Regional Forest Health Monitoring
The Forest Health Monitoring Program (FHM) was established in 1991 through a joint effort between the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation (FPR) and the Vermont Monitoring Cooperative to monitor the condition of tree species in Vermont. Plot design follows the structure set by the USFS National Forest Health Monitoring Program, with additional metrics added to reflect improvements in monitoring technologies and additions to monitoring objectives. As of 2019 FEMC began the process of regionalizing the FHM network which resulted in 49 annually monitored plots in VT and 20 plots in MA. In 2020 FEMC began conversations with state partners from various organizations and agencies to design a regional plot network that would be comparable to that of the USFS FIA program and meet the needs of the states in the New England region and New York.
Forest Health Monitoring Data and Reports on our Data Archive
- Regional Forest Health Monitoring (2020-present)
- Massachusetts Forest Health Monitoring (2019)
- Vermont Forest Health Monitoring (2017-2021)
Project Goals
To collect annual forest monitoring data that focuses primarily on forest health and detecting subtle disturbances that may otherwise go unnoticed using other similar protocols and techniques. The FEMC FHM program aims to create a comprehensive FHM protocol that can not only be integrated with the nation's standard forest monitoring protocols but also be flexible enough to monitor issues that various forest stakeholders may have.
Regional Plot Network
In future updates of the Regional Forest Health Monitoring project page this map will be dynamic and downloadable for all users. In the meantime we are using a static version of the current proposed plot network as of January 27, 2020.
Project Quick Facts
Start Date:
1/1/1991
End Date:
Ongoing
Sampling Cycle:
Annual
Number of Plots Established (as of 2023):
States:
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
New York
Connecticut
Rhode Island
Maine
Project Personnel:
FEMC Staff:
Project Contact:
Related Links:
National Forest Health Monitoring Program Information
Cluster style FHM plot layout based on USFS FIA P2 Plots (VT, RI, NH)
Nested style plot layout based on existing Massachusetts style CFI networks (MA, ME, CT, NY)
General Metrics
Browse: Crews survey each subplot for presence/absence of browse. Beginning in 2020 crews also began classifying the browse impact present within the subplot based on the USFS FIA browse impact scale.
Invasive Species: Crews survey each subplot for presence/absence of invasive species and classify the observed area that the species occupies within the subplot.
Regeneration and Saplings: For clustered plots (VT, RI, NH), each of the four (4) subplots have a designated 6.8' radius microplot that is 12' east of the subplot center. For nested plots (MA, NY, ME, CT), each plot has four (4) designated 6.0' radius microplot 26' away in each of the cardinal directions of plot center. Within this microplot technicians will carefully survey seedlings ( <1" DBH) and saplings ( >1" DBH and <5" DBH). The seedlings are further divided into two different classes. Class 1 seedlings encompass conifers that are <6" in height and hardwoods <12" in height. Class 2 seedlings account for conifers that are >=6" in height and hardwoods >=12" in height. For saplings, technicians will measure DBH and status (live or dead). Once a sapling’s DBH reaches 5 inches it becomes a tree.
Prism: Technicians use a 10 Basal Area Factor Wedge prism to assess all live and dead trees from the subplot center.
- Physiological measurements (DBH/Height)
- Vigor
- Crown Health (Dieback/Transparency/Discoloration/Defoliation)
- Damages
Seedling Guide (2022)
A guide to the seedlings of Vermont for Forest Health Monitoring.
Forest Health Monitoring – Field Manual (2023)
This is the field protocol used to support the FEMC field crew in the summer for the Forest Health Monitoring Project while they are out in the field. This protocol is a shortened version of the full protocol. This manual was last updated in 2020.
Vermont Forest Health Monitoring Protocol (2019)
This is the full protocol used by the Forest Ecosystem Monitoring Cooperative and partners for collecting annual forest health measurements on a permanent network of plots across the state of Vermont. These measurements include crown health assessments, digital canopy photography, assessments of invasive species abundance and browse intensity, regeneration inventories and surveys for forest pests and pathogens. This is the 2019 update to the manual, completed on 9/20/2019.
