Skip to main navigation Skip to main content
Forestry

​​Tracking Kentucky’s Vital Forest Resources

The Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) is a program that delivers current, consistent, and credible information about the status of forests and forest resources by continually collecting and analyzing data about these forests and the values they provide. FIA works to: 

·    Collect annualized data relating to forest resources, health, and ownership.

·    Collect and analyze a consistent core set of ecological data on all forests to view trends over time. 

Through partnerships with other state, federal and private forestry agencies, we can collect data on millions of acres annually. The data are used by a variety of professionals to assess wildlife habitat, forest health, plant diversity, insect outbreaks, wood supply, timber resources and other forest characteristics. Information and trends are important indicators of the conservation and sustainable management of forests, and these trends provide policymakers, partners, and other users a variety of data that inform their land-management decisions over time.  FIA research plots are selected randomly without regard to ownership to ensure that the inventory reflects the true condition of the entire area. 


Landowner Participation 

If you have been contacted by one of our FIA Foresters requesting access to your property, it is because one of these randomly selected research plots falls on your property, or because it is necessary to cross your property to access one of these research plots. The answers to some frequently asked questions by landowners are provided in a factsheet linked below. You can find even more information about the program on this website. Your participation in this program matters!  It is important to note, that by law, all specific plot locations, specific plot data, and owners’ name is confidential and cannot be shared with the public.


What Information Does FIA Collect?

​Data collected on all FIA Plots:​

  • Who owns forest land
  • ​Tree diameter, height, damage, and quality
  • Regeneration
  • Primary land use
  • General stand characteristics (e.g., forest type, stand age, disturbance)
  • Land use changes
  • Trends in growth, removals, and mortality​

Data collected on a subset of FIA plots:​​​​​​​

  • ​Tree crown traits
  • Soil characteristics
  • Down woody material as wildlife habitat and wildfire fuel
  • Vegetation structure and diversity

How Are FIA Data Used?

FIA provides objective, quality-controlled data that are useful to policymakers, researchers, land managers, private citizens, forest industry, nongovernmental organizations, and other organizations. FIA data are used for a wide variety of purposes, including but not limited to:

·    Evaluating how forested areas are used
·    Assessing forest health and productivity
·    Gauging wildlife habitat
·    Understanding landowners needs and goals
·    Monitoring forest fire risk on public and private land
·    Developing wood supply strategies for mill operations and locations
·    Sparking interest in new research and needs

Get Data Now!

Kentucky’s FIA program is dedicated to helping foresters, wildlife biologists, universities, non-governmental organizations, federal and state agencies, forest industry and private landowners locate, analyze, and understand data related to the state’s forest resources. Data collected by FIA are available to the public through a variety of online tools maintained by USDA Forest Service. Just visit https://research.fs.usda.gov/programs/fia#data-and-tools. To protect the privacy of landowners and the integrity of the FIA sample, the exact coordinates of plot locations are kept confidential. Exact plot locations are protected by federal law. 

Questions regarding the Forest Inventory and Analysis Program can be emailed to Forestry Program Specialist Robyn Whitted.




Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet
300 Sower Blvd
Frankfort, KY 40601

Phone Directory
Contact Us
Civil Rights/Derecho Civiles

The Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, age, disability or sex. This policy protects the rights of Cabinet employees, service applicants and customers. Vendors, agencies and organizations providing services to the Cabinet or its recipients of federally-aided programs also must comply with this policy.