• Address:
  705 Spear Street
  South Burlington, Vermont 05403
  United States of America
  
  Phone: (802) 391-4135
  Email: femc@uvm.edu
  Website: www.uvm.edu/femc

A summary of the latest USDA Forest Inventory and Analysis data for the state of Vermont. The network of randomly distributed inventory plots are designed to capture broad temporal changes in the condition of the nation’s forest resource. Spatial coverages of species distribution, extent of forest cover and biomass compliment the yearly data summaries to capture an unbiased estimated of the state of Vermont's forests.

• Label: Phase 2 plot number

• Description: An identifier for a plot

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: nominal

• Label: Subplot number

• Description: The number assigned to the subplot. The national plot design has subplot number values of 1 through 4. Other plot designs have various subplot number values

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: nominal

• Label: Tree record number

• Description: A number used to uniquely identify a tree on a subplot. Tree numbers can be used to track trees when PLOT.DESIGNCD is the same between inventories

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: nominal

• Label: Inventory year

• Description: The year that best represents when the inventory data were collected. Under the annual inventory system, a group of plots is selected each year for sampling. The selection is based on a panel system. INVYR is the year in which the majority of plots in that group were collected (plots in the group ha

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: datetime

• Label: Latitude of plot

• Description: The approximate latitude of the plot in decimal degrees using NAD 83 datum. Actual plot coordinates cannot be released because of a Privacy provision enacted by Congress in the Food Security Act of 1985. Therefore, this attribute is approximately +/- 1 mile and, for annual inventory data, most plots

• Storage Type: decimal

• Measurment Type: ratio
• Standard Unit: degree
• Precision: 0.000006
• Unit: degree
• Number Type: real

• Label: Longitude of plot

• Description: The approximate longitude of the plot in decimal degrees using NAD 83 datum. Actual plot coordinates cannot be released because of a Privacy provision enacted by Congress in the Food Security Act of 1985. Therefore, this attribute is approximately +/- 1 mile and, for annual inventory data, most plot

• Storage Type: decimal

• Measurment Type: ratio
• Standard Unit: degree
• Precision: 0.000006
• Unit: degree
• Number Type: real

• Label: Elevation of plot

• Description: The distance the plot is located above sea level, recorded in feet (NAD 83 datum). Negative values indicate distance below sea level.

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: ratio

• Label: Species code

• Description: A panel is a sample in which the same elements are measured on two or more occasions. FIA divides the plots in each State into 5 panels that can be used to independently sample the population. The value for P3PANEL ranges from 1 to 5 for those plots where Phase 3 data were collected. If the plot is

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: nominal

• Label: Common name

• Description: Common name of the species

• Storage Type: text

• Measurment Type: nominal

• Label: Genus

• Description: The genus name associated with the FIA tree species code.

• Storage Type: text

• Measurment Type: nominal

• Label: Species

• Description: The species name associated with the FIA tree species code.

• Storage Type: text

• Measurment Type: nominal

• Label: Current diameter

• Description: The current diameter (in inches) of the sample tree at the point of diameter measurement. DIA is measured at either breast height (DBH) or at root collar (DRC). DBH is usually measured at 4.5 feet above the ground line on the uphill side of the tree. DRC is measured on woodland species (often multi-

• Storage Type: decimal

• Measurment Type: ratio
• Standard Unit: inch
• Precision: 0.1
• Unit: inch
• Number Type: real

• Label: Total height

• Description: The total length (height) of a sample tree (in feet) from the ground to the tip of the apical meristem beginning in PLOT.MANUAL = 1.1. The total length of a tree is not always its actual length. If the main stem is broken, the actual length is measured or estimated and the missing piece is added to

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: ratio
• Standard Unit: foot
• Precision: 1
• Unit: foot
• Number Type: integer

• Label: Actual height

• Description: The length (height) of the tree to the nearest foot from ground level to the highest remaining portion of the tree still present and attached to the bole. If ACTUALHT = HT, then the tree does not have a broken top. If ACTUALHT

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: ratio
• Standard Unit: foot
• Precision: 1
• Unit: foot
• Number Type: integer

• Label: Volume of timberland tree for mortality purposes

• Description: Sound cubic-foot volume of a tree on timberland for mortality purposes. Represents the cubic-foot volume of the tree at time of mortality. To obtain estimates of annual per acre mortality, multiply by TPAMORT_UNADJ. MORTCFAL differs from MORTCFGS by including all trees, regardless of tree class.

