What It Does
gridFIA is a Python API that simplifies working with USDA Forest Service BIGMAP (Biomass Inventory and Growth MAPs) 2018 data. It provides 30-meter resolution species-level biomass estimates for any US state, county, or custom bounding box, derived from FIA plot measurements, Landsat imagery, topographic variables, and climate data.
Data is stored efficiently in Zarr format with configurable chunking and compression, enabling analysis of 300+ tree species across the contiguous United States.
Key Features
Zarr Storage
Converts BIGMAP raster data into Zarr format with configurable chunking and compression for efficient scientific computing.
Localized Spatial Analysis
Query by US state, county name, or custom bounding box with automatic boundary detection for any region in CONUS.
Forest Diversity Metrics
Calculates Shannon diversity, Simpson diversity, evenness, species richness, and dominant species from 300+ tree species.
Publication-Ready Maps
Creates diversity and biomass maps with automatic boundary detection and professional cartographic output.
Quick Start
pip install gridfiafrom gridfia import GridFIA
api = GridFIA()
# Download species biomass data for a county
files = api.download_species(
state="Montana",
species_codes=["0202", "0122"],
output_dir="downloads/"
)
# Create a Zarr store
zarr_path = api.create_zarr("downloads/", "data/montana.zarr")
# Calculate diversity and biomass metrics
results = api.calculate_metrics(
zarr_path,
calculations=["species_richness", "shannon_diversity"]
)
# Generate maps
maps = api.create_maps(zarr_path, map_type="diversity", state="MT")Use Cases
- Analyzing forest species composition and biodiversity across US counties
- Calculating above-ground biomass density for carbon accounting and climate research
- Generating publication-ready maps of forest biomass distribution
- Supporting landscape-level forest management planning using 30m Landsat-derived data
Get Started
Check out the documentation for tutorials, API reference, and examples.