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Estimates and standard error of the estimates

The results published in the NFI tables are estimates for variables in the Swiss forest (population parameters) whose true values are not known and must therefore be extrapolated (estimated) from the NFI sample data.

The extrapolations carry uncertainties. However, the accuracy of the extrapolations can be reliably estimated from the NFI sample, which is designed to be a random sample. To this end, all NFI tables include a second figure in addition to the estimate itself, namely the standard error of the estimate.

In most tables the percent standard error is reported (±%), but the absolute standard error (±) is also reported occasionally, especially for estimated percentages. The relationship between absolute and percent standard error is as follows:

percent standard error = absolute standard error / estimate × 100

absolute standard error = percent standard error × estimate / 100

Information on the forest road network is based on a full survey of all forest roads. In this case, there is no need to specify a standard error because there is no uncertainty caused by sampling.

Confidence interval of the estimate

With the estimate and the standard error of the estimate, the limits of the so-called confidence interval of the estimate can be calculated as:

lower limit = estimate – tQ × absolute standard error

upper limit = estimate + tQ × absolute standard error

If the simple standard error is used for the calculation (tQ = 1), then the 68% confidence interval is formed. In this case, the true value of the population parameter has a 68% probability of lying within this confidence interval of the estimate. If the double standard error is used (tQ = 2), then there is a 95% probability that the true value lies within this 95% confidence interval.

Significance of the estimate

The confidence interval can be used to statistically test whether the estimated population parameter is larger or smaller than a specific reference or target value, or whether two estimated population parameters truly differ (in the real population). For practical applications, proceed as follows: if a reference value lies outside the confidence interval, the estimated population value can be interpreted as being significantly different from it; if it lies within the confidence interval, the difference between the estimated population parameter and the reference value can be interpreted as random or not significant. When two population parameters are compared, they can be interpreted as differing significantly if their confidence intervals do not overlap.

Dealing with missing values

When calculating a results table, data are not always available for all combinations of characteristics^* of the classification variables and regional demarcation applied. In most cases, this indicates that the attribute estimated with the respective target variable does not occur or occurs only very rarely. Usually, the value 0 is used (imputed). However, as this value is not based on direct measurements, the associated standard error is represented with a full stop [.]. If the imputed value of 0 is referred to in the calculation, e.g. in the case of percentages or certain change estimates, no value can be entered. In this case, the estimated value and standard error are both represented with a full stop [.].

For example, no Arolla pines have been found and measured in the Swiss Plateau to date (growing stock of Arolla pines by production region). The values can be assumed to be missing because Arolla pine does not occur in the Swiss Plateau and therefore the growing stock there must be 0.

^* e.g. ‘Arolla pine’ characteristic of the classification variable ‘tree species’ and ‘Swiss plateau’ characteristic of the ‘regional demarcation’

Changes

There are two types of changes in the NFI:

The first type involves specific target variables relating to components of change, such as increment, fellings, mortality and losses. These target variables are only available for two consecutive inventory cycles, e.g. NFI3–NFI4. In the evaluation of components of change, the classification variable characteristic of the second inventory cycle is assigned to the first inventory cycle. These evaluations therefore do not take into account potential changes in a classification variable characteristic from the earlier to the later inventory (e.g. from private to public ownership).

With the second type of change, the difference in target variables, such as number of stems, growing stock or forest area, is used to assess the change between two inventory cycles. Target variables are generally used to represent states, such as that in NFI4, but can also indicate the net change between any two inventory cycles, e.g. NFI1–NFI4. In evaluations of change using these target variables, the change in a classification variable characteristic is considered in the analysis. Consequently, one can detect, for example, that the forest area without shrub forest increased between the two inventory cycles. This only has an effect on classification variables whose characteristic (class) can actually change, e.g. the affiliation with a forest area or the tree condition.

