Forest Inventory &
Analysis
National Office
U.S. Forest Service
1400 Independence Ave., SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-0003
(703) 605-4177
FIA Library
Database Documentation
FIA's database documentation is intended to provide assistance to individuals who access FIA's databases. FIA has two primary databases: (1) the Forest Inventory and Analysis Database (FIADB), and (2) the Urban FIADB. For each database, there are different types of user guides, each with a specific purpose. FIA's database documentation is divided into the following categories:
FIADB Database Documentation
Database documentation for the Forest Inventory and Analysis Database (FIADB). The data contained within the FIADB are for the FIA rural inventory.
Urban FIADB Database Documentation
Database documentation for the Urban Forest Inventory and Analysis Database (Urban FIADB). The data contained within the Urban FIADB are for the FIA urban inventory.
FIA Supplemental Documentation
General information pertaining to FIA databases not found in other FIA database user guides.
Phase 3 Documentation
Documentation for Phase 3 (P3) forest health indicators. P3 data are stored in the Forest Inventory and Analysis Database (FIADB).
The FIADB User Guides series includes multiple documents. Links to the most recent user guide versions are listed below. These documents provide detailed information for the Forest Inventory and Analysis database (FIADB).
Database Description User Guide for Phase 2 (version 9.1) (PDF 20.0 MB)
This guide describes the database tables and attributes (columns) contained within the FIADB for P2 data. Please see the section titled "User Guide Updates" for information regarding changes to the documentation since the previous database version.
Population Estimation User Guide (Edition: November, 2018) (PDF 873 KB)
This guide presents procedures to obtain population estimates (and associated sampling errors) for standard FIA attributes stored in the FIADB. Please see the section titled "Estimation Guide Updates" for information regarding changes to the documentation since the previous database version.
Previous Versions: FIADB User Guides
Note: Version numbers coincide with the release of changes to the FIADB database. Some version numbers are skipped, with the latest version encompassing all the changes since the last version.
The Urban FIADB User Guides series includes multiple documents. Links to the most recent user guide versions are listed below. These documents provide detailed information for the Urban Forest Inventory and Analysis database (Urban FIADB).
Urban FIADB User Guides: Database Description (version 7.0) (PDF 10 MB)
This guide describes the database tables and attributes (columns) contained within the Urban FIADB. Please see the section titled "User Guide Updates" for information regarding changes to the documentation since the previous database version.
In progress! Urban FIADB User Guides: Population Estimation
This guide presents procedures that can be used to obtain population estimates (and associated sampling errors) for data stored in the Urban FIADB.
Previous Versions: Urban FIADB User Guides
Note: Version numbers do not coincide with the release of changes to the Urban FIADB database.
The Phase 3 User Guide provides detailed information for Phase 3 (P3) forest health indicator data stored in the FIADB. The P3 inventory started in 1999 and was discontinued in 2012. P3 sampling varied by State; therefore, P3 data collection may not have occurred in every State for every inventory year. In P3, field crews visited a subset of P2 plots to obtain measurements for an additional suite of attributes associated with forest and ecosystem health. A modified version of some of the P3 indicator samples (e.g., down woody material, vegetation structure and diversity) are now collected under the P2 inventory. Refer to the FIADB User Guides database documentation.
Database Description User Guide for Phase 3 (version 6.0.1) (PDF 1.3 MB)
This guide describes database tables and attributes (columns) for P3 data. The P3 user guide has not been revised since version 6.0.1 (revision date: 09.2014), but it is still valid.
Previous Versions: P3 User Guides
Note: Version numbers coincide with the release of changes to the FIADB database. Most of these changes are minor, and occur within a short time period. Therefore, some version numbers are skipped, with the latest version encompassing all the changes since the last version.
