Allocating inventory resources for multiple-use planning

Abstract

A user-oriented approach to allocate inventory resources for multiple-use planning is presented. The sequence used in the approach is to determine (1) the decisions to be made with the aid of inventory data, (2) the data needed to soundly base the decisions, and (3) the impact of sampling error in the data on the decisions. Sample intensities that minimize the cost of obtaining data plus the expected losses from using the data to make decisions were determined. A cost plus loss minimization framework for multiple-use planning inventory was developed and applied to a case study on a U.S. Forest Service planning unit. Results indicated that the procedure should provide useful guides for allocating sampling resources.