Fernow Experimental Forest overstory tree and regeneration data from the "Financial Maturity" study

Metadata:

Entity_and_Attribute_Information:

Overview_Description:

Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:

This data publication contains four datasets (found in the \Data folder of full data publication download), and multiple additional informational files (found in the \Supplements folder of the full data publication download) which document the history of the FEF FM study.

Below is a summary list of the 4 data files, and then a detailed description of the variables each file contains.

DATA FILES:
1. Overstory tree tally data from 1970 to 2015 for all trees greater than or equal to 5 inches in diameter at breast height (dbh; 4.5 feet above ground on the uphill side of the tree) - variable number of 0.5-acre plots per compartment sampling design.
2. Regeneration woody stem tally data from 1977 to 2016 for stems less than 1 inch dbh - 1/1000-acre plot sampling.
3. Sapling woody stem tally data from 1977 to 2016 for stems 1 inch to less than 5 inches dbh - 1/100-acre plot sampling.
4. Tree quality data from 1971 to 2014 for trees greater than or equal to 11 inches dbh - variable sampling design.


1. \Data\FernowFM_Overstory_Trees5+inchDbh.csv is a comma-delimited ASCII text file containing overstory tree tally data from 1970 to 2015.

COMPARTMENT = research compartment where data were collected.
YEAR = year the data were collected.
MONTH = month the data were collected.
MEASURE_TYPE = type of data. Standard types are: original (at study establishment), remeasure (routine data collection at 10-year interval), cut (sum of trees selected for harvest and trees removed due to damage during logging operation), and residual (calculated tally after treatment). An additional measurement type of storm damage (salvage removal of downed trees after a high wind event) was used on compartment 60 in 1993.
VEG_CLASS = tree condition class at time of measurement. Classes are: merchantable, cull (deformed or rotten), and dead.
SPECIES_NAME = tree species name (genus and species). 'Sp.' indicates species not determined.
2INCH_DBH_CLASS = tree diameter class (inches). Example: 6 inch class includes trees with dbh from 5.0 inches to 6.9 inches.
NUMBER_STEMS = total number of trees.


2. \Data\FernowFM_Regen_WoodyStemsLess1inchDbh.csv is a comma-delimited ASCII text file containing regeneration woody stem tally data from 1977 to 2016.

COMPARTMENT = research compartment where data were collected.
YEAR = year the data were collected.
MONTH = month the data were collected.
SPECIES_NAME = woody stem species name (genus and species). 'Sp.' indicates species not determined.
NUMBER_SEEDLING = total number of woody stems of seedling origin.
NUMBER_SPROUT = total number of woody stems of sprout origin.
PLOT_FACTOR = plot expansion factor calculated as the inverse of the sum of the area sampled. (Example: 50 plots x 1/1000-acre per plot = 0.05 acres sampled. Plot factor = 1/0.05 = 20.00). Multiplying the tally number of stems by the plot factor equals number of stems per acre.


3. \Data\FernowFM_Sapling_WoodyStems1to5inchDbh.csv is a comma-delimited ASCII text file containing sapling-sized woody stem tally data from 1977 to 2016.

COMPARTMENT = research compartment where data were collected.
YEAR = year the data were collected.
MONTH = month the data were collected.
SPECIES_NAME = woody stem species name (genus and species). 'Sp.' indicates species not determined.
1INCH_DBH_CLASS = woody stem diameter class (inches). Example: 1 inch class includes trees with dbh from 1.0 inches to 1.9 inches.
NUMBER_SEEDLING = total number of woody stems of seedling origin.
NUMBER_SPROUT = total number of woody stems of sprout origin.
PLOT_FACTOR = plot expansion factor calculated as the inverse of the sum of the area sampled. (Example: 50 plots x 1/100-acre per plot = 0.5 acres sampled. Plot factor = 1/0.5 = 2.0). Multiplying the tally number of stems by the plot factor equals number of stems per acre.


4. \Data\FernowFM_TreeQual_Trees11+inchDbh.csv is a comma-delimited ASCII text file containing sawtimber-sized tree quality data from 1971 to 2014.

COMPARTMENT = research compartment where data were collected.
YEAR = year the data were collected.
MONTH = month the data were collected.
MEASURE_TYPE = type of data. Types are: remeasure (routine data collection at 10-year interval) or cut (trees selected for harvest).
SAMPLING_DESIGN = sampling scheme used to select trees to grade. Designs are: 100 percent (all trees are graded) or sample (a sample of trees is graded; see Methodology citation section for details on sample size).
SPECIES_NAME = tree species name (genus and species). 'Sp.' indicates species not determined.
2INCH_DBH_CLASS = tree diameter class (inches). Example: 12 inch class includes trees with dbh from 11.0 inches to 12.9 inches.
NUMBER_STEMS = total number of trees graded.
STEMS_GRADE1 = number of trees meeting grade 1 definition (see Methodology section for grade definitions).
STEMS_GRADE2 = number of trees meeting grade 2 definition.
STEMS_GRADE3 = number of trees meeting grade 3 definition.
STEMS_OTHER = total number of trees graded as 4, 5 or 6.


INFORMATIONAL FILES:

1. \Supplements\EstablishmentProgressReport_1976.pdf: Portable Document Format file containing a scan of the document "Establishment-Progress Report, Financial Rate of Return Areas on the Fernow Experimental Forest" authored by Clay Smith.

2. \Supplements\Fernow_FM_map.jpg: JPEG map showing locations and rate of return treatments for the six compartments included in the FM study on the Fernow Experimental Forest.

3. \Supplements\FernowEF_FieldStandardOperProcs_1969.pdf: Portable Document Format file containing a scan of the document "Field Manual of Standard Operating Procedures for Large-Area Comparisons of Forest Management Practices in Appalachian Forest Types" authored by G.R. Trimble, Jr.

4. \Supplements\RecordKeepingInstrCompartmentExps_NEFES_1954.pdf: Portable Document Format file containing a scan of the document "Record-Keeping Instructions for Compartment Experiments" authored by the Northeastern Forest Experiment Station.

Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation:

For more details on these data, see the Methodology citation section for additional documentation.

Metadata_Reference_Information:

Metadata_Date: 20200306

Metadata_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Person_Primary:

Contact_Person: Frederica Wood

Contact_Organization: USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station

Contact_Position: Fernow Experimental Forest Data Manager

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: mailing

Address: Timber & Watershed Laboratory

Address: PO Box 404

City: Parsons

State_or_Province: WV

Postal_Code: 26287

Country: USA

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: physical

Address: Timber & Watershed Laboratory

Address: 459 Nursery Bottom Road

City: Parsons

State_or_Province: WV

Postal_Code: 26287

Country: USA

Contact_Voice_Telephone: 304-478-2000 x128

Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: frederica.wood@usda.gov

Metadata_Standard_Name: FGDC Biological Data Profile of the Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata

Metadata_Standard_Version: FGDC-STD-001.1-1999