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: ratio

• Label: Mortality trees per acre per year unadjusted

• Description: Mortality trees per acre per year unadjusted. The number of mortality trees per acre per year that the sample tree theoretically represents based on the sample design. For fixed-radius plots taken with the mapped plot design (PLOT.DESIGNCD =1), TPAMORT_UNADJ is set to a constant derived from the pl

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: ratio

• Label: Net annual growth of alive tree on timberland

• Description: Net annual sound cubic-foot growth of a live tree on timberland. The net change in cubic-foot volume per year of this tree (for remeasured plots (V2- V1)/(t2- t1)). Because this value is net growth, it may be a negative number. Negative growth values are usually due to mortality (V2= 0) but can also

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: ratio

• Label: Growth trees per acre unadjusted

• Description: Growth trees per acre unadjusted. The number of growth trees per acre that the sample tree Theoretically represents based on the sample design. For fixed-radius plots taken with the mapped plot design (PLOT.DESIGNCD =1), TPAGROW_UNADJ is set to a constant derived from the plot size. Variable-radius

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: ratio

• Label: Crown dieback code

• Description: Crown dieback code. A code indicating the amount of recent dead material in the upper and outer portion of the crown, estimated in percent classes. Collected for all live trees at least 5 inches DBH/DRC.

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: ordinal

• Label: Foliage transparency code

• Description: Foliage transparency code. A code indicating the amount of light penetrating the foliated portion of the crown, estimated in percent classes. Collected for all live trees at least 5 inches DBH/DRC.

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: ordinal

• Label: Dry biomass in the tree stump

• Description: The oven-dry biomass (pounds) in the stump of timber species [trees where diameter is measured at breast height (DBH)] ≥ 5 inches in diameter. The stump is that portion of the tree from the ground to the bottom of the merchantable bole (i.e., below 1 foot). This is a per tree value and must be multi

• Storage Type: decimal

• Measurment Type: ratio
• Standard Unit: pound
• Precision: 0.000001
• Unit: pound
• Number Type: real

• Label: Dry biomass in the merchantable bole

• Description: The oven-dry biomass (pounds) in the merchantable bole of timber species [trees where diameter is measured at breast height (DBH)] ≥ 5 inches in diameter. This is the biomass of sound wood in live and dead trees, including bark, from a 1-foot stump to a minimum 4-inch top diameter of the central ste

• Storage Type: decimal

• Measurment Type: ratio
• Standard Unit: pound
• Precision: 0.000001
• Unit: pound
• Number Type: real

• Label: Dry biomass in the top of the tree

• Description: The oven-dry biomass (pounds) in the top and branches (combined) of timber species [trees where diameter is measured at breast height (DBH)] ≥ 5 inches in diameter. Excludes foliage. Estimated for live and dead trees. This is a per tree value and must be multiplied by TPA_UNADJ to obtain per acre in

• Storage Type: decimal

• Measurment Type: ratio
• Standard Unit: pound
• Precision: 0.000001
• Unit: pound
• Number Type: real

• Label: Dry biomass of the roots

• Description: Dry biomass of the roots. The oven-dry biomass (pounds) of the belowground portion of a tree, includes coarse roots with a root diameter ≥ 0.1 inch. This is a modeled estimate, calculated on live trees with a diameter of ≥ 1 inch and dead trees with a diameter of ≥ 5 inches, for both timber and wood

• Storage Type: decimal

• Measurment Type: ratio
• Standard Unit: pound
• Precision: 0.000001
• Unit: pound
• Number Type: real

• Label: Dry biomass of the saplings

• Description: The oven-dry biomass (pounds) of the aboveground portion, excluding foliage, of live trees with a diameter from 1 to 4.9 inches. Calculated for timber species only. The biomass of saplings is based on biomass computed from Jenkins and others (2003), using the observed diameter and an adjustment fact

• Storage Type: decimal

• Measurment Type: ratio
• Standard Unit: pound
• Precision: 0.000001
• Unit: pound
• Number Type: real

• Label: Dry biomass of the woodland tree specieds

• Description: The oven-dry biomass (pounds) of the aboveground portion of a live or dead tree, excluding foliage, the tree tip (top of the tree above 1½ inches in diameter), and a portion of the stump from ground to diameter at root collar (DRC). Calculated for woodland species (trees where diameter is measured a

• Storage Type: decimal

• Measurment Type: ratio
• Standard Unit: pound
• Precision: 0.000001
• Unit: pound
• Number Type: real

• Label: Carbon in the aboveground portion of the tree

• Description: The carbon (pounds) in the aboveground portion, excluding foliage, of live trees with a diameter ≥ 1 inch, and dead trees with a diameter ≥ 5 inches. Calculated for both timber and woodland species. This is a per tree value and must be multiplied by TPA_UNADJ to obtain per acre information. Carbon i

• Storage Type: decimal

• Measurment Type: ratio
• Standard Unit: pound
• Precision: 0.000001
• Unit: pound
• Number Type: real

• Label: Carbon in the belowground portion of the tree

• Description: The carbon (pounds) of coarse roots >0.1 inch in root diameter. Calculated for live trees with a diameter ≥ 1 inch, and dead trees with a diameter ≥ 5 inches, for both timber and woodland species. This is a per tree value and must be multiplied by TPA_UNADJ to obtain per acre information. Carbon is

• Storage Type: decimal

• Measurment Type: ratio
• Standard Unit: 1E-06
• Precision: 0.000001
• Number Type: real

• Label: Phase 3 panel number

• Description: A panel is a sample in which the same elements are measured on two or more occasions. FIA divides the plots in each State into 5 panels that can be used to independently sample the population. The value for P3PANEL ranges from 1 to 5 for those plots where Phase 3 data were collected. If the plot is

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: nominal

• Label: Sequence number

• Description: A unique sequence number used to identify a tree record.

