Design and Analysis Toolkit for Inventory and Monitoring (DATIM)

Does DATIM offer social, economic or cultural data?

DATIM currently offers vegetation-based data only. However, if you use the DTIM tool for inventory and monitoring planning, you can add objectives, questions, and metrics based on non-vegetation data. While you can’t retrieve those estimates from DATIM, you can supply them manually from an outside source. The important thing is that you can include social, economic, and cultural information in your inventory and monitoring plan.

What data does DATIM include? Is Alaska included?

DATIM offers the same data available in the Forest Inventory and Analysis Database (FIADB), including Alaska data. It offers limited data from the Field Sampled Vegetation (FSVeg) database, based on requests for specific data loads from Forest and Regional Administrators.

Can the Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS) be used with DATIM?

Authorized users can run data through FVS and store those additional attributes in the data mart. This will become available in DATIM’s Data Compilation System (DCS) and will be most commonly performed on National Forest System (NFS) data. The workflow will involve creating a custom analysis comprising the datasets of interest, and then running the analysis dataset through FVS with the appropriately assigned variant. Users authorized to perform this process include Forest Administrators, Regional Administrators, and full Administrators.

Does DATIM include non-forest data, such as sagebrush/invasive species (e.g. cheat grass, etc.)?

Non-forest data are available in DATIM but estimates for cover by species are not yet available. This functionality will be available in future versions.

Where can I learn more about FIA data?

You can visit the FIA Library to learn more about the data and to access the database documentation. You can also visit the DATIM Data Loads page to see what data have already been loaded to DATIM, what data will be loaded next, and instructions for requesting specific data loads. Lastly, you can communicate with your local FIA unit to better understand the field data collection protocols.

If you have other questions, please email us at sm.fs.datim@usda.gov.

You do not need to login to use DATIM. When not logged in, you are granted basic privileges. You can create reports in ATIM and save the results to your local directory. You can create spatial intersections in SIT using fuzzed and swapped plot coordinates, and you can use those spatial attributes in ATIM reports during the current DATIM session. You can also use DTIM to design inventory and monitoring plans. You won’t be able to save your DTIM project to the system, but you can generate a project link to enable you to load your project back into the system at a later date. Guest users don’t have access to DCS.

This is the default user role granted to logged in users. When logged in, you can create reports in ATIM and save them to the DATIM data mart. You can access those reports in future sessions to run again or to edit, copy or delete them. You can create spatial intersections in SIT using fuzzed and swapped plot coordinates, use those spatial attributes in custom ATIM reports, and save them in DATIM. You can also design inventory and monitoring plans in DTIM and save your projects to the system. Registered users don’t have access to DCS.

This role is granted to local NFS administrators) and FIA analysts. This user has the same permissions the Registered User has, along with more advanced permissions. In ATIM, this user can create new analysis datasets and standard analysis report templates for use by other users. In SIT, the user can create spatial intersections using actual coordinates for plots on lands that fall within the user’s affiliated area (National Forest owned plots only). SIT intersections with actual locations are subject to the 250-acre rule. This user also has access to DCS where they can add FVS attributes to custom analyses. To request this role, please email us at sm.fs.datim@usda.gov. Your Regional Administrator must approve this role assignment.

This role is granted to NFS and FIA Regional Administrators. In addition to the permissions granted to the Forest Administrator, this user is able to create new DATIM datasets. In ATIM, the user can delete or archive any analysis for their Region regardless of ownership. In SIT, this user can create spatial intersections using actual coordinates for NFS owned plots within the user’s affiliated area. SIT intersections with actual locations are subject to the 250-acre rule. The DATIM Compilation System (DCS) is available to this user. This user also has access to DCS where they can add FVS attributes to custom analyses. To request this role, please email us at sm.fs.datim@usda.gov.

This role is granted to NFS staff requiring advanced SIT privileges for creating plot intersections and/or estimation units but who are not actual administrators. This user is granted the same SIT privileges given to the Regional Administrator to create spatial intersections using actual coordinates for plots on NFS owned lands that pass the 250-acre rule check, and using actual coordinates for plots on all lands that fall within the user’s affiliated Region without restriction by the 250-acre rule. The same privileges granted to the Registered User for ATIM and DTIM are available to this user. This user also has access to DCS where they can add FVS attributes to custom analyses. To request this role, please email us at sm.fs.datim@usda.gov.

This role is intended for Spatial Data Services staff requiring advanced SIT privileges for creating spatial intersections. This user can use actual or fuzzed/swapped plot locations with or without security checks. The same privileges granted to the Registered User for ATIM and DTIM are available to this user. This user does not have access to DCS. If you are part of FIA’s SDS staff and would like to request this role, please email us at sm.fs.datim@usda.gov. The Regional Administrator must approve this role assignment.

This role is intended for high level FIA employees who are authorized to access actual coordinates for plots on all lands without restriction by the 250-acre rule. The same privileges granted to the Registered User for ATIM and DTIM are available to this user, but the user can also create new analyses in ATIM. To request this role, please email us at sm.fs.datim@usda.gov.

