TreeMap 2016 dataset generates CONUS-wide maps of forest characteristics including live basal area, aboveground carbon, and number of trees per acre

Abstract

The TreeMap 2016 dataset provides detailed spatial information on forest characteristics including number of live and dead trees, biomass, and carbon across the entire forested extent of the continental United States at 30 x 30m resolution, enabling analyses at finer scales where forest inventory is inadequate. We used a random forests machine learning algorithm to assign the most similar Forest Inventory Analysis (FIA) plot to each pixel of gridded LANDFIRE input data. The TreeMap 2016 methodology includes disturbance as a response variable, resulting in increased accuracy in mapping disturbed areas. Within-class accuracy was over 90% for forest cover, height, vegetation group, and disturbance code when compared to LANDFIRE maps. At least one pixel within the radius of validation plots matched the class of predicted values in 57.5% of cases for forest cover, 80.0% for height, 80.0% for tree species with highest basal area, and 87.4% for disturbance. A new feature of the dataset is that it includes linkages to select FIA data in an attribute table included with the TreeMap raster, allowing users to map summaries of 21 variables in a GIS. TreeMap estimates compared favorably with those from FIA at the state level for number of live and dead trees and carbon stored in live and dead trees.

Citation

Riley, Karin L.; Grenfell, Isaac C.; Shaw, John D.; Finney, Mark A. 2022. TreeMap 2016 dataset generates CONUS-wide maps of forest characteristics including live basal area, aboveground carbon, and number of trees per acre. Journal of Forestry. 2022: 607-632.