NED-2: A Decision Support System For Integrated Forest Management

Presented to the IUFRO conference

on Decision Support for Multiple Purpose Forestry by

Mark J. Twery, USDA Forest Service, Burlington, VT, USA

and

P. D. Knopp, S. A. Thomasma, H. M. Rauscher, USDA Forest Service

D. E. Nute, W. D. Potter, F. Maier, J. Wang, M. Dass, H. Uchiyama, A. Glende, University of Georgia, USA

Robin E. Hoffman, Environmental Sciences and Forestry, Syracuse, NY, USA

Acknowledgments

David Marquis, Research Forester, Ret., Susan Stout, Research Forester, Deborah Bennett, Computer Specialist · Helene Cleveland, Forester · Dave DeCalesta, Research Wildlife Biologist · Morgan Grove, Research Social Ecologist · Eric Gustafson, Research Landscape Ecologist · Robin Hoffman, Landscape Architect · Jim Hornbeck, Research Hydrologist · Pete Kollasch, Computer Specialist · Neil Lamson, Forester · Robert Bridges, Assistant Director - NERS · Gary Miller, Research Silviculturist · Don Nute, Professor of Philosophy · Jim Palmer, Landscape Architect · Mike Rauscher, Research Forester · Susan Stout, Research Forester · Scott Thomasma, Computer Specialist · Mark Twery, Research Silviculturist Former Contributors to the Northeast Decision Model: · David Marquis, Research Silviculturist, Retired · Clay Smith, Research Silviculturist, Retired · Laura Alban, Forester · Tom Schuler, Research Forester · Brian Simpson, Forester · Max McFadden, Assistant Director, Retired Programming Support The NED project employs two full time computer programmers. The project also receives programming support from the University of Georgia, Athens, GA under the direction of Donald Nute and Donald Potter. Others Supporting the Programming Effort: Charles Baah, Ningyu Chen, Christopher Henderson, Geneho Kim, Pete Kollasch, Shanyin Lin, Mike Rauscher, Scott Thomasma, Huasong Yin, Guojun Zhu NED Resource Committees Ecology Committee Chair: Susan Stout Present Committee Members: Daniel Brauning, Daniel Devlin, Donald Gibbon, Emily Grafton, Katharine Hakala, Tina Hall, James Kotcon, Larry Master, James McGraw, John McKown, Rose Marie Muzika, Charles Smith, Steve Sutherland, Gary Wade, Paul Weigman Previous Committee Members: Mary Hoffman, Jeff Knoop, Craig Martin, Nancy Putnam Economics Committee Chairs: Mike Rauscher, Gary Miller Committee Members: Bill Gardner, Karen Lee, Laura Lombardo, Mark Twery, David Wear, Charlie Webb Forest Health Committee Chair: Jim Steinman Committee Members: Larry Abrahamson, Doug Allen, Barbara Burns, Mike Connor, Kurt Gottschalk, Robert Haack, David Houston, Steven Katovich, Paul Manion, Deborah McCullough, Max McFadden, Martin McKenzie, Margaret Miller-Weeks, William Ostrofsky, John Quimby, Dennis Souto, James Stewart, David Struble, H. Brent Teillon, Philip Wargo Landscape Ecology Committee Chairs: Eric Gustafson, Swee May Tang Social Ecology Committee Chair: Morgan Grove Committee Members: William R. Burch, Jr., Kenneth Cordell, Thomas Duffus, Shawn Dalton, Marla Emery, Tim Foresman, Marilyn Hoskins, Lloyd Irland, Pamela Jakes, Jerilyn Levi, Bernie Lewis, Gary E. Machlis, Max McFadden, Jean McKendry, Rob Northrop, Elinor Ostrom, James Palmer, J. Kathy Parker, Brian Payne, Steward Pickett, Mike Rechlin, Dianne Rocheleau, James Thorne Timber Committee Chair: Mark Twery Committee Members: John Brissette, Martin Dale, Robert Frank, Kurt Gottschalk, Matthew Kelty, Neil Lamson, William Leak, Monty Maldonado, Gary Miller, Ralph Nyland, Arlyn Perkey, Mike Rauscher, Chip Scott, Dale Solomon, Susan Stout, Robert White, Dan Yaussy Previous Committee Members: Bob Bloomquist, Joel Hockinson, David Marquis, William Shirley, Clay Smith Visual Committee Chairs: Jim Palmer, Robin Hoffman Present Committee Members: Skip Echelberger, Paul Gobster, Steve Hollenhorst, Gary Kell, William Kerr, Tom Kokx, Tom More, Peggy Pings, Bruce Reid Previous Committee Members: Mary Anna Harrilchak, John Kuhr Water Committee Chair: Jim Hornbeck Committee Members: Mary Beth Adams, Edward Corbett, Tony Federer, Donald Hair, James Kochenderfer, Harry Parrott, Doug Ryan, Robert Smith, James Vose Wildlife Present Committee Chair: Dave deCalesta Previous Committee Chair (1992-1995): Linda Thomasma Committee Members: Doug Blodgett, Robert Brooks, Alan Boss, Richard DeGraaf, Clayton Grove, William Healy, John Lanier, Brad Nelson, Ralph Nyland, Steve Pelletier, William Porter, Robert Szaro, Mariko Yamasaki; plus Michael Rains, Bob Bridges, David Loftis, Bill Hubbard, John Spearman, Bob Giles, Steve Forry, Rob Northrop, Pete Knopp, Fred Maier, Shulei Sun, Don Nute, Walter D. Potter, Lloyd Casey, Mark Buccowich, Bill Moulton, Andy Carlo, Chris Casey, Dave Stevens, Brian Stone, Gary Goff, Peter Smallidge, Dave Kittredge, Karen Bennett, and many , many others.

