Forest Health Monitoring (FHM) is a national program designed to determine the status, changes, and trends in indicators of forest condition on an annual basis. The FHM program uses data from ground plots and surveys, aerial surveys, and other biotic and abiotic data sources and develops analytical approaches to address forest health issues that affect the sustainability of forest ecosystems. FHM covers all forested lands through a partnership involving USDA Forest Service, State Foresters, and other state and federal agencies and academic groups.

Historic Background

The FHM program was begun in 1990 as a cooperative, multi-agency program. In response to concerns about air pollution, population growth, and the sustainability of forest ecosystems, national legislation and policies were developed that established the National Forest Health Monitoring (FHM) program. The mission of the FHM program is to monitor, assess and report on the long-term status and changes in the health of the Nation's forests.

The FHM program began in New England. The program expanded in 1991 to include Delaware, Maryland and New Jersey, in addition to several states in the southern and western US. The program continued to grow to include more of the nation's forests each year. Currently, the FHM program covers all forested lands through a partnership involving the USDA Forest Service, State Foresters, and other state and federal agencies and academic groups.

Within the boundaries of the Northeastern Research Station, West Virginia was added to the program in 1994, Pennsylvania in 1998 and New York in 1999. Forest health monitoring activities began in Ohio in 2001 as part of the FIA annual inventory.

In 2000, the network of permanent plots established by the FHM program was enhanced and officially became part of the annual state surveys for which the FIA program is responsible. The regional Forest Health Protection (FHP) staffs oversee the collection of the survey detection data.

Study Components

The FHM program actually has a number of components to it, including detection monitoring, evaluation monitoring, intensive site ecosystem monitoring, and research on monitoring techniques. The initial and primary focus was detection monitoring which gathered forest health information from a network of permanent plots as well as broad scale surveys used to collect information on the extent of damage due to insects, diseases, and other stressors. (For information on the other components of the FHM program please go to the National Forest Health Protection website.)

Latest Publications for Northeastern States:

Additional Links

For more information on the National Forest Inventory and Analysis program:

http://fia.fs.fed.us/

For information on the National Forest Health Protection (FHP) program:

http://www.fs.fed.us/foresthealth/

For information on the National FHM program, including FHM data:

http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/fhm/index.htm

For information on the regional FHP & FHM programs administered by the Northeastern Area State & Private Forestry:

http://www.na.fs.fed.us/

For additional information, contact Charles Barnett.