NRIAI Functions

Basic Functions 

The Natural Resources Inventory and Analysis Institute (NRIAI) exists to enhance the agency’s ability to inventory, monitor, and assess the status and trends of our nation’s natural and environmental resources.

Our functions fall mainly into two categories:

• Supporting and improving the  National Resources Inventory (NRI)
• Investigating new methods for inventorying, analyzing, and delivering information.

Products and Services

• Services in economic analyses, models and tools for economic analyses at the state-level.
• Services in wetlands biology, inventory, and analysis, especially for the NRI
• Services in GIS/RS methodologies and land use analyses. This is often done jointly with National Cartography and Geospatial Center (NCGC).
• Services in Computer Science and geospatial data delivery. Jointly with the Information Technology Center, the Information Technology Division, and the NCGC. Agency representation on Open GIS Consortium’s Technical Working Groups.
• Participation in field studies and publication of results
• Services in statistical design and analysis for inventory and special studies at national, regional, or state levels.
• Support for the redesign and deployment of PDA systems for NRI data collection.

NRIAI Functions with the National Resources Inventory

 As a result of the above the agency delivers the NRI, a continuous measure of the state of the land, essential in the reporting of the need for a conservation agency for private land resources and used by Congress in the determination of appropriations. Inventories are also used by state and regional office staff to manage and allocate resources.

From the NRCS General Manual, TITLE 290 Part 400 Resources Inventory

400.20 SUBPART C – RESPONSIBILITIES AND DEFINITIONS, A.(k) NRIAI

A. Assignment of Functions

(k)    The Director, NRIAI is responsible for:

1. Developing, adopting, adapting, acquiring, and transferring technology to improve and enhance the NRI program and analysis of natural resources data
2. Evaluating inventory technology and analytical methodology to meet schedules and objectives as specified in the Resources Inventory Division's multi-year resources inventory plan (See 400.11(b)(3).); 
3. Providing sufficient and appropriate staff to carry out functions and activities specified by the Director, Resources Inventory Division, to meet schedules and objectives of annual resources inventories
4. Maintaining the integrity and confidentiality of PSU and point locations.

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