NFI Survey Manual for fourth cycle field samples

The NFI Survey Manual describes the assessments made during field data collection and the protocols used by the field surveyors in collecting the data. The NFI Survey Manual is a living document and contains steadily more explanations. New versions will appear on this page as they are created.

The NFI Survey Manual for the 4th cycle of field data collection is now available from this page. Manuals for earlier cycles are provided below for the purpose of supporting NFI reports; manuals for the earlier cycles should not be used to support fieldwork in the 4th cycle.

NFI Survey Manual – 4^th cycle field data collection

The 4th cycle started in December 2025 and is scheduled to be completed in 2030.

The NFI Survey Manual for 4th cycle is available below as a PDF document.

National Forest Inventory of Great Britain Survey Manual: Fourth cycle

National Forest Inventory of Great Britain Survey Manual: Fourth cycle – Annex

NFI Survey Manual – 3rd cycle field data collection

The 3rd cycle of field data collection started in December 2020 and was completed in 2025.

The NFI Survey Manual for 3rd cycle is available below as a PDF document.

National Forest Inventory of Great Britain Survey Manual: Third cycle

National Forest Inventory of Great Britain Survey Manual: Third cycle – Annex

NFI Survey Manual – 2nd cycle field data collection

The 2nd cycle of field data collection took place between 2016 and 2020. The NFI Survey Manual chapters are posted below.

Chapter 0 contains the contents for all chapters. Each chapter contains a contents page specific to that chapter.

• Chapter 0: Title page and contents September 2016 
• Chapter 1: Introduction v3- October 2015
• Chapter 2: Editing the NFI Sample Square in Forester V8 – October 2015
• Chapter 3: Square Data V5 – February 2016 
• Chapter 4: Section Stratification V6a – September 2016
• Chapter 5: Section Boundary Mapping V4a – September 2016
• Chapter 6: Section Value Editing in the Field Software V5 – October 2015
• Chapter 7: Component Groups V6a – September 2016
• Chapter 8: Components V8a – September 2016
• Chapter 9: Sub Component Data V8a – September 2016
• Chapter 10: Growing Stock Components V2 – October 2015
• Chapter 11: Relevant Adjacent Stands V5a – September 2016 
• Chapter 12: Plot Assessments V6a – September 2016
• Chapter 13: Tree Assessment Procedures V11a – September 2016
• Chapter 14: Stump Assessments V5 – October 2015
• Chapter 15: Young Tree Assessments V3 – October 2015
• Chapter 16: Lying Deadwood Transects V3 – October 2015
• Chapter 17: Coppice V3 – October 2015
• Chapter 18: Decay Classes V3 – October 2015
• Chapter 19: Linear Features V6 – February 2016
• Chapter 20: Point Features v6a – September 2016
• Chapter 21: NFI FS Support and Software Upgrade v3 – October 2015

NFI Survey Manual – 1st cycle field data collection

The 1st cycle of field data collection took place between 2010 and 2015.

Chapter 0 contains the contents for all chapters. Each chapter contains a contents page specific to that chapter.

• Chapter 0: Title page and contents – June 2014
• Chapter 01: Introduction – June 2014
• Chapter 02: Editing the NFI Sample Square in Forester – June 2014
• Chapter 03: Square data – June 2014
• Chapter 04: Section Identification – June 2014
• Chapter 05: Section Boundary Mapping the Field – June 2014
• Chapter 06: Section Boundary Editing in the Software – June 2014
• Chapter 07: Component Groups – June 2014
• Chapter 08: Components – June 2014
• Chapter 09: Sub-Component Data – June 2014
• Chapter 10: Growing Stock Components – June 2014
• Chapter 11: Social Indicators – June 2014
• Chapter 12: Relevant Adjacent Stands – June 2014
• Chapter 13: Plot Assessments – June 2014
• Chapter 14: Tree & Stump Assessment Procedures – June 2014
• Chapter 15: Diameter (DBH) Assessments – June 2014
• Chapter 16: Height and Crown Diameter Assessments – June 2014
• Chapter 17: Canopy Occupancy – June 2014
• Chapter 18: Transects – June 2014
• Chapter 19: Coppice June 2014
• Chapter 20: Decay Classes – June 2014
• Chapter 21: Linear Features June 2014
• Chapter 22: Point Features – June 2014
• Chapter 23: NFI-FS Support and Software Upgrade – June 2014