Eastern US Forest Biomass Estimates by County, 1983-1996

NASA provides county-level estimates of woody biomass density and pools for eastern U.S. forests. The dataset covers 2,009 counties across 33 states, derived from USDA Forest Service inventory data collected between 1983 and 1996. It includes aboveground and belowground biomass for hardwood and softwood forest categories, calculated using regression-based biomass expansion factors.

Use Cases

• Modeling regional carbon storage and sequestration using biomass density (Mg ha-1) and pool estimates.
• Analyzing spatial patterns of forest productivity across 2,009 counties in the eastern United States.
• Comparing biomass density between hardwood and softwood forest categories at the county scale.
• Calibrating remote sensing biomass products with ground-based inventory data from 1983-1996.
• Assessing historical forest resource availability using estimates that include noncommercial tree components.

Strengths

• Provides a detailed spatial resolution covering 2,009 counties across 33 eastern states.
• Estimates include both aboveground and belowground biomass components, derived from established regression methods (Schroeder et al. 1997).
• Based on the authoritative USDA Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) database.

Limitations

• Data is historical, with the most recent inventory year being 1996, limiting contemporary applicability.
• Column names and exact row counts are not specified in the provided metadata.
• There is a conflict in the 'last updated' date between platforms (1996 vs. 2026), suggesting potential metadata inconsistency.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), derived from USDA Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) database.

Collection Method

Estimates derived from inventoried wood volume using regression equations for biomass expansion factors (BEF) and belowground biomass functions.

Time Range

1983 to 1996

Freshness

1996-12-31 23:59:59.999000

Geography

33 Eastern states of the United States, at county-scale resolution.