Overview 


The Society of American Foresters (SAF) and the National Council for Air and Stream Improvement (NCASI) have a long-standing partnership focused on supporting the USDA Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program and its growing stakeholder community. Every year, SAF and NCASI convene in person and virtual forums to bring together FIA leaders and stakeholders to foster two-way learning and improve alignment of user needs and agency resources.

Overarching Goals

• Identify stakeholder priorities (existing and new)
• Facilitate active relationships between FIA leads and stakeholders
• Highlight current or potential solutions to common issues
• Provide clarity and insight into program budget, staffing, and current agency priorities

To receive periodic emails with the latest information on upcoming opportunities for engagement, please join our email list by clicking below. 

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2023 FIA Meeting Report


SAF and NCASI hosted his year's FIA National User Group Meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina at the DoubleTree Suites by Hilton, Charlotte-South Park on April 11-12, 2023. The meeting report linked below provides session descriptions, slide decks, a participant list, and commendations and recommendations.

Upcoming Opportunities


SAF and NCASI host a variety of opportunities throughout the year, so that stakeholders have multiple forums to share their experiences, learn about new resources, and connect with the broader FIA stakeholder community. 

New Tech Transfer Sessions

Based on recommendations from users, SAF is convening quarterly tech transfer sessions to help users better understand how to get the most from FIA tools and resources. Each two-hour session will offer users an interactive experience with a variety of experts as they walk us through key platforms, dashboards, and other products. As an open forum, users will also be encouraged to bring and share questions and tips. Please save the dates and help spread the word for the sessions described below. Registration will open approximately one month before the session date.

August 8, 2:00 - 4:15 PM ET

How to Use EVALIDator and FIADB-API: The FIA program collects and maintains authoritative forest data at a national scale. The FIADB-API and EVALIDator web interface enable users to draw upon these data to generate statistically valid estimates with measures of uncertainty for a broad variety of forest metrics. This presentation will introduce attendees to the FIADB-API and EVALIDator and demonstrate various methods for generating customized estimates both via the web interface and programmatically.

Watch the Recording

Nov. 7, 2:00 - 4:00 PM ET

Accessing Results from the National Woodland Owner Survey (NWOS): Have you ever asked yourself: who owns the forests in my state? The results from the NWOS can help you answer that question. This session will provide an overview of NWOS products with a focus on the online NWOS dashboard. Participants will learn how to access results from the NWOS including general ownership patterns and information on the attitudes and behaviors of family forest owners and other private ownership groups.

February 2024

Accessing Timber Products Production Data Through the TPO ToolKit: Introducing the various data access tools available within the TPO Toolkit. Session will cover the Interactive reporting tool, data download tool, TPO explorer dashboard, and the wood movement tool. Presenters will show the range of data available, ways to access and display information, and provide examples for application.

Background Resources 


Below are brief descriptions of available resources. Please click the corresponding boxes below to download.

Progress Report: Reviews recommendations made at the FIA National User Group Meetings from 2015-2022 (Renate Bush). 

Briefing Paper: Provides detailed citations that support the presentation "Privacy Laws, Regulations, and Policies Regarding Releasing Exact Plot Coordinates" (Rich Guldin and Steve Prisley). 

NWOS Response: Provides initial responses to the recommendation provided at the 2022 National Woodland Owner Survey Stakeholder Meeting (Brett Butler).

Science Stakeholder Summary: Provides highlights from the 2022 FIA Science Stakeholder Meeting (Randall Morin and Susan Crocker).

Archived Reports 

Main User Meeting

Please feel free to download and share the reports below. 

2020 Meeting Report

2021 Meeting Report  

2022 Meeting Report