Project Overview
The Forest Health Monitoring Program (FHM) was established in 1991 as a joint effort between the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation (FPR) and the Forest Ecosystem Monitoring Cooperative (FEMC)) to monitor the condition of a range of tree species in Vermont. After successfully establishing and conducting annual assessments on FHM plots in Vermont for almost three decades, the FEMC has expanded to surrounding states to yield a more complete picture of forest health across the New England and New York region. In 2019, the FEMC collaborated with MA DCR to establish 20 FHM plots on MA state lands to add to its annual FHM network. In 2020 the FEMC expanded to CT (15 plots), RI (7 plots), ME (35 plots), and NH (30 plots) to add permanent FHM plots in a similar manner. To improve comparability and utility of each program, the FHM plots were co-located at established, long-term plot locations, representing the major forest types and geographies on public lands in each state. Plot designs follow two fixed radius plot layouts - Cluster and Nested. Cluster plots follow the USDA Forest Inventory and Analysis cluster of four circular subplots. Nested plot design refers to a single fixed radius nested plot design exemplified by the MA DRC CFI program. These plot designs follow the structure set by the National Forest Health Monitoring Program with additional metrics added to reflect improvements in monitoring technologies and additions to monitoring objectives.
Objectives
Annual measurements of forest plots allow for a better understanding of trends in forest health, as well as potential drivers of decline. Please cite any and all work generated using FHM data.
Dataset Availability
Downloadable: 21 datasets
Description only: 1 dataset
See the full list of available dataTags
Status - Active
Start date: 1992-06-01
Study Area
