World Series Volume 8

IUFRO Guidelines for Designing Multipurpose Resource Inventories

Editor: H. Gyde Lund

IUFRO Guidelines for Designing Multipurpose Resource Inventories. A project of IUFRO 4.02.02. IUFRO World Series Vol. 8. 216 p. IUFRO World Series 8

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IUFRO Secretariat, Hauptstrasse 7, A-1140 Vienna, Austria;
Tel: +43-1-877-01-51-0; Fax: +43-1-877-01-51-55; e-mail: office(at)iufro.org

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In most countries resource managers and agricultural and food policy staff require periodic information for all land, soil, vegetation (timber, crops, browse, forage), water, air, fish and wildlife, aesthetics, recreation, wilderness, and energy and mineral resources. Moreover, agriculture and natural resources are so inter-related that these two cannot be disassociated. Decision-makers use this information to meet international requirements, develop national strategic plans, and for local planning. Traditionally organizations collect information on these resources in independent surveys resulting possibly in unnecessary duplication of effort, conflicting data, and information gaps. Properly designed multipurpose resource inventories (MRIs) provide much of the required information more effectively.

The International Union of Forestry Research Organization (IUFRO) Research Group 4.02 sponsored two recent workshops to address the topic of MRIs – the MONTE VERITÃ? CONFERENCE ON FOREST SURVEY DESIGNS – "SIMPLICITY VERSUS EFFICIENCY" AND ASSESSMENT OF NON-TIMBER RESOURCES held in Ascona, Switzerland 2-7 May 1994 and the INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON MULTIPLE RESOURCE INVENTORY & MONITORING OF TROPICAL FORESTS held in Seremban, Malaysia, 21-24 November 1994. The Monte Veritá Conference resolved that "the importance of the forest depends on social and cultural impacts. In industrialised countries, protection and recreation functions play a major role as well as ecological aspects. In the tropics and subtropics, forests are indispensable for providing the population with fuel wood and food. This situation leads to some very different rankings of forest functions." Beside all cultural and economic differences in various countries, participants accepted that the value of non-timber products exceeds the value of timber products by far (Köhl et al. 1995).

Participants at the Malaysia meeting developed the following conclusion and recommendations (Anonymous 1996):

Tropical forests are continuously declining in extent, quality, and biodiversity as a result of deforestation and degradation caused by poverty and rapid population growth. This growth places increasing demands on lands for fuelwood, agricultural crops, and living space. One needs public awareness and actions by decision-makers to control the situation. The decision-makers, in particular, must have sound and comprehensive information and the necessary decision support tools. One should base this information on valid databases generated from credible research, inventory and monitoring programs covering the full range of natural and cultural heritage resources. The Conference recognised that tropical forest information is a basic pillar of sustainable development and balanced forest management.

To address emerging needs and to improve the state of multiple resource inventory and monitoring of tropical forests, inventory specialists should:

• Take advantage of new technologies and improved statistical sampling;
• Involve the participation of the local communities;
• Provide timely inventory and monitoring statistics;
• Avoid duplication and establish compatibility among resource inventories carried out by different interest groups;
• Avoid collecting unnecessary data;
• Avoid gaps in the inventory and monitoring databases.

The conference participants recognised the importance of multiple resource inventory and monitoring in the tropical forests. The participants also recommended that IUFRO develop a set of guidelines that embrace the following principles for designing and implementing multiple resource inventory and monitoring programs. MRIs should:

• Meet a range of user needs.
• Utilise appropriate ecological classifications and assist in determining the value of forest resources and biological diversity.
• Provide statements of precision and accuracy.
• Stress compatibility of data from different inventories and the use of quality control to ensure data harmony, and to avoid duplication, gaps, and inconsistencies.
• Collect unbiased data.
• Account for all significant components – resources and their classifications, ownerships, community and conservation aspects.
• Utilise international and national standards and definitions.
• Allow relocation (remeasurement) of sampling units.
• Evaluate the impact of management activities.
• Analyse, maintain and present inventory results using technologies such as GIS and geo-referenced databases linked to other resource inventories.

