Table 1. Metadata of National Forest Inventories in Argentina, Finland, Norway, Sweden, and the United States of America (USA).
Argentina Finland Norway Sweden USA
Administered by Former Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (native forests) National Directorate of Industrial Forestry Development (planted forests) Natural Resource Institute Finland (Luke) Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO) Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service
Measured forest All domestic native and planted forests All domestic forests All domestic forests All domestic forests All domestic forests
Sampling design Systematic grid Systematic cluster Systematic grid Systematic cluster Systematic, stratified random
Measured variables Native forests: Area; Forest structure; species composition; tree volume and biomass; carbon stocks; monitored log transport. Disturbances. Planted forests: Area; Stock volume by diameter class and botanical genus; Utilization; Consumption; Transport; Soil Organic Carbon. Area; Carbon stocks; Disturbances; Forest structure; Growth, removals, and mortality; Species composition; Tree volume and biomass Area; Carbon stocks; Disturbances; Forest structure; Growth, removals, and mortality; Nontimber forest products (bilberry cover); Species composition; Tree volume and biomass Area; Carbon stocks; Disturbances; Forest structure; Growth, removals, and mortality; Species composition; Tree volume and biomass Area; Carbon stocks; Disturbances; Forest structure; Growth, removals, and mortality; Species composition; Tree volume and biomass
Fixed frequency (cycle length) Yes (5 years) Yes (5 years) Yes (5 years) Yes (5 years) Yes (5–10 years)
Methods references DNDFI 2021; SAyDS 2019 Korhonen et al. 2021, 2024 Breidenbach et al. 2021 Fridman et al. 2014 Bechtold et al. 2005; Westfall et al. 2022
References for recent results DNDFI 2021; SAyDS 2019 Korhonen et al. 2021, 2024 Hylen et al. 2023 Roberge et al. 2023 Oswalt et al. 2019; USDA Forest Service 2024
Financial sources The World Bank, United Nations Development Program, UN-REDD Program, Forest Carbon Partnership Facility Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Ministry of Food and Agriculture Ministry of Rural Affairs and Infrastructure Federal and state governments
Table 2. Thematic scopes, methods, and references for National Forest Owner Surveys in Argentina, Finland, Norway, Sweden, and the United States of America (USA).
Argentina Finland Norway Sweden USA
Conducted by NA Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), University of Helsinki; Pellervo economic research PTT; Työtehoseura TTS Norwegian University of Life Sciences; Statistics Norway Swedish Forest Agency, Statistics Sweden United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service; University of Massachusetts Amherst
Population of interest NA Family forest owners Family forest owners Public and private forest owners Private forest owners with a focus on family forest
Methods NA Mail and online survey complemented by information from Register of Finnish forest centre and Finnish digital and Population data services agency Mail survey, tax record Online survey (public and public owners), tax records (private owners) Mail survey with online option
Topics NA Forest holdings characteristics; Owner characteristics; Ownership objectives; Timber sales Forest use; Future plans; Management information and advice; Owner characteristics; Ownership objectives Private forest owners’ demographics, ownership size, number of ownerships; Silvicultural activities Forest holdings characteristics; Forest use; Management information and advice; Forest management activities; Future plans; Owner characteristics; Ownership objectives and concerns; Recreational uses
Fixed frequency (cycle length) NA Yes (10 years) No Annual Yes (5 years)
Methods references NA Karppinen et al. 2020 Sjølie et al. 2019 Swedish Forest Agency 2023a Butler and Caputo 2021
References for recent results NA Karppinen et al. 2020 Sjølie et al. 2019 Swedish Forest Agency 2023b Butler et al. 2021
Financial source(s) NA Project-funded: Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry; Finnish Forest Foundation. Metsämiesten Säätiö Foundation Project-funded Project money and Swedish Forest Agency Federal government
Table 3. Summary of the frequency, consistency, and institutional support of National Forest Inventories (NFIs), National Forest Owner Surveys (NFOSs), and National Forest Product Surveys (NFPSs) and integration of all three for Argentina, Finland, Norway, Sweden, and the USA, 2024. Table key: ● denotes component is implemented frequently (every 5–10 years), is implemented consistently (allowing for trend analyses), and has strong institutional support; ○ denotes omponent is not implemented frequently, is not implemented consistently, or does not have strong institutional support.
Argentina Finland Norway Sweden USA
National Forest Inventory (NFI) ● ● ● ● ●
National Forest Owner Survey (NFOS) ○ ○ ○ ○ ●
National Forest Products Survey (NFPS) ● ● ● ● ●
Integration of NFI, NFOS, and NFPS ○ ○ ○ ○ ●