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Estimates and standard error of the estimates

The results published in the NFI tables are estimates for variables in the Swiss forest (population parameters) whose true values are not known and must therefore be extrapolated (estimated) from the NFI sample data.

The extrapolations carry uncertainties. However, the accuracy of the extrapolations can be reliably estimated from the NFI sample, which is designed to be a random sample. To this end, all NFI tables include a second figure in addition to the estimate itself, namely the standard error of the estimate.

In most tables the percent standard error is reported (±%), but the absolute standard error (±) is also reported occasionally, especially for estimated percentages. The relationship between absolute and percent standard error is as follows:

percent standard error = absolute standard error / estimate × 100

absolute standard error = percent standard error × estimate / 100

Information on the forest road network is based on a full survey of all forest roads. In this case, there is no need to specify a standard error because there is no uncertainty caused by sampling.

Confidence interval of the estimate

With the estimate and the standard error of the estimate, the limits of the so-called confidence interval of the estimate can be calculated as:

lower limit = estimate – tQ × absolute standard error

upper limit = estimate + tQ × absolute standard error

If the simple standard error is used for the calculation (tQ = 1), then the 68% confidence interval is formed. In this case, the true value of the population parameter has a 68% probability of lying within this confidence interval of the estimate. If the double standard error is used (tQ = 2), then there is a 95% probability that the true value lies within this 95% confidence interval.

Significance of the estimate

The confidence interval can be used to statistically test whether the estimated population parameter is larger or smaller than a specific reference or target value, or whether two estimated population parameters truly differ (in the real population). For practical applications, proceed as follows: if a reference value lies outside the confidence interval, the estimated population value can be interpreted as being significantly different from it; if it lies within the confidence interval, the difference between the estimated population parameter and the reference value can be interpreted as random or not significant. When two population parameters are compared, they can be interpreted as differing significantly if their confidence intervals do not overlap.

Dealing with missing values

When calculating a results table, data are not always available for all combinations of characteristics^* of the classification variables and regional demarcation applied. In most cases, this indicates that the attribute estimated with the respective target variable does not occur or occurs only very rarely. Usually, the value 0 is used (imputed). However, as this value is not based on direct measurements, the associated standard error is represented with a full stop [.]. If the imputed value of 0 is referred to in the calculation, e.g. in the case of percentages or certain change estimates, no value can be entered. In this case, the estimated value and standard error are both represented with a full stop [.].

For example, no Arolla pines have been found and measured in the Swiss Plateau to date (growing stock of Arolla pines by production region). The values can be assumed to be missing because Arolla pine does not occur in the Swiss Plateau and therefore the growing stock there must be 0.

^* e.g. ‘Arolla pine’ characteristic of the classification variable ‘tree species’ and ‘Swiss plateau’ characteristic of the ‘regional demarcation’

Changes

There are two types of changes in the NFI:

The first type involves specific target variables relating to components of change, such as increment, fellings, mortality and losses. These target variables are only available for two consecutive inventory cycles, e.g. NFI3–NFI4. In the evaluation of components of change, the classification variable characteristic of the second inventory cycle is assigned to the first inventory cycle. These evaluations therefore do not take into account potential changes in a classification variable characteristic from the earlier to the later inventory (e.g. from private to public ownership).

With the second type of change, the difference in target variables, such as number of stems, growing stock or forest area, is used to assess the change between two inventory cycles. Target variables are generally used to represent states, such as that in NFI4, but can also indicate the net change between any two inventory cycles, e.g. NFI1–NFI4. In evaluations of change using these target variables, the change in a classification variable characteristic is considered in the analysis. Consequently, one can detect, for example, that the forest area without shrub forest increased between the two inventory cycles. This only has an effect on classification variables whose characteristic (class) can actually change, e.g. the affiliation with a forest area or the tree condition.

