Designing and Conducting a Forest Inventory - case: 9th National Forest Inventory of Finland

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1 Designing and Conducting a Forest Inventory - case: 9th National Forest Inventory of

2 Managing Forest Ecosystems Volume 22 Series Editors: Klaus von Gadow Georg-August-University, Göttingen, Germany Timo Pukkala University of Joensuu, Joensuu, and Margarida Tomé Instituto Superior de Agronomía, Lisbon, Portugal Aims & Scope: Well-managed forests and woodlands are a renewable resource, producing essential raw material with minimum waste and energy use. Rich in habitat and species diversity, forests may contribute to increased ecosystem stability. They can absorb the effects of unwanted deposition and other disturbances and protect neighbouring ecosystems by maintaining stable nutrient and energy cycles and by preventing soil degradation and erosion. They provide much-needed recreation and their continued existence contributes to stabilizing rural communities. Forests are managed for timber production and species, habitat and process conservation. A subtle shift from multiple-use management to ecosystems management is being observed and the new ecological perspective of multi-functional forest management is based on the principles of ecosystem diversity, stability and elasticity, and the dynamic equilibrium of primary and secondary production. Making full use of new technology is one of the challenges facing forest management today. Resource information must be obtained with a limited budget. This requires better timing of resource assessment activities and improved use of multiple data sources. Sound ecosystems management, like any other management activity, relies on effective forecasting and operational control. The aim of the book series Managing Forest Ecosystems is to present state-of-the-art research results relating to the practice of forest management. Contributions are solicited from prominent authors. Each reference book, monograph or proceedings volume will be focused to deal with a specific context. Typical issues of the series are: resource assessment techniques, evaluating sustainability for even-aged and uneven-aged forests, multi-objective management, predicting forest development, optimizing forest management, biodiversity management and monitoring, risk assessment and economic analysis. For further volumes:

3 Erkki Tomppo Juha Heikkinen Helena M. Henttonen Antti Ihalainen Matti Katila Helena Mäkelä Tarja Tuomainen Nina Vainikainen Designing and Conducting a Forest Inventory - case: 9th National Forest Inventory of

4 Prof. Erkki Tomppo Helena M. Henttonen National Forest Inventory/Vantaa Dr. Matti Katila Tarja Tuomainen Greenhouse Gas Reporting/Vantaa Juha Heikkinen National Forest Inventory/Vantaa Antti Ihalainen National Forest Inventory/Vantaa Helena Mäkelä National Forest Inventory/Vantaa Nina Vainikainen National Forest Inventory/Vantaa ISSN ISBN e-isbn DOI / Springer Dordrecht Heidelberg London New York Library of Congress Control Number: Springer Science+Business Media B.V No part of this work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming, recording or otherwise, without written permission from the Publisher, with the exception of any material supplied specifically for the purpose of being entered and executed on a computer system, for exclusive use by the purchaser of the work. Printed on acid-free paper Springer is part of Springer Science+Business Media (

5 Preface National Forest Inventories in have evolved gradually over a period of one hundred years, first with a trial inventory in the 1910s, and since the 1920s, with operative inventories. The sampling design and estimation methods have been continuously revised to correspond with inventory techniques and the available infrastructure. The content, as well as the collected data and variables employed, are constantly adapted to the users needs. Co-operation with the inventories of other countries, particularly with those of the Nordic countries, has supported these developments. Assessing the wood production potential was the key aim of the early inventories, and has remained important in the current inventories. Forest health and damage assessments were added in the 1970s and 1980s. The assessment of biodiversity became an important part of the inventory in the 1990s with the UNCBD agreements. National inventories worldwide are vital information sources for greenhouse gas reporting for the UNFCCC and its Kyoto Protocol. This book demonstrates in detail all phases of the 9th National Forest Inventory of ( ): the planning of the sampling design, measurements, estimation methods and results. The inventory knowledge accumulated during almost one hundred years is consolidated in the book. The purpose of the numerous examples of results is to demonstrate the diversity of the estimates and content of a national forest inventory. The authors hope that the book will help in designing and conducting any large area forest inventory. Helsinki December 2010 Erkki Tomppo, Juha Heikkinen, Helena M. Henttonen, Antti Ihalainen, Matti Katila, Helena Mäkelä, Tarja Tuomainen, Nina Vainikainen v

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7 Acknowledgements The main results of this book are based on the 9th National Forest Inventory of and have required knowledge and input from a number of people. Erkki Tomppo, Kari T. Korhonen and Tarja Tuomainen have been in charge of the fieldwork, 2, 3 and 3 years, respectively. Arto Ahola s role was crucial in training the field crews and in conducting the fieldwork, as well as programming the first version of field computer and preparing and checking the data. The following persons worked as the field crew leaders: Jouni Kulju, Juhani Kumpuniemi, Rauno Salo, Pertti Virtanen, Jouni Peräsaari and Tuomo Saastamoinen 7 8 seasons; Arto Ahola, Anssi Korsström, Mikko Korhonen, Jouni Kunnari, Markku Pernu, Juha Pulli, Jarmo Tuomainen, Mari Honkonen, Esa Kinnunen, Juhani Moilanen and Kati Tammela 2 4 seasons; and Mikko Heikkinen, Timo Hongisto, Olli-Pekka Jalonen, Matti Katila, Kimmo Kivinen, Kari T. Korhonen, Jouko Kytölä, Pertti Lepolahti, Juha Leppälä, Tarja Manninen, Nina Mäkinen, Sampo Parviainen, Taina Sairio, Pasi Sarriolehto, Arto Sorri, Erika Tammilehto and Jari Varjo one season. Alpo Aarnio had a central role in implementing the method for volume predictions for the tally trees. Mikael Strandström implemented the second version of the field computer and data transfer. Kai Mäkisara designed and implemented the GPS system and participated in the field computer system design. Major technical assistance was provided by Karipekka Byman, Pekka Oksman, Ulla Suhonen and Kati Tammela. Numerous units and individuals at Metla participated in planning of the field measurements. To mention only a few of them, Tiina Tonteri had a central role in the planning the key biotope measurements, as well as deadwood measurements together with Juha Siitonen and Reijo Penttilä. Eino Mälkönen coordinated the revision of forest health measurements, Pekka Tamminen the mineral soil measurements and Erkki Ahti together with Seppo Kaunisto the peatland soils measurements. Antti Reinikainen managed mineral soil site fertility classification. Markku Siitonen and his team helped to select the variables to be employed in calculating the alternative cutting scenarios. Seppo Nevalainen, Hannu Nousiainen, Antti Reinikainen and Tiina Tonteri actively participated in the training of field crews, in addition to NFI staff. vii