NFI5
volume of bolewood (HG 2010)
timber assortment classes (HG 2010) · ownership (2 categories)
regional demarcation: economic region
unit: 1000 m³
evaluation area: accessible forest without shrub forest
grid: 1.4 km grid, subgrids 1-5
state 2018/26
		economic region
		Western Jura		Eastern Jura		Western Plateau		Central Plateau		Eastern Plateau		Western Pre-Alps		Central Pre-Alps		Eastern Pre-Alps		Northwestern Alps		Central Alps		Northeastern Alps		Southwestern Alps		Southeastern Alps		Southern Alps		Switzerland
timber assortment classes (HG 2010)	ownership (2 categories)	1000 m³	±%	1000 m³	±%	1000 m³	±%	1000 m³	±%	1000 m³	±%	1000 m³	±%	1000 m³	±%	1000 m³	±%	1000 m³	±%	1000 m³	±%	1000 m³	±%	1000 m³	±%	1000 m³	±%	1000 m³	±%	1000 m³	±%
n/a	n/a	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	public	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	private	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	total	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
smallwood	n/a	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	public	2979	9	174	33	586	21	316	25	282	22	358	31	187	17	191	28	66	21	61	18	61	18	446	19	386	9	258	9	6352	6
	private	1291	16	20	25	193	35	238	23	286	21	102	29	231	12	237	26	123	24	108	64	19	30	118	21	72	16	61	13	3096	8
	total	4270	7	194	30	779	18	554	17	568	15	460	25	419	10	428	19	189	17	169	41	81	16	564	15	458	8	318	7	9448	4
classes 1 and 2	n/a	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	public	9743	6	3140	11	2120	15	3397	11	5470	9	2493	16	5486	11	5342	11	2280	15	2584	16	2551	14	9169	8	12616	6	11972	6	78365	2
	private	3170	12	920	26	1787	19	4556	12	5117	10	3214	17	7330	9	4143	13	4573	11	1422	23	847	30	3418	14	3044	14	4387	11	47928	3
	total	12914	5	4060	10	3906	11	7953	8	10587	6	5707	11	12816	6	9485	8	6853	8	4007	13	3398	13	12587	7	15660	5	16359	4	126293	1
classes 3 and 4	n/a	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	public	18065	5	4790	12	3744	17	5719	11	7068	9	3213	16	6649	11	8118	11	3427	16	3015	17	3919	15	9224	8	14062	6	10548	8	101562	2
	private	7365	11	1668	24	3260	17	6793	12	8368	10	4514	15	11575	9	8497	12	5952	12	1862	25	1058	26	3173	17	3851	15	2547	13	70480	3
	total	25430	4	6458	10	7004	12	12512	8	15435	6	7727	10	18224	6	16615	7	9378	9	4878	14	4976	13	12397	7	17913	6	13095	6	172042	1
classes 5 and 6	n/a	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	public	4494	11	1493	19	1103	24	2504	17	3616	13	839	23	2072	16	3080	15	1571	23	1340	24	1672	21	2949	12	4800	10	4372	11	35904	4
	private	1689	16	570	28	1058	24	2504	16	3535	16	1814	19	4649	12	2695	16	2122	16	605	38	514	35	912	21	1417	18	1051	24	25136	5
	total	6183	9	2063	15	2161	17	5007	11	7151	10	2653	14	6721	9	5775	11	3693	13	1945	20	2185	18	3861	10	6217	9	5423	10	61039	3
total	n/a	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	public	35282	5	9597	11	7553	14	11936	10	16435	8	6903	14	14395	10	16731	10	7344	15	7001	16	8203	14	21788	7	31864	6	27150	6	222182	2
	private	13515	10	3178	23	6297	17	14089	11	17306	9	9644	14	23785	8	15572	11	12769	11	3997	24	2438	25	7621	14	8382	14	8046	11	146640	3
	total	48797	3	12775	9	13850	11	26026	7	33741	5	16547	10	38180	6	32303	7	20113	8	10999	13	10641	12	29409	6	40247	5	35195	4	368822	1

Table citation

Abegg, M.; Ahles, P.; Allgaier Leuch, B.; Cioldi, F.; Didion, M.; Düggelin, C.; Fischer, C.; Herold, A.; Meile, R.; Rohner, B.; Rösler, E.; Speich, S.; Temperli, C.; Traub, B.,
2023: Swiss national forest inventory - Result table No. 1214340. Birmensdorf, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL

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