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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
number of stems
altitudinal vegetation belts (NaiS; 6 classes) · conifers and broadleaves
regional demarcation: economic region
unit: 1000 n
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
altitudinal vegetation belts (NaiS; 6 classes)	conifers and broadleaves	1000 n	±%	1000 n	±%	1000 n	±%	1000 n	±%	1000 n	±%	1000 n	±%	1000 n	±%	1000 n	±%	1000 n	±%	1000 n	±%	1000 n	±%	1000 n	±%	1000 n	±%	1000 n	±%	1000 n	±%
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	.
upper subalpine	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	.	4223	20	8455	15	4221	21	16899	10
	broadleaves	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	87	82	54	75	70	62	211	44
	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	.	4309	19	8509	15	4291	21	17110	10
subalpine	n/a	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	conifers	0	.	0	.	137	100	0	.	0	.	1162	50	4703	28	300	91	4328	20	1922	35	1729	38	11230	13	18327	11	6786	16	50624	6
	broadleaves	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	37	72	300	82	22	100	290	55	62	77	90	72	553	38	235	64	774	49	2363	23
	indeterminable	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	total	0	.	0	.	137	100	0	.	0	.	1199	49	5003	27	322	92	4618	20	1984	34	1818	37	11784	13	18562	11	7559	15	52987	6
high-montane	n/a	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	conifers	564	72	0	.	209	77	0	.	0	.	5010	25	4533	21	2280	31	7260	16	3535	25	1304	37	18283	11	21865	9	9398	12	74240	5
	broadleaves	84	71	0	.	31	71	0	.	0	.	332	47	374	42	61	61	1372	32	309	46	226	59	5546	18	4939	22	2762	25	16037	10
	indeterminable	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	0	0	.	0	.	0	0
	total	648	64	0	.	240	75	0	.	0	.	5342	24	4907	20	2341	30	8632	15	3844	25	1530	34	23828	10	26804	9	12161	12	90278	5
lower and upper montane	n/a	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	conifers	26389	6	1127	25	2508	22	6608	19	5792	16	7469	14	18880	9	13643	9	3930	16	3385	21	3580	19	1894	28	3421	23	3563	32	102191	3
	broadleaves	22210	7	3392	20	2314	23	3098	20	6059	14	5318	17	12227	11	10620	12	6802	16	3708	22	4963	17	3107	24	2258	23	18012	11	104088	4
	indeterminable	0	0	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	0	0	.	0	0	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	0	0	.	0	0
	total	48599	5	4519	18	4822	19	9707	15	11851	12	12786	13	31108	7	24262	8	10732	13	7093	19	8544	15	5002	21	5680	18	21575	11	206279	3
submontane	n/a	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	conifers	3203	20	3195	20	3328	24	10110	11	9655	12	0	.	1779	32	695	63	505	48	546	49	68	100	0	.	594	47	0	.	33676	6
	broadleaves	7710	14	7632	13	6158	17	9282	11	13860	8	170	100	1956	30	1670	33	1553	33	988	41	348	83	1086	43	640	45	0	.	53051	5
	indeterminable	0	0	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	0	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	0
	total	10913	13	10827	12	9486	15	19391	9	23515	7	170	100	3735	24	2365	36	2058	33	1533	42	415	86	1086	43	1233	36	0	.	86728	4
hyperinsubric and colline	n/a	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	conifers	0	.	0	.	145	71	0	.	79	74	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	1574	39	6	100	403	53	2207	30
	broadleaves	169	73	0	.	721	46	0	.	239	65	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	2132	25	83	100	25312	9	28656	8
	indeterminable	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	total	169	73	0	.	866	44	0	.	318	65	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	3706	24	89	100	25714	8	30862	8
total	n/a	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	conifers	30156	5	4322	16	6327	16	16718	10	15526	9	13641	12	29896	8	16917	9	16023	10	9388	14	6681	16	37204	7	52668	6	24370	8	279837	2
	broadleaves	30173	6	11024	11	9224	13	12380	9	20157	7	5857	16	14858	10	12373	11	10017	13	5067	18	5627	16	12511	11	8210	15	46930	6	204406	2
	indeterminable	0	0	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	0	0	.	0	0	0	.	0	0	0	.	0	.	0	0	0	0	0	.	0	0
	total	60329	4	15346	10	15551	11	29098	7	35684	6	19498	11	44753	6	29290	8	26039	8	14455	13	12307	13	49715	6	60878	5	71300	4	484244	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. 1238644. Birmensdorf, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL

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