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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
total number of stems
tree condition · conifers and broadleaves
regional demarcation: canton
unit: 1000 n
evaluation area: accessible forest without shrub forest
grid: 1.4 km grid, subgrids 1-5
state 2018/26
		canton
		AG		AI		AR		BE		BL/BS		FR		GE		GL		GR		JU		LU		NE		NW		OW		SG		SH		SO		SZ		TG		TI		UR		VD		VS		ZG		ZH		Switzerland
tree condition	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	±%	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	.	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	.	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	.	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	.	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	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
standing dead	n/a	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	.
	conifers	239	31	209	44	243	34	3084	12	167	45	613	21	7	100	186	38	3714	11	589	30	1239	26	315	28	170	57	507	34	1066	22	165	53	277	27	793	29	306	45	812	19	598	24	1408	16	2971	14	180	38	394	24	20251	5
	broadleaves	123	34	33	71	53	58	904	19	268	32	458	31	72	80	285	43	1259	19	595	30	386	28	166	39	57	56	180	64	789	22	108	52	321	38	467	32	70	50	5261	12	249	45	1003	22	791	21	7	100	273	43	14178	6
	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	.
	total	362	24	242	40	296	34	3988	11	435	26	1071	18	79	76	471	35	4973	10	1184	22	1625	21	481	23	227	45	687	31	1855	16	273	40	598	26	1260	22	375	37	6073	11	847	22	2411	14	3763	12	187	37	667	23	34429	4
standing living	n/a	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	.
	conifers	4371	17	1926	28	2468	27	42719	6	1899	24	10214	14	145	71	3090	24	59295	5	5227	14	13778	12	7445	13	2247	42	7687	19	11162	12	1519	26	3914	20	6470	15	4189	19	17054	11	6735	17	19774	9	36780	7	1158	34	7091	15	278358	2
	broadleaves	7934	12	263	50	1250	28	27386	7	5071	17	7321	14	487	48	2248	23	12919	13	6135	14	6472	13	4134	15	2157	34	2519	25	11370	12	3024	21	7935	14	4540	18	4611	15	41149	6	3059	24	17868	9	12240	11	552	39	9299	11	201942	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	.
	total	12305	11	2189	28	3718	24	70105	5	6970	16	17535	11	632	48	5338	18	72215	5	11362	12	20250	10	11580	11	4404	28	10206	16	22532	10	4542	19	11849	13	11009	13	8799	14	58203	5	9794	16	37642	7	49020	6	1710	29	16391	10	480300	1
lying dead	n/a	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	.
	conifers	191	29	76	66	194	37	4091	12	204	37	1062	25	0	.	389	41	5861	11	351	38	918	21	302	27	112	43	476	35	870	19	59	52	299	36	419	36	58	52	814	18	380	32	1217	19	4825	11	71	60	489	58	23727	5
	broadleaves	573	26	0	.	246	43	1156	16	340	37	522	29	71	61	609	46	1396	19	576	25	657	25	211	40	89	60	172	36	633	20	135	46	476	34	342	43	146	61	3421	12	253	53	1146	17	1141	19	35	100	581	23	14926	5
	indeterminable	0	.	0	.	0	.	15	100	19	100	0	.	0	.	0	.	15	100	0	.	17	100	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	35	100	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	18	100	0	.	17	100	137	40
	total	764	21	76	66	440	34	5262	11	563	27	1584	21	71	61	998	33	7272	9	927	22	1592	18	513	23	201	36	648	29	1503	14	194	36	810	25	761	28	204	46	4235	10	633	29	2363	14	5984	10	105	52	1087	29	38790	4
lying living	n/a	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	.
	conifers	0	.	6	100	7	100	110	45	0	.	15	100	0	.	0	.	612	30	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	72	100	17	100	17	100	0	.	58	100	0	.	77	56	53	74	0	.	424	31	0	.	10	100	1479	17
	broadleaves	98	40	0	.	79	60	104	42	35	100	0	.	0	.	163	51	89	52	25	78	55	75	0	.	18	100	19	100	114	39	24	100	54	58	14	71	36	71	982	22	194	73	55	58	272	45	0	.	33	71	2464	13
	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	.
	total	98	40	6	100	86	61	214	34	35	100	15	100	0	.	163	51	702	27	25	78	55	75	0	.	18	100	92	82	131	41	41	72	54	58	72	81	36	71	1059	21	247	60	55	58	696	26	0	.	44	59	3943	11
total	n/a	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	.
	conifers	4801	16	2216	29	2912	25	50004	6	2270	23	11905	14	152	68	3665	22	69482	5	6167	15	15935	11	8063	13	2528	41	8743	19	13115	12	1760	26	4490	19	7739	15	4552	19	18758	11	7766	17	22399	9	45000	7	1410	33	7985	14	323815	2
	broadleaves	8728	12	296	47	1627	27	29550	7	5714	17	8300	14	631	42	3305	22	15664	12	7331	14	7570	12	4511	16	2321	33	2891	25	12906	12	3291	21	8786	14	5363	19	4863	16	50812	6	3755	26	20071	9	14443	11	594	40	10187	11	233510	2
	indeterminable	0	.	0	.	0	.	15	100	19	100	0	.	0	.	0	.	15	100	0	.	17	100	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	35	100	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	18	100	0	.	17	100	137	40
	total	13529	11	2513	28	4540	22	79570	5	8003	16	20205	11	782	44	6970	17	85161	5	13497	12	23522	10	12574	11	4850	28	11633	16	26021	10	5050	19	13311	13	13102	13	9415	14	69570	5	11521	16	42470	7	59462	6	2003	29	18188	10	557462	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. 1359245. Birmensdorf, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL

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