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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.

NFI3–NFI4
merchantable timber harvested
ownership (2 categories) · conifers and broadleaves
regional demarcation: canton
unit: 1000 m³/yr
evaluation area: accessible forest without shrub forest NFI3/NFI4
grid: 1.4-km grid
change 2004/06–2009/17
		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
ownership (2 categories)	conifers and broadleaves	1000 m³/yr	±%	1000 m³/yr	±%	1000 m³/yr	±%	1000 m³/yr	±%	1000 m³/yr	±%	1000 m³/yr	±%	1000 m³/yr	±%	1000 m³/yr	±%	1000 m³/yr	±%	1000 m³/yr	±%	1000 m³/yr	±%	1000 m³/yr	±%	1000 m³/yr	±%	1000 m³/yr	±%	1000 m³/yr	±%	1000 m³/yr	±%	1000 m³/yr	±%	1000 m³/yr	±%	1000 m³/yr	±%	1000 m³/yr	±%	1000 m³/yr	±%	1000 m³/yr	±%	1000 m³/yr	±%	1000 m³/yr	±%	1000 m³/yr	±%	1000 m³/yr	±%
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	.
public	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	202	16	10	87	14	76	439	15	18	41	190	23	2	100	24	45	290	16	110	25	103	28	77	19	10	81	51	40	74	34	40	36	93	20	58	35	68	31	23	38	14	42	377	15	118	21	48	49	163	21	2680	5
	broadleaves	192	19	2	71	12	84	169	17	50	36	57	48	6	66	14	81	13	41	54	25	25	35	34	33	4	81	18	57	57	40	36	41	77	19	15	55	35	33	12	39	0	100	180	21	6	73	11	50	114	19	1237	7
	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	.	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.	0	0	0	0
	total	394	13	12	80	26	79	608	12	68	30	247	22	8	56	38	42	303	16	164	20	128	27	111	18	14	63	69	35	130	27	75	28	170	16	73	35	102	25	35	28	14	42	557	13	125	21	59	42	277	16	3917	4
private	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	22	46	19	68	88	50	690	12	25	70	30	47	0	0	10	100	35	43	44	39	274	18	58	27	0	100	13	75	146	24	1	63	15	60	40	34	97	26	7	100	2	67	83	32	6	52	7	49	154	20	1901	7
	broadleaves	42	31	0	0	11	78	220	22	31	62	19	51	4	91	3	58	12	58	10	47	69	34	8	40	0	0	0	100	83	35	0	0	27	40	13	60	70	35	26	32	5	90	25	37	4	60	6	63	83	30	791	10
	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	0	.	0	0	0	.	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.	0	0
	total	65	28	19	68	99	48	910	11	56	52	49	35	4	91	13	87	47	42	55	37	343	16	66	25	0	100	13	74	229	22	1	63	43	41	53	36	167	24	33	32	8	73	108	29	10	41	13	46	236	20	2692	6
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	224	15	29	54	103	45	1126	9	42	44	225	21	2	100	34	44	326	15	155	21	377	15	135	16	11	80	64	36	221	19	41	35	108	19	99	25	165	20	29	37	16	38	463	14	125	20	54	42	317	14	4577	4
	broadleaves	234	16	2	71	23	57	389	14	80	32	77	38	9	54	17	66	24	35	64	22	94	27	42	28	4	81	18	55	140	26	36	41	105	18	28	41	104	26	39	25	6	86	208	19	10	51	17	39	197	17	2026	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	0	0	.	0	0	0	0	0	.	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	total	458	12	31	52	127	42	1515	8	123	28	302	19	11	48	51	38	350	15	219	17	471	14	177	14	15	62	82	31	362	17	76	28	213	15	126	25	269	17	68	21	22	38	671	12	135	20	71	34	514	13	6603	3

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. 1299670. Birmensdorf, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL

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