Forest Health Monitoring Reports
Forest Health Monitoring Data
Regional Forest Health Monitoring
| Dataset Name | Data Availability | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cluster Plot Style Invasive Species Observations (VT, NH, RI) | Downloadable | Invasive species and abundance on subplots | 2014-06-01 to present |
| Cluster Plot Visitation Information (VT, NH, RI) | Downloadable | Information about specific visits to the cluster plots | 1992-01-01 to present |
| Cluster Prism Measurements on Subplots (VT, NH, RI) | Downloadable | Counts of live and dead stems in a 10-factor prism at each cluster subplot | 2014-06-01 to present |
| Cluster Sapling Measurements on Subplots (VT, NH, RI) | Downloadable | Diameter and species of all saplings on cluster microplots (2.5 to 10 cm DBH) | 1992-06-01 to present |
| Cluster Seedling Measurements on Subplots (VT, NH, RI) | Downloadable | Counts of seedlings on cluster microplot by species | 1992-06-01 to present |
| Cluster Subplot Locations (VT, NH, RI) | Downloadable | Cluster subplot location information including latitude and longitude of both fuzzed and unfuzzed locations. Note: not all plots have true plot locations or all subplots recorded, as not all plots are publically available. For all unfuzzed plot locations, please submit a request to FEMC. | 1992-01-01 to present |
| Cluster Tree Identifying Information (VT, NH, RI) | Downloadable | This dataset contains the basic tree info such as plot ID, location within the plot (distance and azimuth), and species. | 1992-06-01 to present |
| Cluster Tree Subplot Health and Physiology Measurements (VT, NH, RI) | Downloadable | Measurements of a wide range of tree characteristics, including height, diameter, crown condition, health indicators and others | 1992-06-01 to present |
| FHM Invasive Species Abundance Codes | Downloadable | Regional FHM Invasive species abundance codes | 2020-06-01 to present |
| FHM Invasive Species Codes | Downloadable | Invasive Species Codes used for region FHM program. | 2020-06-01 to present |
| Forest Health Monitoring Tree Species Codes | Downloadable | Gives the species codes and corresponding taxonomic information for trees monitored as part of the Forest Health Monitoring Project. Also correlates to other project code lists | 1994-06-01 to present |
| Nested Invasive Species Observations (CT, MA, ME, NY) | Downloadable | Nested Plot Style Invasive species and abundance on subplots | 2019-08-28 to present |
| Nested Micro Plot Visitation Information (CT, MA, ME, NY) | Downloadable | Information about specific microplot visits | 2019-08-13 to present |
| Nested Plot Identifying Information (CT, MA, ME, NY) | Description only | Nested Plot Foundational information about plots, including location and status | 2019-08-13 to present |
| Nested Plot Locations (CT, MA, ME, NY) | Downloadable | Nested plot location information including latitude and longitude of both fuzzed and unfuzzed locations. Note: not all plots have true plot locations, as not all plots are publically available. For all unfuzzed plot locations, please submit a request to FEMC. | 2019-08-13 to present |
| Nested Prism Measurements (CT, MA, ME, NY) | Downloadable | Counts of live and dead stems in a 10-factor prism. | 2019-08-13 to present |
| Nested Sapling Measurements on Microplots (CT, MA, ME, NY) | Downloadable | Nested Diameter and species of all saplings on microplots (2.5 to 10 cm DBH) | 2019-08-13 to present |
| Nested Seedling Measurements on Microplots(CT, MA, ME, NY) | Downloadable | Counts of seedlings on microplot by species | 1992-06-01 to present |
| Nested Subplot Identifying Information (CT, MA, ME, NY) | Downloadable | Foundational information about nested microplots, including locations of plots based on cardinal direction | 2019-08-13 to present |
| Nested Tree Health and Physiology Measurements (CT, MA, ME, NY) | Downloadable | Measurements of a wide range of tree characteristics, including height, diameter, crown condition, health indicators and others | 2019-08-13 to present |
| Nested Tree Identifying Information (CT, MA, ME, NY) | Downloadable | This dataset contains the basic tree info for the nested plot style such as plot ID, location within the plot (distance and azimuth), and species | 2019-08-13 to present |
