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STATISTICAL PERSPECTIVE ON THE DESIGN AND ANALYSIS ON NATURAL RESOURCE MONITORING PROGRAMS
Citation:
Olsen, A R. STATISTICAL PERSPECTIVE ON THE DESIGN AND ANALYSIS ON NATURAL RESOURCE MONITORING PROGRAMS. Presented at Monitoring Science and Technology Symposium, Denver, Colorado, Sept. 21-24, 2004.
Description:
Natural resource monitoring includes a wide variation in the type of natural resource monitored as well as in the objectives for the monitoring. Rather than address the entire breadth, the focus will be restricted to programs whose focus is to produce state, regional, or national assessments. In particular, the discussion will draw upon aspects of the US Forest Service's Forest Inventory & Analysis program (FIA), The Natural Resource Conservation Service's National Resources Inventory (NRI), the US Geological Survey's National Water Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA), portions of the National Agricultural Statistics Service's (NASS) agricultural surveys, and the US Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program's (EMAP) development of state aquatic monitoring programs. First, the components of a monitoring program are described: Develop monitoring objectives, design monitoring program, collect field and lab data, compile and manage data, assess and interpret data, convey results and findings, and finally the coordination, collaboration, communication essential to the process. The essential question posed is "What does a statistical perspective (and perhaps a statistician) contribute to each of these components?" Is it possible for a statistical perspective to help overcome some of the major reasons monitoring programs fail?