NFI5
volume of bolewood (HG 2010)
timber assortment classes (HG 2010) · conifers and broadleaves
regional demarcation: economic region
unit: 1000 m³
evaluation area: accessible forest without shrub forest
grid: 1.4 km grid, subgrids 1-5
state 2018/26
		economic region
		Western Jura		Eastern Jura		Western Plateau		Central Plateau		Eastern Plateau		Western Pre-Alps		Central Pre-Alps		Eastern Pre-Alps		Northwestern Alps		Central Alps		Northeastern Alps		Southwestern Alps		Southeastern Alps		Southern Alps		Switzerland
timber assortment classes (HG 2010)	conifers and broadleaves	1000 m³	±%	1000 m³	±%	1000 m³	±%	1000 m³	±%	1000 m³	±%	1000 m³	±%	1000 m³	±%	1000 m³	±%	1000 m³	±%	1000 m³	±%	1000 m³	±%	1000 m³	±%	1000 m³	±%	1000 m³	±%	1000 m³	±%
n/a	n/a	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	conifers	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	broadleaves	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	indeterminable	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	total	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
smallwood	n/a	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	conifers	4191	8	160	36	753	18	516	19	514	17	448	25	378	11	390	21	169	19	157	44	64	18	544	16	441	8	196	11	8922	5
	broadleaves	79	7	33	12	26	15	38	11	54	9	12	20	40	12	38	12	19	15	12	21	16	18	20	16	16	18	122	7	525	3
	indeterminable	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	total	4270	7	194	30	779	18	554	17	568	15	460	25	419	10	428	19	189	17	169	41	81	16	564	15	458	8	318	7	9448	4
classes 1 and 2	n/a	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	conifers	5686	7	1424	16	1602	16	5124	11	5524	9	4302	13	9141	7	6091	10	4844	10	2772	15	2039	16	10473	7	14102	6	6066	8	79191	2
	broadleaves	7228	6	2636	11	2304	14	2829	9	5063	7	1405	17	3675	11	3394	12	2009	14	1235	20	1359	17	2114	12	1558	15	10293	6	47102	2
	indeterminable	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	total	12914	5	4060	10	3906	11	7953	8	10587	6	5707	11	12816	6	9485	8	6853	8	4007	13	3398	13	12587	7	15660	5	16359	4	126293	1
classes 3 and 4	n/a	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	conifers	15589	5	2133	17	3443	16	7273	10	8198	8	6606	11	13710	7	11454	9	7432	10	3756	16	3332	15	11668	7	16846	6	8292	9	119733	2
	broadleaves	9841	6	4325	12	3561	14	5238	10	7237	7	1120	24	4514	12	5161	11	1947	17	1122	23	1645	18	729	23	1066	22	4803	7	52309	3
	indeterminable	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	total	25430	4	6458	10	7004	12	12512	8	15435	6	7727	10	18224	6	16615	7	9378	9	4878	14	4976	13	12397	7	17913	6	13095	6	172042	1
classes 5 and 6	n/a	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	conifers	4371	11	714	28	952	27	2687	13	2893	14	2394	15	5410	10	4619	12	3093	13	1617	22	1781	21	3690	11	5905	9	3963	12	44087	3
	broadleaves	1812	13	1349	18	1209	19	2321	17	4258	13	259	43	1311	22	1156	20	600	35	329	35	404	31	172	37	311	36	1460	18	16952	5
	indeterminable	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	total	6183	9	2063	15	2161	17	5007	11	7151	10	2653	14	6721	9	5775	11	3693	13	1945	20	2185	18	3861	10	6217	9	5423	10	61039	3
total	n/a	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	conifers	29836	5	4431	15	6750	14	15600	9	17129	8	13751	10	28640	6	22554	8	15538	10	8302	15	7216	14	26374	7	37295	5	18518	8	251934	2
	broadleaves	18960	5	8344	10	7100	13	10426	10	16612	7	2795	18	9540	11	9749	10	4576	14	2697	20	3424	16	3035	14	2952	16	16678	5	116888	2
	indeterminable	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	total	48797	3	12775	9	13850	11	26026	7	33741	5	16547	10	38180	6	32303	7	20113	8	10999	13	10641	12	29409	6	40247	5	35195	4	368822	1

Table citation

Abegg, M.; Ahles, P.; Allgaier Leuch, B.; Cioldi, F.; Didion, M.; Düggelin, C.; Fischer, C.; Herold, A.; Meile, R.; Rohner, B.; Rösler, E.; Speich, S.; Temperli, C.; Traub, B.,
2023: Swiss national forest inventory - Result table No. 1301523. Birmensdorf, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL

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