8 viii Acknowledgements Forest experts from the following organisations either actively participated in the training of the field crews or provided assistance in conducting the field work or both: Forestry Centres, Tapio consulting services, Forest Industry Companies, Metsähallitus, Finnish Tax Administration, the Central Union of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners, the Finnish Border Guard, The Gulf of Cost Guard, West Coast Guard and Provincial Administration Åland. For this publication, Kai Mäkisara, Metla, provided his help in writing paragraphs concerning the GPS devices and Saara Ilvesniemi and Mia Landauer gave technical assistance. The English language was edited by Dr. Ashley Selby. Sari Elomaa was responsible for the demanding typesetting. We are deeply indebted to these and all the individuals whose support has made this book possible. We also express our sincere thanks to the Editorial Board of the Springer s series Managing Forest Ecosystems-series for accepting this book for publication, as well as to Dr. Catherine Cotton, Publishing Editor, and Dr. Valeria Rinaudo, Associate Editor, at Springer for their constant guidance and assistance during all the phases of the production of the book.

9 Contents 1 Introduction Climatic Conditions and Forests of Early Attempts to Assess Forest Resources The Development of the National Forest Inventories in The Use of the Forest Inventory Results in Forest Policy The Use of National Forest Inventory Data in the UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol Reporting The Role of National Forest Inventory in Assessing the Status of Biodiversity The Content and Structure of the Book, Further Results of NFI References Design and Measurements Field Sampling Design Sampling Simulation South North (Excluding North Lapland) North Lapland Assessment Units Angle Count Plots Stands Other Assessment Units Locating the Field Plots Administrative Information Land-Use and Classification of Forestry Land Site Variables Soil Variables Drainage Situation Taxation Class ix

10 x Contents 2.10 Retention Trees to Maintain Biodiversity of Forests Description of the Growing Stock of the Stand Damages Silvicultural Quality of Stand Accomplished and Proposed Measures Key Habitat Characteristics Tally Tree Measurements Epiphytic Lichens Keystone Tree Species All Tree Species Dead Wood Measurements Equipment for Measurements A Correction to the Height Measurements of Year The Height Correction Models for the Sample Trees not Re-measured Models for Correcting the Height Increments Training and Quality Assurance The Workload and Costs References Estimation Methods Estimation of Areas Estimation of the Current Growing Stock Mean Values per Area Unit Mean Diameters Predicting Sample Tree Form Factors, Volumes and Timber Assortment Proportions Predicting Form Heights for Tally Trees Estimation of Volume Increment Increment of a Sample Tree Increment of Survivor Trees Increment of Drain Total Increment Estimation of the Volume of Dead Wood Assessment of Sampling Error Sampling Error of Ratio Estimators Sampling Error of Total Volumes and Aggregates Thematic Maps References Results The Areas of Land-Use Classes and Their Development Forestry Land Forest Land Land Classes Based on FAO Definitions Land Use-Changes Based on the Observations on the Plot Ownership Information... 99

11 Contents xi 4.2 Restrictions on Forestry and Area Available for Wood Production Soil Classification and the Areas of Site Fertility Classes on Mineral Soils Peatlands and Their Site Classes Peatland Area and Its Changes Land Classes of Peatlands Drainage Situation of Peatlands Principal Site Classes and Site Fertility Classes on Peatland Soils The Thickness of the Peat Layer Tree Species Dominance and Composition The Dominant Tree Species Tree Species Dominance by Site Fertility Classes Tree Species Mixtures Age and Development Classes The Age Distributions of Stands and Their Changes The Development Classes of Stands and Their Changes Growing Stock Mean Volume Estimates by Tree Species Total Growing Stock Estimates Volume Estimates of Saw-Timber Volume Increment Increment Estimates Uncertainties in Increment Estimates and Comparisons with Estimates from Earlier Inventories Forest Balance Changes in Annual Volume Increment Estimates since the 1950s Protected Areas Forest Damage Silvicultural Quality of Forests Silvicultural Quality Methods and Success of Regeneration Management Activities Accomplished and Proposed Cuttings Accomplished and Proposed Silvicultural Measures Drainage Operations Biodiversity Indicators Biodiversity Measurements in NFI Key Habitats Dead Wood

12 xii Contents Keystone Tree Species Retention Trees References Discussion The Development of Volume and Increment: New Estimates from NFI Estimation and Error Estimation Comparisons of the NFI8 and NFI9 Designs Some Experiences of the New Measurements Experiences with the New Measurement Devices Changes in the Design for NFI References Appendix Index