North Carolina FIA Data Update

Barry NewTechnical Development & Planning

Branch, NCDFR

Retired foresters meeting May 25, 2011

7 Periodic Surveys (Cycles)

1st 1938 2nd 1956 3rd 1964 4th 1974 5th 1984 6th 1990 7th 2002R*

8th 2003-20079th 2003-2010 rolling

average

2 of 5 panels complete as of 2010. 40% re-measured plots, averaged with complete 8th cycle previous plots

Annual Survey

Forest Inventory & Analysis – the Nation’s Forest Census

National forest7%

Other federal3%

State and local government

5%

Forest industry8%

Individual62%

Other cor-porate

15%

NC 2007 Ownership of 18 million acres of timberland

NC Trends by survey cycle

1938 1956 1964 1974 1984 1990 2002 2007 201016,500.0

17,000.0

17,500.0

18,000.0

18,500.0

19,000.0

19,500.0

20,000.0

20,500.0

21,000.0

Forestland Timberland

mill

ion

ac.

0–25

26–50

51–75

76–100

Water

Percent forest land by county

Percentage of land in forest by county, North Carolina, 2007

White-red-jack pine1%

Loblolly-short-leaf pine*

29%

Spruce-fir<1%

Longleaf-slash pine2%

Nonstocked1%

Oak-pine13%

Other hardwoods**<1%

Oak-hickory40%

Maple-beech-birch<1%

Elm-ash-cot-tonwood

3%

Oak-gum-cypress10%

Area of timberland by forest-type group, NC 2007

Sawtimber Poletimber Seedling-sapling Nonstocked0

2

4

6

8

10

12

1974 1984 1990 2002 2007

mill

ion

acre

s

Area of timberland by stand-size class and year, North Carolina

Natural Planted Natural Planted Natural Planted Natural Planted1984 1990 2002 2007

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18Softwood Hardwood

Year and stand origin

Area

(mill

ion

acre

s)Timberland area by forest-type group and

stand origin, North Carolina, 2007

6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20+0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

199020022007

Diameter Class

Volu

me

(bill

ion

cubi

c fe

et)

Softwood all-live volume by diameter class and year, North Carolina, 2007

Hardwood all-live volume by diameter class and year, North Carolina, 2007

6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20+0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

199020022007

Diameter Class

Volu

me

(bill

ion

cubi

c fe

et)

Gross gro

wth

Mortality

Removals

Net chan

ge

Gross gro

wth

Mortality

Removals

Net chan

ge-200

0

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,2001990 2002 2007

Softwood Hardwood

Volu

me

(mill

ion

cubi

c fe

et p

er y

ear)

Growth, Removals, Mortality & Net Change by Species Group & Year, North Carolina

Forestland Timberland16,500.0

17,000.0

17,500.0

18,000.0

18,500.0

19,000.0

19,500.0 19,277.5

18,710.4

18,268.7

17,684.4

18,822.4

18,368.6

Published 1990 Published 2002 NIMS 4.0 2002

What about the 1+ million acres of forestland lost 1990 – 2002?

Net change 1990-2002 NIMS Reprocessed

-455,000 ac. Forestland -342,000 ac. Timberland

(150)

(100)

(50)

-

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

1964 -1974

1975 -1984

1985 -1990

1991 -2002

2003 -2007

Th

ou

sa

nd

Ac

res

Average Annual Landuse Change of Timberland in North Carolina by Survey Period

Total Timberland GainTotal Timberland LossNet Change

R. HarperSRS, FIA

(150)

(100)

(50)

-

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

1964 -1974

1975 -1984

1985 -1990

1991 -2002

2003 -2007

Th

ou

san

d A

cres

Average Annual Landuse Change of Timberland in North Carolina by Survey Period

Total Timberland GainTotal Timberland LossNet ChangeLoss to Urban/OtherLoss to Ag

R. HarperSRS, FIA

While NC timberland has experienced pressure from conversions to development and agricultural land-use, the forestry community has been able to maintain a sustainable wood volume over time. Timber inventory volume is at an all time high and has doubled over the last 50 years.

0.05.010.015.020.025.030.035.040.0

0.0

5.0

10.0

15.0

20.0

25.0

1956 1964 1974 1984 1990 2002 2007

Billi

on C

ubic

Fee

t

Mill

ion

Acr

esTimberland Area and Live Tree1 Volume

by FIA survey, North CarolinaTimberland AcresVolume

1/ 1956 and 1964 are growing stock volume.R. HarperSRS, FIA

North Carolina Survey Units

Piedmont

Mountains

Northern Coastal Plain

Southern Coastal

Plain

1938 1956 1964 1974 1984 1990 2002 20070.0

1,000.0

2,000.0

3,000.0

4,000.0

5,000.0

6,000.0

7,000.0

MountainsPiedmontN. Coastal PlainS. Coastal Plain

Survey Year

thou

sand

acr

esTimberland area trends by survey unit, North Carolina

Highlights• Forest & timberland

area continues to moderately decline.

• 85% of NC’s forests are privately held. 62% by individuals & families.

• Hardwoods dominate timberland area (68%) and all live volume (66%).

• GS volume 63% hdwd vs. 37% sftwd. 32.7 billion cu ft tot.

• GS total volume: – 25% loblolly– 14% yellow poplar– 6% sweetgum– 6% soft maple

• Positive annual net change in G/R/M 2002-2007 for both sftwd & hdwd.

• Reprocessed 2002 data shows net loss of 455,000 ac forestland & 342,000 ac timberland 1990-2002, not 1+ million acres.

Acknowledgements

USFS SRS FIAMark Brown, Forester/AnalystRichard Harper, Forester/AnalystJeff Turner, Forester/AnalystJason Meade, Forester/Analyst

DFRDon Roach, FIA CoordinatorMichael Mann, former Utilization Forester

http://www.fia.fs.fed.us/tools-data/default.asp

Data available for survey cycles 1974, 1984, 1990, 2002R, 2003-2007, 2003-2010

http://treesearch.fs.fed.us/

Barry D. New, RF, CFBranch Head, Technical Development & PlanningNCDFR919-857-4843Barry.New@ncdenr.gov