The IUFRO Guidelines for Designing Multipurpose Resource Inventories are an outgrowth of those resolutions and recommendations. They are based upon a literature review, a world wide survey of ongoing MRIs (Lund 1997a), and the personal experiences of the contributing authors. The purpose of these guidelines is to help the reader design multipurpose resource inventories to meet international needs and as input for national assessments. While monitoring is discussed, inventory is the primary focus of the guidelines. Many of the ideas we use for inventory are applicable to monitoring, and indeed, resources inventories provide the base for monitoring.

The intended audience are those people that design inventories at the state, provincial or national level, although the guidelines are also useful locally. The authors assume the reader has some prior experience in designing resource inventories.

The design of an MRI often requires working with a great diversity of people with which one may not normally deal. Therefore, we have placed as much emphasis on working with people as we have on the design aspects of multipurpose resource inventories. Following these guidelines will help ensure that one conducts inventories of land, soil, vegetation, water, air, fish and wildlife, aesthetics, recreation, wilderness, and energy and mineral resources in an effective way. However, every situation is different so the Guidelines are general in nature. Take what you can use and create the rest yourself.

Given this background and the need to inventory more than the trees, it is with great pleasure that I present these guidelines to you. I urge all IUFRO member organizations to use the IUFRO Guidelines for Designing Multipurpose Resource Inventories in their data collection activities.

I congratulate and thank IUFRO 4.02, the authors, and reviewers for their work in producing these guidelines which will help in the inventory of our natural resources.

 

Sincerely,

Dr. Jeff Burley, IUFRO President

Diverse and often conflicting demands upon land and natural resources around the world increasingly require that decision-makers cater for a wide range of potential human interests within any given area, such as agriculture, biomass productions, biodiversity, recreation, and urban expansion. This means that administrators have to look at the land and its resources for a variety of potential uses – agriculture, biomass production, biodiversity, recreation, urban expansion, etc. To increase the benefits of the data collected and to minimise the expenditures, inventory specialists are turning more and more to multipurpose or integrated resource inventories. This is particularly true at the broader decision-making scales – provincial, national, regional, and global.

These guidelines provide basic information on Multipurpose Resource Inventories (MRIs) for the inventory planner and decision-maker at the provincial or national level although the instructions will be useful at the local level as well. We discuss the need for MRIs, the information requirements, support structure, and the design and implementation issues in depth.

1 MULTIPURPOSE RESOURCE INVENTORIES – WHAT ARE THEY, WHEN TO USE?

• 1.1 WHAT ARE MRIS?
• 1.2 WHY MRIS?
• 1.3 WHO USES MRIS?
• 1.4 WHEN TO USE MRIS?
• 1.5 WHAT IS THE IDEAL MRI?
• 1.6 WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES?
• 1.6.1 Individuals
• 1.6.2 Organizations
• 1.6.3 Design
• 1.7 HOW TO MEET THE CHALLENGES?