| Nested Visitation Information (CT, MA, ME, NY) | Downloadable | Information about specific visits to the Nested plots. | 2019-08-13 to present |
Massachusetts Forest Health Monitoring
| Dataset Name | Data Availability | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hemispherical Photo Identifying Information | By request | Locations, dates and camera heights for hemispherical photos taken on subplots | 2019-08-13 to 2021-12-31 |
| Invasive Species Observations | By request | Invasive species and abundance on subplots | 2019-08-13 to 2021-12-31 |
| Plot Identifying Information | By request | Foundational information about plots, including location and status | 2019-08-13 to 2021-12-31 |
| Plot Visitation Information | By request | Information about specific visits to the plots. | 2019-08-13 to 2021-12-31 |
| Prism Measurements on Subplots | By request | Counts of live and dead stems in a 10-factor prism at each subplot. | 2019-08-13 to 2021-12-31 |
| Sapling Measurements on Subplots | By request | Diameter and species of all saplings on microplots (2.5 to 10 cm DBH) | 2019-08-13 to 2021-12-31 |
| Seedling Measurements on Subplots | Description only | Counts of seedlings on microplot by species | 2019-08-13 to 2021-12-31 |
| Subplot Identifying Information | By request | Foundational information about subplots, including locations, condition and updates | 2019-08-13 to 2021-12-31 |
| Subplot Visitation Information | By request | Information about specific visits to the subplots | 2019-08-13 to 2021-12-31 |
| Tree Health and Physiology Measurements | Description only | Measurements of a wide range of tree characteristics, including height, diameter, crown condition, health indicators and others | 2019-08-13 to 2021-12-31 |
| Tree Identifying Information | By request | This dataset contains the basic tree info such as plot ID, location within the plot (distance and azimuth), and species. | 2019-08-13 to 2021-12-31 |
Vermont Statewide Aerial Sketchmapping of Tree Defoliation, Mortality and other Damages
| Dataset Name | Data Availability | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standardized and Combined Aerial Insect and Disease Surveys, 1985 to present | Downloadable | Spatial data (shapefile) of all aerial defoliation surveys in Vermont from 1985 to the latest data available merged together into one dataset with a subset of fields. Data prior to 1995 were not always digitized, and may be incomplete before that year. | 1985-01-01 to present |
| Vermont ADS Standardized Data for Indicators Dashboard | Downloadable | Summarized Insect and Disease Survey data (previously Aerial Detection Survey) for Vermont. | 1980-01-01 to present |
| Vermont Pest Origin Status | Downloadable | A descriptive dataset that categorizes the pests found in the Vermont Insect and Disease Survey dataset as native, non-native invasive, or unknown based on the information available at the time. | 1980-01-01 to 2018-04-16 |
| Year-by-Year Aerial Insect and Disease Surveys, 1985 to Present | Downloadable | Spatial data (shapefiles) of yearly aerial insect and disease surveys in Vermont from 1985 to present, separated into years and retaining all fields. Data prior to 1995 were not always digitized, and may be incomplete before that year. | 1985-01-01 to 2018-12-31 |
| Yearly Flight Coverage Polygons, 1985 to 2018 | Downloadable | Spatial data (shapefiles) showing the areas that were flown over and mapped during each year (flown/not flown information) | 1985-01-01 to 2018-12-31 |
Vermont Forest Health Monitoring
| Dataset Name | Data Availability | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coarse Debris Data from Down Woody Material Survey | By request | Data collected on coarse woody debris from the down woody material survey, including species and size of down material | 1991 to present |
| Duff Depth Data from Down Woody Material Survey | Downloadable | Data collected on duff depth from the down woody material survey, including depth of duff, litter and fuel. | 1991 to present |
| Fern Diversity at Forest Health Monitoring Plots | Downloadable | An inventory on fern diversity at Forest Health Monitoring Plots and a measurement of their abundance. | 2018-06-11 to 2018-08-22 |
| Fine Debris Data from Down Woody Material Survey | Downloadable | Data collected on fine woody debris from the down woody material survey | 1991-06-01 to 1998-12-31 |