This role is restricted to national level personnel. This user has the highest level of privileges granted to the other users, along with additional privileges to manage user roles and accounts, user alerts, and the training page. In ATIM, this user can delete or archive any analysis regardless of ownership. In SIT, the user can create spatial intersections using publicly available locations, with the added ability to disable/enable use of actual locations for other users.

• Elizabeth Burrill - Core Team Leader, USFS, Northern Research Station, FIA
• Gretchen Andrew - Project Manager, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV)

• Charlene Breeden - NFS Region 9, Regional Office
• Elizabeth Burrill - FIA - Northern Research Station
• Renate Bush - NFS Region 1, Regional Office
• Ryan Heaslip - NFS Region 3, Regional Office
• Larry Laing - NFS Washington Office, Rangeland Management
• James Menlove - FIA - Rocky Mountain Research Station
• Randall Morin - FIA - Northern Research Station
• Amy Nathanson - NFS Region 8, Regional Office
• Marin Palmer - NFS Region 6, Regional Office
• Kristen Pelz - FIA - Rocky Mountain Research Station
• Carol Perry - FIA - Southern Research Station
• Scott Pugh - FIA, Northern Research Station
• Carlos Ramirez - NFS Region 5, Regional Office
• Michael Schanta - NFS Region 9, Mark Twain National Forest (Retired)
• Linda Spencer – NFS Washington Office, Rangeland Management
• Emrys Treasure - NFS Region 8, Regional Office
• James Westfall - FIA - Northern Research Station

Active Members

• Gretchen Andrew – UNLV, Project Manager
• John Bertini - UNLV, Programmer Analyst
• Brian Cordova - UNLV, Computer Systems Analyst
• Stanko Knezevic - UNLV, Programmer
• Kelsey Manglicmot - UNLV, Programmer Analyst
• Patricia Payton - UNLV, Programmer Analyst
• Nathaniel Raffinan - UNLV, Programmer
• Joshua Ramos - UNLV, Programmer Analyst
• Jane Reid - UNLV, (USFS Retired), Database Developer
• Mike Schanta - SUU (USFS Retired) Subject Matter Specialist/Tester
• SUU Staff - Testers/User Documentation & Training

Student Interns

• Benjamin Johnson - UNLV, Programmer
• Jonathan Tsai - UNLV, Programmer

Additional support provided by FIA cooperators at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV Principal Investigator: Brenda Buck) and Southern Utah University (SUU Principal Investigator: James Pollard).

• NFS R1 Renate Bush
• NFS R2 Laurie Swisher
• NFS R3 Ryan Heaslip
• NFS R4 Jock Blackard
• NFS R5 Carlos Ramirez
• NFS R6 Marin Palmer
• NFS R8 Amy Nathanson
• NFS R9 Charlene Breeden
• NFS R10 Mike Goldstein
• NFS WO Larry Laing
• NFS WO Linda Spencer

DATIM was first piloted in April of 2013 as an effort to assist National Forests with their planning, inventory and monitoring needs. National Forests need statistically sound and defensible estimates of status and trends that are consistent over time and space. FIA data have these characteristics and are freely available for use at broad scales. In addition, FIA uses a spatially balanced design which can be used for any subset of the area and thus data can be associated with other spatial datasets (resources). DATIM has since expanded to include serving the public.

DATIM is based on the following needs:

• Improve monitoring designs and data analyses by developing nationally consistent tools
• Leverage existing data, research and tools, including Regional Inventory and Monitoring tools, FSVeg, and the FS Geospatial Interface
• Use Forest Inventory & Analysis (FIA) data as base level for intensification
• Draw upon FIA’s research into estimation methods and on optimal sampling and plot design
• Build upon existing FIA design and analysis tools
• Focus on National Forest System needs, including climate change monitoring, then generalize
• Address emerging monitoring requirements at the forest and landscape levels associated with climate change, carbon reporting, bio-fuels, and sustainability

Former Members

• Jim Alegria - USFS, Subject Matter Specialist (Retired)
• Gary Brand – USFS Retired, Database Programmer (Retired)
• Gregory Buczek - UNLV, ASP.Net Developer
• Ervin "Skeeter" Czimskey - UNLV, Computer Systems Analyst (Retired)
• Winnie David - UNLV, ETL Specialist
• Eddie Dover - UNLV, Programmer Analyst
• Daee Kang - UNLV, Student Programmer
• Marcus McElhaney – NFS R5, Programmer
• Edward Munoz - UNLV, Programmer Analyst
• Harry Reid – UNLV, Computer Systems Analyst
• Charles "Chip" Scott – NIMAC, Subject Matter Specialist (Retired)
• Tyler Sorg - UNLV, Programmer Analyst
• Ron Wanek - UNLV (USFS Retired), Database Developer
• Charles Washington – UNLV, Project Manager (Retired)
• Joseph "J.D." Zeiler – NFS R1, Programmer

• National Inventory and Monitoring Applications Center (NIMAC) - NIMAC is a national program hosted within FIA that focuses on developing monitoring methods and tools.
• FIA DataMart - Provide access to all available FIA data.
• EVALIDator - This online tool allows users to generate population estimates and sampling errors using the Forest Inventory and Analysis Database (FIADB).
• National Inventory and Monitoring Protocols - Available Inventory and Monitoring Protocols for the National Forest System.