Brief Overall Description of the Dataset:
The USDA Forest Inventory is a dataset full of information regarding biomass, ozone levels and foliage coverage across the United States. Updated annually since 1998 by the USDA Forest Service, this dataset serves to inform on environmental conditions of forests and as a way to plot and study the changes in forests geographically. Surveys were completed in every state and territory, and a composite source, including all findings, is available. Open to anyone, this source would be great for mapping and understanding how the environment impacts housing development and values.
Link: http://apps.fs.fed.us/fiadb-downloads/datamart.html
Date Inventory Completed: 05/28/2015
Screening
- Is the data collected opinion-based?
- Is the data collection recurring (must be collected at least annually)?
- Is there data available for 2013?
- Is the data collected at the property or housing unit level? Tree
- Can we access the data by August 15th?
Purpose
What is the purpose of the organization collecting the data?
This data is collected in order to better understand the range of forests and the growth/deterioration of foliage in the United States.
Why is it collected and how does the organization use it?
“FIA's primary objective is to determine the extent, condition, volume, growth, and use of trees on the Nation's forest land.”
Who else uses the data?
Planners, researchers, policy-makers
Who do they sell the data to?
Data is not sold, anyone can access it
Method
What is the data collection method?
Satellite imagery and field observation
What is the type of data collected?
If designed, who created the questions?
What is the raw source of the collected data (prior to any aggregation)?
Description
What is the general topic of the data (1-2 words)?
Foliage coverage
What are the earliest and latest dates for which data is available?
2009-2015
Is data collected and available periodically?
Annually
How soon after a reference period ends can a data source be prepared and provided?
Within a year
Selectivity
What is the universe (e.g., population) that the data represents?
Tree coverage in the United States
Accessibility
How is the data accessed?
- Is it open data?
Yes
Any legal, regulatory, or administrative restrictions on accessing the data source?
No
Cost? - One time or annual or project based payment?
None
Does this dataset appear to meet our needs for the Census study? YES
Explanation: This source meets all of our guidelines, is free and could be interesting when looking into how greenspace effects housing trends.