The Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program is a national program overseen by the USDA Forest Service that provides comprehensive data on the status, trends, and health of the nation’s forests. The program is instrumental in monitoring forest conditions, which supports sustainable forest management and informs policy decisions.
Land is considered forested if it is at least one acre in size and has 10% crown cover of a tree species.
We implement the program in Texas through an agreement with the Forest Service’s Southern Research Station. We collect data and they perform analysis of the collected data.
We collect data from approximately 29,000 permanently established plots randomly located across the state. They cover all forest land ownerships. Plots are measured over five to 10 years. 20% of plots are measured annually in the commercial forestlands of East Texas, and 10% of plots are measured annually in the remainder of the state.
Each plot is 1/6 of an acre and represents 6,000 acres in the state. Over 100 variables are measured on each plot.
Our FIA crews of one to three people who are certified in FIA protocols travel to plots to collect data. Crews contact landowners prior to visiting plots and only access the plot location if permission is granted. Data collection takes between one and four hours depending on conditions. All data collected is reported on a county, regional and statewide basis, ensuring the confidentiality of individual landowner information.
FIA data
Data collected and analyzed includes:
- Mortality and removals by harvest
- Wood production and utilization rates by various products
- Forest land ownership
- Species
- Size and health of trees
- Total tree growth
Tools
Data is available to the public, researchers, land managers, and policymakers through various reports and tools:
A critical part of the FIA Program is evaluation of forest health. This includes monitoring tree mortality, damage from pests and diseases, and the impacts of environmental stressors such as drought.
In Texas, where forests face threats from invasive species like the emerald ash borer and extreme weather events, these health assessments are vital for developing strategies to mitigate adverse effects and promote forest resilience.