Compensating for missing plot observations in forest inventory estimation

The Enhanced Forest Inventory and Analysis program of the U.S. Forest Service has established a nationwide array of permanent field plots, each representing approximately 2400 ha. Each plot has been assigned to one of five interpenetrating, nonoverlapping panels, with one panel selected for measurement on a rotating basis each year. As with most large surveys, observations for some plots are not obtained. Several techniques for dealing with missing observations were compared with respect to the bias and precision of stratified estimates of mean volume per unit area using data from the State of Indiana in the north-central region of the United States for illustrative purposes. For the proportion of missing plots ranging from 1% to 10%, acceptable results were obtained for techniques that both ignored and replaced missing plot observations, but only when the techniques accounted for differences between plots in private and public ownerships.