Incorporating spatial and operational constraints in the sampling designs for forest inventories

In the province of Quebec, Canada, the forest is examined through
regular inventories. Requirements for the spreading and the type of
trees and for the cost are difficult to manage. We show that modern and
advanced sampling techniques can be used to improve the planning of the forest inventories, even if there are many requirements. Our design
includes balanced sampling, highly stratified balanced sampling and
sample spreading through a two stage sample. The impact of these
techniques on the satisfaction of the requirements and on the precision
of survey estimates is investigated using field data from a Quebec
inventory.

, Annual Meeting of the Statistical Society of Canada, Halifax, Canada