| Forest Health Monitoring Natural Community List | Downloadable | Forest Health Monitoring plots organized by natural communities. | 2017-06-01 to 2018-08-22 |
| Forest Health Monitoring Tree Species Codes | Downloadable | Gives the species codes and corresponding taxonomic information for trees monitored as part of the Forest Health Monitoring Project. Also correlates to other project code lists | 1994-01-01 to 2021-12-31 |
| Forest Health Monitoring: Mt Mansfield, Lye Brook Wilderness Area, and Ranch Valley | Description only | Standard tree size measurements and damage assessments on plots in Mt. Mansfield, Lye Brook Wilderness Area, and Ranch Valley. | 1992-01-01 to 2015-12-31 |
| General Plot Characteristics | Downloadable | A general description of the Forest Health Monitoring Plots including dominant understory and overstory species, slope, aspect, approximate age of forest stand, % canopy coverage, tree size class diversity, and downed woody debris size diversity. | 2018-06-11 to 2018-08-21 |
| Geological and Soil Characteristics of Forest Health Monitoring Plots | Downloadable | The soils and geology of each plot were characterized by pH, duff/soil depth, presence of acidic/basic indicators, and descriptions of the rocks present, topography, and the expected bedrock at each location. | 2018-06-16 to 2018-08-15 |
| Hemispherical Photo Identifying Information | By request | Locations, dates and camera heights for hemispherical photos taken on subplots | 2014-06-01 to 2021-12-31 |
| Invasive Species Observations | Downloadable | Invasive species and abundance on subplots | 2014-06-01 to 2021-12-31 |
| Lichen Abundance at the Plot Level | Downloadable | Lichen abundance at each plot | 2002-01-01 to 2002-12-31 |
| List of Lichen Species Surveyed | Downloadable | List of the lichen species and the corresponding codes for the 2002 lichen survey | 2002-01-01 to 2002-12-31 |
| Microplot Fuel Loading from Down Woody Material Survey | Downloadable | Data collected on fuel loading from the down woody material survey, including shrub and herb height, both live and dead | 1991 to present |
| Plot Condition Class | Downloadable | Information on the overall condition of the plot in terms of stand type, age, disturbance and other characteristics | 1992-01-01 to present |
| Plot Identifying Information | Description only | Foundational information about plots, including location and status | 1992-01-01 to 2021-12-31 |
| Plot Visitation Information | Downloadable | Information about specific visits to the plots | 1992-01-01 to 2021-12-31 |
| Prism Measurements on Subplots | Downloadable | Counts of live and dead stems in a 10-factor prism at each subplot | 2014-06-01 to 2021-12-31 |
| Residue Data from Down Woody Material Survey | By request | Data collected on residue from the down woody material survey | 1991 to present |
| Sapling Measurements on Subplots | Downloadable | Diameter and species of all saplings on microplots (2.5 to 10 cm DBH) | 1992-01-01 to 2021-12-31 |
| Seedling Measurements on Subplots | Downloadable | Counts of seedlings on microplot by species | 1992-01-01 to 2021-12-31 |
| Subplot Identifying Information | Downloadable | Foundational information about subplots, including locations, condition and updates | 1992-01-01 to 2021-12-31 |
| Subplot Visitation Information | Downloadable | Information about specific visits to the subplots | 1992-01-01 to 2021-12-31 |
| Transect Information from Down Woody Material Survey | Downloadable | Characteristics of each transect used in the down woody material survey | 1991 to present |
| Transparency Photo Identifying Information | By request | Locations, dates and file names of pictures of foliage transparency taken on subplots | 2014-06-01 to 2021-12-31 |
| Tree Health and Physiology Measurements | Downloadable | Measurements of a wide range of tree characteristics, including height, diameter, crown condition, health indicators and others | 1992-01-01 to 2021-12-31 |
| Tree Identifying Information | Downloadable | This dataset contains the basic tree info such as plot ID, location within the plot (distance and azimuth), and species. | 1991-06-01 to 2021-12-31 |
| Yearly Plot-level Summaries of Forest Health Indicators | Downloadable | Summaries of forest health metrics at the plot level. | 1994-01-01 to 2012-12-31 |