. Menlove

doi:10.2737/RMRS-RB-36

Treesearch

Nevada’s forest resources, 2009-2018

Informally Refereed

Authors:

Christopher Witt, Kristen A. Pelz, Sara A. Goeking, John D. Shaw, Jennifer Bakken, Jim A. Menlove

Year:

2022

Type:

Resource Bulletin

Station:

Rocky Mountain Research Station

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.2737/RMRS-RB-36

Source:

Resour. Bull. RMRS-RB-36. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 115 p.

Download (PDF 12.37 MB)

Download (PDF 12.37 MB): https://research.fs.usda.gov/download/treesearch/64037.pdf

Abstract

This report summarizes the most recent Forest Inventory and Analysis data of Nevada’s forests based on field data collected between 2009 and 2018. Many of the results were compared to those from the 2004-2013 evaluation period. Results show that Nevada’s forest land covers 10.6 million acres, most of which (63 percent or 6.7 million acres) are administered by the United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management. The State’s most abundant forest type is Pinyon-juniper woodland, which covers almost 7.3 million acres. At 1.9 billion live trees, woodland softwoods (principally pinyon and juniper species) make up the largest share of the estimated 2.5 billion live trees 5.0. inches or greater in diameter in Nevada, and this species group is the most abundant by volume and biomass as well. Nevada’s forests contain 6.2 billion cubic feet of net volume in trees 5.0 inches diameter and larger. Nevada had positive annual net growth of all live trees 5.0 inches diameter and larger, at 9.5 million cubic feet per year during the most recent evaluation period (2009-2018). Most of this growth occurred in Pinyon-juniper woodland and ponderosa pine forest types. The bulk of the other forest types in Nevada had negative annual net growth for the evaluation period. The report includes descriptive highlights and tables of area, numbers of trees, biomass, volume, growth, and mortality on forested lands. Also included is a case study that uses the Forest Vegetation Simulator tool to project possible future conditions of the Pinyon-juniper woodlands that dominate Nevada’s forested landscape. Most results are organized by forest type or forest-type group, tree species group, diameter class, or owner group.

Keywords

Nevada, forest inventory, field data, trees, biomass, growth, mortality, projections

Citation

Witt, Chris; Pelz, Kristen A.; Goeking, Sara A.; Shaw, John D.; Bakken, Jennifer L.; Menlove, Jim A. 2022. Nevada’s forest resources, 2009-2018. Resour. Bull. RMRS-RB-36. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 115 p.