What It Does
askFIA is a conversational AI interface for the nation's forest inventory data. Instead of navigating complex database queries or web forms, you ask questions in plain English and get instant answers backed by USDA Forest Service FIA data.
Built on pyFIA for data access and Claude for natural language understanding, askFIA streams responses in real-time and maintains conversational context so you can ask follow-up questions naturally.
What Can You Ask?
"How much timber volume is in North Carolina?"
"Compare loblolly pine biomass between Georgia and Alabama"
"What are the top species by basal area in Oregon?"
"How has forest area changed in the Southeast?"
"Show me mortality trends in the Pacific Northwest"Key Features
Natural Language
Ask questions in plain English -- no SQL, no database knowledge required. askFIA translates your questions into precise FIA data queries.
Conversational Context
Follow-up questions maintain context. Ask about Georgia's forests, then say "compare that to Alabama" -- askFIA remembers what you were discussing.
Real-Time Streaming
Responses stream in real-time as they're generated, so you see answers forming immediately rather than waiting for a complete response.
Powered by pyFIA
Queries are executed through pyFIA against FIA microdata in MotherDuck, ensuring statistically valid, EVALIDator-consistent results.
How It Works
Your Question
Plain English
Claude AI
Interprets intent
pyFIA
Queries FIA data
Your Answer
Streamed in real-time
Tech Stack
Frontend
Next.js 15, React 19, Tailwind CSS, shadcn/ui, Vercel AI SDK
Backend
FastAPI, Pydantic v2, LangChain, Claude API
Data
pyFIA, DuckDB, Polars, MotherDuck
Deployment
Netlify (frontend), Render (backend), MotherDuck (data)
askFIA
askFIA is a prototype demonstrating how AI can make forest inventory data more accessible. Development is ongoing.