2 HOW TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT AN EFFECTIVE MRI

• 2.1 CREATE AN EFFECTIVE INFRASTRUCTURE
• 2.1.1 Consolidate Efforts
• 2.1.2 Build a Team
• 2.1.3 Define Responsibilities and Obligations
• 2.1.4 Work Together
• 2.1.4.1 Form Successful Partnerships
• 2.1.4.2 Find Common Ground
• 2.1.4.3 Develop Team Operations
• 2.1.5 Provide follow-up
• 2.2 CREATE A VISION AND ESTABLISH OBJECTIVES
• 2.2.1 Review Global Obligations
• 2.2.2 Identify Regional Needs
• 2.2.3 Determine National (Provincial or State) Requirements
• 2.2.4 Identify Local-Level Information Needs
• 2.2.4.1 Historical Information
• 2.2.4.2 Resource Situation
• 2.2.4.3 Management Alternatives
• 2.2.4.4 Effects of Management
• 2.2.4.5 Resource Allocation
• 2.2.4.6 Implementation
• 2.3 ASSEMBLE AND EVALUATE AVAILABLE RESOURCE INFORMATION AND ASSESTS
• 2.3.1 Assemble and Evaluate Existing Resource Information
• 2.3.1.1 Check the Internet
• 2.3.1.2 Evaluate Information Utility
• 2.3.2 Review Existing Assets
• 2.3.3 Identify Additional Studies
• 2.4 ESTABLISH MRI INFORMATION NEEDS AND OBJECTIVES
• 2.4.1 Review Users And User Needs
• 2.4.2 Define Specifications
• 2.4.3 Select Attributes to be Measured
• 2.4.4 Agree On Definitions, Standards, And Formats
• 2.5 DEVELOP THE MRI PLAN
• 2.5.1 Identify and Address Constraints
• 2.5.1.1 Funding
• 2.5.1.2 Timing
• 2.5.2 Incorporate Available Technology
• 2.5.3 Select Sampling and Plot Designs
• 2.5.3.1 Decide on Scope
• 2.5.3.2 Inventory Unit, Sampling Design, Sample Intensity, And Plot Configuration
• 2.5.4 Plan Field Work
• 2.5.4.1 Skills
• 2.5.4.2 Land Ownership
• 2.5.4.3 Access, Logistical Supply, and Replacement
• 2.5.5 Test Field Procedures
• 2.6 ESTABLISH THE INFORMATION SYSTEM AND PROVIDE FOR ACCESS
• 2.6.1 Develop Information Structure
• 2.6.2 Decide Access to MRI Results
• 2.7 PROVIDE FOR QUALITY ASSURANCE AND COLLECT DATA
• 2.7.1 Error Prevention
• 2.7.1.1 Methods
• 2.7.1.2 Establish Measurement Quality Objectives
• 2.7.1.3 Calibration
• 2.7.2 Collect Data
• 2.7.3 Assessment and Appraisal
• 2.7.4 Correction
• 2.8 ENTER, MAINTAIN, AND ANALYSE DATA
• 2.8.1 Enter and Store Data
• 2.8.2 Assess and Interpret Data
• 2.8.3 Update as Necessary
• 2.9 EVALUATE AND SHARE RESULTS
• 2.9.1 Evaluate The Results
• 2.9.2 Share Information
• 2.9.2.1 Present Results
• 2.9.2.2 Consider Placing your Data on the Internet
• 2.10 DOCUMENT PROCESSES
• 2.10.1 Include Inventory Work Schedule
• 2.10.2 Retain Inventory Files
• 2.11 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

3 CASE STUDIES

• 3.1 INFORMATION NEEDS ASSESSMENT – USDA FOREST SERVICE
• 3.1.1 Determine the Laws Governing the Agency or Organization
• 3.1.2 List Reports Required by Law
• 3.1.3 Develop List of Data Elements Necessary to Generate The Reports
• 3.2 DESIGNING MULTIPLE RESOURCE INVENTORIES: A CANADIAN EXPERIENCE
• 3.2.1 Background
• 3.2.2 Inventory Design Process
• 3.2.3 Funding
• 3.2.4 Progress to Date
• 3.2.5 Review of Existing Inventory
• 3.2.6 Design of New Inventory
• 3.2.7 New Vegetation Inventory Design
• 3.2.8 Findings
• 3.3 MULTIPLE RESOURCE INVENTORY GUIDES – SISKIYOU NATIONAL FOREST
• 3.4 THE SUDAN REFORESTATION AND ANTI-DESERTIFICATION PROJECT
• 3.4.1 Pilot Area
• 3.4.2 Methods
• 3.4.2.1 Image Base and Vegetation Mapping
• 3.4.2.2 Woody Vegetation Inventory
• 3.4.2.3 Rehabilitation (Socio-Economic) Surveys
• 3.4.3 Results
• 3.4.4 Guidance for Future Activities
• 3.5 PARTICIPATORY MAPPING AND INVENTORY IN TWO VILLAGES IN INDONESIA
• 3.5.1 Review of the Issues
• 3.5.1.1 Reasons For The Assessment
• 3.5.1.2 Methods Used
• 3.5.1.3 Resources Assessed
• 3.5.1.4 Social and Institutional Aspects
• 3.5.1.5 Practical Aspects
• 3.5.1.6 Economic Viability
• 3.5.2 Two Case Studies from Indonesia
• 3.5.2.1 Background
• 3.5.2.2 Purpose of Inventory
• 3.5.2.3 Methods Used
• 3.5.2.3 Results
• 3.5.2.4 Lessons Learned
• 3.6 MEASURING AND MODELLING NATURAL DISTURBANCES IN NEW YORK STATE
• 3.6.1 Project Design and Methodologies
• 3.6.1.1 Experimental Design
• 3.6.1.2 Field Data Collection Protocols
• 3.6.2 Data Analysis
• 3.6.3 Anticipated Outputs

