SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) based in Syracuse, New York, maintains a series of Continuous Forest Inventory (CFI) permanent plots on their Forest Properties. ESF has over 700 CFI plots located on 5 different properties, four properties in the Adirondack Mountains of northern New York and one property south of Syracuse. Plots cover northern hardwood species including sugar maple, red maple, yellow birch, beech, white ash, red oak, white pine, hemlock, red spruce, and pine/softwood plantations of various species. Data is collected at ten year intervals on each property starting from initial plot establishment. Plot information collected includes: location information, slope, aspect, forest type, cutting history, and photo of plot. Tree information/measurements include (in general, trees greater than 3.6 inches diameter at breast height): tree tag number, species, tree history, diameter at breast height, sawlog height, bole height, total height, crown vigor, crown class, tree location, and tree notes. Data is collected/field checked/edited according to detailed written procedures by ESF professional staff with assistance of students. Data is collected to monitor general forest health, growth rates, mortality, and overall forest metrics. Data is used to calculate standing volumes, stocking of forest trees, carbon stocking in addition to other information.
ESF Forest Properties with CFI plots: