FVS -- Forest Vegetation Simulator

DESCRIPTION

The USDA Forest Service's Forest Management Service Center has extensive information on the Forest Vegetation Simulator.  The Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS) is an individual-tree, distance-independent growth and yield model. FVS will simulate growth and yield for major forest tree species, forest types, and stand conditions. FVS can also simulate a wide range of silvicultural treatments. Variants of FVS provide growth and yield models for specific geographic areas of the United States.

The Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS) model has several components working together to simulate forest growth and management actions. There are three main growth components of the FVS: a large-tree model, a small-tree model, and an establishment model. FVS treats a stand as the population unit, using forest inventory or stand examination data. The "Event Monitor" oversees program execution and processes activities that keywords schedule. Input files include "keywords" the user can manipulate to simulate different management scenarios (Teck 1996). There are extensions for FVS variants to consider the influence of other agents upon tree growth, such as insects and disease. Post-processors are other programs that expand FVS’s capabilities to report and display output.

Details of model execution as well as other model documentation can be found at the FVS Model Site.

SCALE AND AREAS OF APPLICATION

SURVEY COMMENTS

Two survey respondents reported using FVS.  There were no comments on its usefulness or need for improvement.

BENEFITS (PROS)

COSTS (CONS)

RECOMMENDATIONS