 

APPENDIX 1. REFERENCES AND ADDITIONAL READING

• A1.1 REFERENCES
• A1.2 ADDITIONAL SELECTED READING
• A1.2.1 General
• A1.2.2 Mapping, Classification, Remote Sensing
• A1.2.3 Statistics and Sampling
• A1.2.4 Plots And Plot Configuration
• A1.2.5 Special Inventories and Studies
• A1.2.5.1 Biodiversity
• A1.2.5.2 Flora
• A1.2.5.3 Fauna
• A1.2.5.4 Recreation, Social, Cultural, and Political Services
• A1.2.5.5 Soils, Water, and Air
• A1.2.6 Databases, Models, and Computer Sciences
• A1.2.7 National MRI Methods

APPENDIX 2. ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS

APPENDIX 3. GLOSSARY

APPENDIX 4. LETTER AND QUESTIONNAIRE FOR MRI SURVEY

APPENDIX 5. CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS’ ADDRESSES

INDEX

• Cris Brack, Australia
• Peter Brassel, Switzerland
• William Burkman, USA
• Tanzer Çaliskan, Turkey
• Yue Mun Chin, Malaysia
• Jonathan Corbett, United Kingdom
• Regina Cruz, Mozambique
• Jim Dewar, United Kingdom
• Wenche E. Dramstad, Norway
• Marius du Plessis, South Africa
• Anne Elgersma, Norway
• Andrey N. Filiptchouk, Russian Federation
• Robert Fimbel, USA
• Bill Forbes, USA
• Carlos Garcia-Guemes, Spain
• Ed Gee, USA
• Jean Jacques Goussard, Belgium
• E.F. Haule, Tanzania
• Nico Hattingh, South Africa
• Gavin Jordan, United Kingdom
• H. Kerrouani, Morocco
• Christoph Kleinn, Costa Rica
• Michael Köhl, Germany
• R.K. Kohli, India
• Marko Kovac, Slovenia
• Björn Merkell, Sweden
• Trevor Morley, South Africa
• Emmanuel Mushinzimana, France
• F. Mkosana, Zimbabwe
• Gavin Nicol, United Kingdom
• Mikael Noren, Sweden
• Erik Persson, Sweden
• Carl W. Ramm, USA
• Peter Rennie, Canada
• Jacques Rondeux, Belgium
• Robert J. Rowe, United Kingdom
• Victor A. Rudis, USA
• Lennart Rudqvist, Sweden
• Karl Rumba, Australia
• A.Y. Omule, Canada
• Menachem Sachs, Israel
• Karl Schieler, Austria
• Fritz Schmitz, Germany
• Daniel L. Schmoldt, USA
• Kathrin Schreckenberg, United Kingdom
• Charles T. Scott, USA
• Flemming Skov, Denmark
• W. Brad Smith, USA
• Richard Stafursky, USA
• Mary Stockdale, United Kingdom
• Jeff Stone, Canada
• Stein M. Tomter, Norway
• Vittorio Tosi, Italy
• Jean-Marie Valdenaire, France
• Sergio Varela-Hernandez, Mexico
• Janis Vazdikis, Latvia
• Klaus von Gadow, Germany
• William H. Wigton, USA
• Douglas Wright, United Kingdom
• Chin Tuck Yuan, Malaysia