Inventory Measurement Rates Lag in Wilderness Areas Across the Western USA

David L.R. Affleck; George C. Gaines; Cici Conroy; Gianna Santino; Andrew J. Larson

doi:10.1007/s44391-025-00047-3

Inventory Measurement Rates Lag in Wilderness Areas Across the Western USA

David L.R. Affleck
, George C. Gaines
, Cici Conroy
, Gianna Santino
, Andrew J. Larson

Forest Management

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The National Forest Inventory (NFI) for the USA draws sample data from all lands with equal intensity. Non-response in the NFI tends to be low on public lands relative to private lands, but this research documents higher rates of missing and delayed field plot measurements in wilderness areas relative to other federal lands in the contiguous western US. Given the extent and unique management directives of federal wilderness, discrepancies in field plot completion rates over this region could induce non-response bias in estimators of forest conditions at county or state levels. Further research is needed to identify the statistical impacts as well as the factors contributing to non-response and delayed response in wilderness.

Original language	English
Journal	Forest Science
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s44391-025-00047-3
State	Published - Nov 24 2025

Keywords

Natural resource monitoring
Non-response bias
Survey non-response
Wilderness

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10.1007/s44391-025-00047-3

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title = "Inventory Measurement Rates Lag in Wilderness Areas Across the Western USA",

abstract = "The National Forest Inventory (NFI) for the USA draws sample data from all lands with equal intensity. Non-response in the NFI tends to be low on public lands relative to private lands, but this research documents higher rates of missing and delayed field plot measurements in wilderness areas relative to other federal lands in the contiguous western US. Given the extent and unique management directives of federal wilderness, discrepancies in field plot completion rates over this region could induce non-response bias in estimators of forest conditions at county or state levels. Further research is needed to identify the statistical impacts as well as the factors contributing to non-response and delayed response in wilderness.",

keywords = "Natural resource monitoring, Non-response bias, Survey non-response, Wilderness",

author = "Affleck, \{David L.R.\} and Gaines, \{George C.\} and Cici Conroy and Gianna Santino and Larson, \{Andrew J.\}",

note = "{\textcopyright} David L.R. Affleck, Cici Conroy, Gianna Santino, Andrew J. Larson. Parts of this work were authored by US Federal Government authors and are not under copyright protection in the US; foreign copyright protection may apply. 2025.",

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doi = "10.1007/s44391-025-00047-3",

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T1 - Inventory Measurement Rates Lag in Wilderness Areas Across the Western USA

AU - Affleck, David L.R.

AU - Gaines, George C.

AU - Conroy, Cici

AU - Santino, Gianna

AU - Larson, Andrew J.

N1 - © David L.R. Affleck, Cici Conroy, Gianna Santino, Andrew J. Larson. Parts of this work were authored by US Federal Government authors and are not under copyright protection in the US; foreign copyright protection may apply. 2025.

PY - 2025/11/24

Y1 - 2025/11/24

N2 - The National Forest Inventory (NFI) for the USA draws sample data from all lands with equal intensity. Non-response in the NFI tends to be low on public lands relative to private lands, but this research documents higher rates of missing and delayed field plot measurements in wilderness areas relative to other federal lands in the contiguous western US. Given the extent and unique management directives of federal wilderness, discrepancies in field plot completion rates over this region could induce non-response bias in estimators of forest conditions at county or state levels. Further research is needed to identify the statistical impacts as well as the factors contributing to non-response and delayed response in wilderness.

AB - The National Forest Inventory (NFI) for the USA draws sample data from all lands with equal intensity. Non-response in the NFI tends to be low on public lands relative to private lands, but this research documents higher rates of missing and delayed field plot measurements in wilderness areas relative to other federal lands in the contiguous western US. Given the extent and unique management directives of federal wilderness, discrepancies in field plot completion rates over this region could induce non-response bias in estimators of forest conditions at county or state levels. Further research is needed to identify the statistical impacts as well as the factors contributing to non-response and delayed response in wilderness.

KW - Natural resource monitoring

KW - Non-response bias

KW - Survey non-response

KW - Wilderness

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105022779606

U2 - 10.1007/s44391-025-00047-3

DO - 10.1007/s44391-025-00047-3

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:105022779606

SN - 0015-749X

JO - Forest Science

JF - Forest Science

ER -

Inventory Measurement Rates Lag in Wilderness Areas Across the Western USA

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Keywords

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