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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 NFI1-NFI5
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	4096	8	160	36	752	18	514	19	512	17	432	26	363	11	374	21	150	21	142	48	49	18	498	17	365	9	158	13	8566	5
	broadleaves	78	7	32	12	25	15	36	11	51	9	11	20	38	13	36	12	17	15	10	23	15	19	16	18	14	19	114	7	493	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	4173	8	193	30	777	18	550	18	564	15	444	26	401	10	411	20	168	19	152	45	63	15	514	17	379	9	272	8	9059	4
classes 1 and 2	n/a	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	conifers	5561	8	1421	16	1551	17	5051	11	5482	9	3639	14	8649	7	5643	10	4296	10	2357	16	1738	17	9198	8	11712	6	4944	9	71240	2
	broadleaves	7111	6	2552	12	2282	14	2746	10	4912	7	1323	18	3436	11	3232	12	1794	14	939	24	1166	18	1726	14	1333	17	9365	6	43915	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	12672	5	3973	10	3833	12	7796	8	10394	6	4962	12	12084	6	8874	8	6090	9	3296	15	2904	14	10924	7	13045	6	14309	5	115155	2
classes 3 and 4	n/a	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	conifers	15184	6	2122	17	3307	17	7157	10	8066	8	5980	11	12959	7	10372	9	6706	11	3458	17	2826	16	10906	8	15406	6	7604	10	112053	2
	broadleaves	9626	6	4258	12	3517	14	5000	10	7040	8	1104	24	4259	12	5018	12	1753	18	976	26	1555	19	642	25	949	24	4534	7	50232	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	24810	4	6380	11	6824	12	12157	8	15106	6	7084	11	17218	6	15390	8	8459	10	4433	15	4381	14	11548	8	16356	6	12138	7	162285	1
classes 5 and 6	n/a	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	conifers	4157	11	714	28	952	27	2635	13	2811	14	2152	16	5110	10	4233	13	2804	14	1509	22	1583	22	3447	11	5365	9	3489	14	40962	3
	broadleaves	1645	14	1258	18	1105	19	2114	16	3962	13	259	43	1287	22	1097	21	546	38	278	39	404	31	141	39	267	38	1411	18	15774	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	5802	9	1972	15	2057	17	4750	11	6773	10	2410	15	6397	9	5330	11	3350	13	1787	21	1988	19	3588	11	5633	9	4900	11	56736	3
total	n/a	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	conifers	28998	5	4417	15	6562	14	15357	9	16871	8	12203	11	27081	7	20622	9	13956	10	7466	16	6196	16	24049	7	32849	6	16195	9	232822	2
	broadleaves	18459	5	8100	10	6929	13	9896	10	15965	7	2696	19	9019	10	9383	11	4111	16	2203	23	3140	17	2525	15	2563	17	15424	6	110414	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	47457	4	12517	10	13491	11	25252	7	32836	5	14900	10	36100	6	30005	7	18067	9	9668	15	9336	13	26574	7	35412	6	31619	5	343236	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. 1399249. Birmensdorf, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL

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