Presentation Outline

Review of NED history

Overview of NED-2 software

Questions and Answers

A set of tools for Natural Resource Decision Support

NED is

a set of Decision-Support Tools

designed to provide analysis for integrated prescriptions

for managing forests for multiple values

up to a landscape scale.

NED: a set of tools forNatural Resource Decision Support

The Management Process

Management includes Planning and Decision making

Stakeholder identification and involvement

Create a transparent decision making process

Computers can help in many ways

Analysis of alternatives is central

What do you want?

GOALSWhat do you have?

DATAWhat can you do to get what you want?

PRESCRIPTIONS

How can you tell if you succeed?

ANALYSIS and PREDICTION

NED: Organizing Principles

Who is developing NED?

USDA Forest Service Northeastern Research Station Southern Research Station

Forest Service partners North Central Station Allegheny, Monongahela, Green Mountain, White Mountain

National Forests

Universities, States University of Georgia SUNY College of Environmental Sciences and Forestry

Private Consultants, Industry

What tools do we have now?

Forest Stewardship Planning Guide NED/SIPS NEWILD NED-1 NED-DC and NedLite Stewplan

NED-2

Alpha testing in 2003

Extensive Hypertext Help

Transparent Logic

Point and Click

Developers are testing function

NED-2 - A Forest Manager’s Tool

Accepts user-identified goals

Analyzes across multiple stands

Compares DFC’s to existing

Analyzes multiple resources

Simulates alternative plans

Links to GIS and visualization

NED-2 Resource Manager’s Tool

Flexible, Extensive Inventory

Tree inventory in detail

Shrub layer for regeneration

Herbaceous vegetation

Dead and down material

Site characteristics

Overstory plot 2Overstory plot 1

Understory / Ground plot

Understory / Ground plot

Understory / Ground plot

Understory / Ground plot

Transect 1 Transect 2 Transect 3

Schematic diagram of suggested NED-2 Inventory Plot Layout

NED-2 Field Inventory Layout

NED-2 Treatment Definition

NED-2 Data Summary Table

Integration with GIS in NED-2

NED-2 has direct transfer to ArcGIS

Links with Visualization Programs

Stand Visualization System

EnVision

http://www.fs.fed.us/ne/burlington/ned/

The Future of NED

NED-2 Alpha version in testing now Expanded inventory and simulation Expert recommendations Links to EMDS and LMS Usability Testing

Other Programs Stewplan NedLite Expanded wildlife analyses

Stand #235Before TreatmentBasal Area/Acre = 111 sq. ft.

Stand #235After TreatmentBasal Area/Acre = 35 sq. ft.

http://www.fs.fed.us/ne/burlington/ned/