NFI Results

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.

NFI4
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 NFI4/NFI5
grid: 1.4 km grid, subgrids 1-5
state 2009/17
		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	3119	8	108	29	505	20	620	17	1043	13	330	26	729	15	616	17	202	17	96	19	175	22	392	11	349	7	151	11	8435	4
	broadleaves	84	6	37	12	22	14	36	12	52	8	11	27	42	13	36	13	21	17	11	21	14	19	19	19	15	18	111	7	511	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
	total	3203	8	145	23	527	20	656	16	1095	13	341	26	771	14	651	16	223	16	107	17	189	21	411	11	364	6	262	6	8946	4
classes 1 and 2	n/a	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	conifers	7468	7	1788	16	2434	16	4980	10	6004	9	4309	12	8967	7	6197	9	4911	10	2728	15	2123	17	9923	7	13246	6	5392	8	80471	2
	broadleaves	7452	6	2848	12	2431	13	3028	10	5426	7	1320	18	3577	10	3789	12	1909	15	1129	21	1326	16	2005	14	1561	15	9661	6	47461	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	14920	5	4636	10	4865	11	8008	8	11430	6	5629	11	12544	6	9986	8	6820	9	3858	14	3449	14	11928	7	14807	5	15053	4	127932	1
classes 3 and 4	n/a	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	conifers	15618	6	2278	16	3734	15	8289	10	9383	8	6286	12	13975	7	11591	9	7212	10	3535	16	3372	15	10612	8	15691	6	7184	8	118758	2
	broadleaves	9814	6	4603	12	3602	14	5073	12	7622	8	1025	25	4232	13	4916	12	1971	18	946	24	1586	19	580	24	1015	22	3842	8	50829	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
	total	25432	4	6881	10	7336	11	13362	8	17005	6	7311	12	18207	7	16507	7	9183	9	4480	15	4958	13	11192	7	16706	6	11026	5	169587	1
classes 5 and 6	n/a	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	conifers	3488	11	577	28	830	27	2321	14	2426	15	1967	16	5141	11	4188	14	2455	14	1416	21	1529	23	3135	12	5086	9	3423	12	37982	3
	broadleaves	1628	15	1565	20	963	20	1837	18	3700	15	171	46	1095	23	974	22	557	28	233	35	321	31	139	40	266	34	1194	19	14642	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	5116	9	2143	17	1794	17	4157	11	6126	11	2138	16	6236	10	5162	13	3013	13	1648	20	1850	20	3275	11	5352	9	4617	10	52624	3
total	n/a	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	conifers	29693	5	4751	14	7503	14	16209	9	18856	7	12892	11	28812	7	22592	8	14781	10	7775	15	7198	14	24062	7	34372	5	16150	7	245646	2
	broadleaves	18979	5	9054	11	7018	13	9974	10	16800	7	2526	19	8946	10	9714	10	4458	15	2319	20	3247	16	2743	15	2857	16	14808	5	113443	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	48672	3	13805	9	14521	10	26183	7	35656	5	15418	11	37758	6	32306	7	19239	9	10093	13	10446	12	26805	6	37229	5	30958	3	359089	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. 1301473. Birmensdorf, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL

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