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: nominal

• Label: Plot sequence number

• Description: Foreign key linking the tree record to the plot record

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: nominal

• Unnamed Method
  • Method Description: See FIA Manual in the Documents tab for full details

• Unnamed Method
  • Method Description: See FIA Manual in the Documents tab for full details

• Plot establishment
  • Method Description: Plots to be visited are selected based on stratification of remote sensing interpretation

• Plot establishment
  • Method Description: Plots to be visited are selected based on stratification of remote sensing interpretation

• Unnamed Method
  • Method Description: Plots are designed to cover a 1-acre sample area, though not all trees in the plot are measured. Recent surveys use standard fixed-radius plot, while earlier inventories used mixtures of fixed-radius and variable-radius (prism) plot design

• Unnamed Method
  • Method Description: Plots are designed to cover a 1-acre sample area, though not all trees in the plot are measured. Recent surveys use standard fixed-radius plot, while earlier inventories used mixtures of fixed-radius and variable-radius (prism) plot design

• Unnamed Method
  • Method Description: Plot locations are 'fuzzed and swapped' to protect privacy and plot integrity in accordance with Federal laws. 'Fuzzed' plots are generally within 0.5 miles of original plot center, and plots where data was 'swapped' are generally similar in nature. See FIA manual for full details

• Unnamed Method
  • Method Description: Plot locations are 'fuzzed and swapped' to protect privacy and plot integrity in accordance with Federal laws. 'Fuzzed' plots are generally within 0.5 miles of original plot center, and plots where data was 'swapped' are generally similar in nature. See FIA manual for full details

• Unnamed Method
  • Method Description: The standard plot consists of four 24.0-foot radius subplots (approximately 0.0415 or 1/24 acre), on which trees 5.0 inches and greater in diameter are measured. Within each of these subplots is nested a 6.8-foot radius microplot (approximately 1/300th acre) on which trees smaller than 5.0 inches in diameter are measured

• Unnamed Method
  • Method Description: The standard plot consists of four 24.0-foot radius subplots (approximately 0.0415 or 1/24 acre), on which trees 5.0 inches and greater in diameter are measured. Within each of these subplots is nested a 6.8-foot radius microplot (approximately 1/300th acre) on which trees smaller than 5.0 inches in diameter are measured

• Unnamed Method
  • Method Description: Conditions are defined by changes in land use or changes in vegetation that occur along more-or-less distinct boundaries. Reserved status, owner group, forest type, stand-size class, regeneration status, and stand density are used to define forest conditions. In older plot designs, plot center or subplots locations were rearranged such that the entire plot sampled a single condition, while in the current design, different conditions are “mapped” on the same plot.

• Unnamed Method
  • Method Description: Conditions are defined by changes in land use or changes in vegetation that occur along more-or-less distinct boundaries. Reserved status, owner group, forest type, stand-size class, regeneration status, and stand density are used to define forest conditions. In older plot designs, plot center or subplots locations were rearranged such that the entire plot sampled a single condition, while in the current design, different conditions are “mapped” on the same plot.

• Field attributes
  • Method Description: In addition to attributes that are collected in the field, FIADB includes attributes that are populated in the office. Examples of field attributes include tree diameter and height, and slope and aspect of the plot and subplot. Attributes that are populated in the office include assigned attributes, such as county and owner group codes, or computed attributes, such as tree and area expansion factors, and tree volumes

• Field attributes
  • Method Description: In addition to attributes that are collected in the field, FIADB includes attributes that are populated in the office. Examples of field attributes include tree diameter and height, and slope and aspect of the plot and subplot. Attributes that are populated in the office include assigned attributes, such as county and owner group codes, or computed attributes, such as tree and area expansion factors, and tree volumes

• Standards and guidelines
  • Method Description: Forest inventory plans are designed to meet sampling error standards for area, volume, growth, and removals provided in the Forest Service directive (FSH 4809.11) known as the Forest Survey Handbook (U.S. Department of Agriculture 2008). These standards, along with other guidelines, are aimed at obtaining comprehensive and comparable information on timber resources for all parts of the country

• Standards and guidelines
  • Method Description: Forest inventory plans are designed to meet sampling error standards for area, volume, growth, and removals provided in the Forest Service directive (FSH 4809.11) known as the Forest Survey Handbook (U.S. Department of Agriculture 2008). These standards, along with other guidelines, are aimed at obtaining comprehensive and comparable information on timber resources for all parts of the country