Reporting and Assessment

Research Issue

Accurate, timely, and relevant reports on our forest resources are needed to provide information for industry, states, regions, and the nation.

Our Research

In the past, forest inventory reporting has varied between years and geographic regions as changes have been made to the inventory system.   A national system of annual inventory offers significant improvements.  The Northern Forest Inventory and Analysis Unit works collaboratively with station scientists and other colleagues to supply faster, more cost efficient, and higher quality forest resource information.  A process for annual, 5-year, and National Forest System reporting has been implemented.  This inventory now covers all ownerships, including federal, state, local, corporate, and private forest land.

Expected Outcomes 

Improvements in the dissemination of monitoring and assessment findings affect the quality and timeliness of decisions about the landscape in general, and forested ecosystems in particular.  The on-line access to annual results, 5-year reports, geo-spatial products, techniques documentation, definitions, and related information is a fundamental improvement over past approaches.

Research Results

Moser, K.W., M.W. Hansen, S. J. Crocker, C. H. Perry, B. Schulz, C.W. Woodall, L.M. Nagel, M. Manfred.  After the blowdown: a resource assessment of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, 1999-2003.  Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-7. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station. 54 p. 

McWilliams, W.H., S.P. Cassell, C.L. Alerich, B.J. Butler, M.L. Hoppus, S.B. Horsely., A.J. Lister, T.W. Lister, R.S. Morin, C.H. Perry, J.A. Westfall, E.H. Wharton, C.W. Woodall.  2007.  Pennsylvania’s forest, 2004.  Resource Bulletin NRS-20.  Newtown Square, PA:  USDA, Forest Service, Northern Research Station. 

C.W. Woodall, J. Gallion.  Indiana's forest resources, 2006.  Res. Note. NRS-1. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station. 4 p.

Smith, W. B., P.D. Miles, J.S. Vissage, and S.A. Pugh.  2007.  Forest Resources of the United States, 2002.  General Technical Report NC-241. St. Paul, MN: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Forest Service, North Central Research Station 

Research Participants

Principal Investigator

Will McWilliams, USDA-Forest Service-NRS Research Forester

Research Partners

USDA Forest Service, National Forest System
USDA Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis, Washington Office
Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, Forestry
Delaware Department of Agriculture, Forestry
Illinois Division of Forest Resources
Indiana Division of Forestry
Iowa Department of Natural Resources – Forestry Division
Kansas Forest Service
Maine Department of Conservation, Forest Service
Massachusetts Department of Conservation, Forestry
Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Forest Service
Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Minnesota Department of Natural Resource, Division of Forestry
Missouri Department of Conservation
Nebraska Forest Service
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Parks and Forestry
New Hampshire Division of Forests and Lands
New York Division of Land and Forests
North Dakota Forest Service
Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Forestry
Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Forestry
Rhode Island Division of Forest Environment
South Dakota Division of Resource Conservation and Forestry
Vermont Division of Forestry, Parks, and Recreation
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Forestry Program
West Virginia Division of Forestry

For further details log on website :
https://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/inventory_monitoring/monitoring_assessment/reporting_assessment/