A Rapid Forest Assessment Method for Multiparty Monitoring Across Landscapes

Policy support tool

A Rapid Forest Assessment Method for Multiparty Monitoring Across Landscapes

The rapid forest assessment (RFA) approach is a collaborative natural resource management strategy to monitor forests by engaging stakeholders and citizen scientists in data collection. The RFA approach was designed to simplify the process of forest monitoring, allowing for wider geographic and temporal data collection while reducing the resources required for adaptive land management projects. RFA programs also educate stakeholders and citizens on issues related to forest management and restoration.

Aim of the resource

The RFA approach aims to reduce the capacity and cost required for forest monitoring by training volunteers to collect data on vegetation structure and diversity in a relatively quick and efficient manner. This data can then be used to inform land management strategies or serve as a teaching tool for the program.

Using the resource

Potential benefits from using the resource

Provides opportunities for increased data collection at reduced costs in forests of interest

Involvement of stakeholders can enhance trust in land management practices or science and promote learning and interest in natural resource management

Potential limitations from using the resource

Data collected by RFA volunteers may be more coarse than that collected by experts

Volunteer-collected data may be unreliable if the individuals are not properly trained or choose not to follow standard protocol

Scope

Sub/region where used

North America

Scale of application

Subnational

Practical information

UN languages in which the resource is available

Development stage

Full, working product

Contact details

United States Geological Survey

[email protected]

Resources

Links

A Rapid Forest Assessment Method for Multiparty Monitoring Across Landscapes

Do you want to add more details?

Yes

Policy support tool