B08_Attachment_X.docx

Attachment X: Android Mobile Device Instructions

EcoSurvey Android Instructions:

File/Folder Structure The EcoSurvey Android application manages databases and configuration files in a private file area which the user does not have direct access to. Therefore, in order to move data to and from other devices and/or applications, they must be imported into the Android app, or exported from it.

When copying files to the device, they should be placed into a folder under “Documents” that is reserved for EcoSurvey files. The following folder structure is prescribed:

When using the EcoSurvey Lite program, this file structure is automatically created the first time the .apk is sent to the device. As such, EcoSurvey Lite users typically do not need to be concerned about the folder structure being correct.

When using EcoSurvey Android managed by InTune (BLM users), this folder structure would need to be manually created. However, it is only absolutely necessary to use this convention if also using the Lite program. Otherwise, the structure is only a recommendation. The Android App itself can import from and export to other folders.

Setting up and Configuring EcoSurvey Android for the First Time There multiple different procedures for installing EcoSurvey on an Android device, depending on whether you are a contractor or a BLM Employee. There are also two different procedures for transferring configuration files to the device, depending on whether you use the EcoSurvey Lite program or not.

Installation Procedures for Contractors Contractors will side-load EcoSurvey Android rather than searching for the application in the Google Play Store. This allows devices to be updated in the field where there may be no internet access.

Install via EcoSurvey Lite To side-load the application from EcoSurvey Lite:

1. Using a USB cable, connect the device to a PC that is running EcoSurvey Lite.

1. On the Android device, in the notification panel, verify that USB is connected “for file transfer”.

1. In the Lite program on the PC, click the “Install Handheld Application” icon. A window will pop up and you should see a list of connected Android devices.

1. Select the correct target device from the list.

1. Click “Install”:

4. The EcoSurvey folder and its subfolders will be created on the device as described in the previous section “File/Folder Structure”

4. An Android installation package file will be copied to the device’s “Documents\EcoSurvey\” folder.

1. On the Android device, use the “My Files” app to browse to the Documents\EcoSurvey\ folder on the device’s internal storage, and find the file “gov.blm.ecosurvey.android-Signed.apk”.

1. Click on the .apk file and then the Android OS will attempt to install the application.

1. If you have never side-loaded an .apk before, Android will prevent you from installing until you grant permission to do so. Skip to the end of this section “Granting permission to install an unknown application”.

Installing From the DRS Website The EcoSurvey Android application is written by DR Systems Northwest Inc., and in the event of application updates, an installation package will be made available immediately on the DRS website. On an Android device with internet access, a new .apk can be downloaded from the website and installed without the use of the Lite program. This is useful in the field for critical updates when the Lite program may not be immediately available. To install from the DRS website:

1. On your Android device (non-BLM device), open a web browser, go to the DR Systems BLM EcoSurvey Downloads page (https://drsystemsinc.com/drsftp/blmftp/), then tap on the EcoSurvey Android APK file hyperlink to download the Android application .apk installation file:

1. Wait for the installation file to download, then tap on “Open” (or navigate to your device’s Downloads folder then tap on the .apk file to open: My Files -> Downloads -> gov.blm.ecosurvey.android-Signed.apk).

1. When the EcoSurvey Android installation prompt appears, tap on “Install” to begin the installation process.

1. If you have never side-loaded an .apk before, Android will prevent you from installing until you grant permission to do so. Skip to the next topic, “Granting permission to install an unknown application”.

1. After the EcoSurvey Android app installation process is complete, tap on “Open” to launch the application.

1. If this is a new install, the requisite folder structure will need to be manually created on the device, as described in the previous section “File/Folder Structure”.

Granting Permission to Install an Unknown Application By default, Android does not allow an unknown application to be side-loaded (installed using an .apk that was copied to the device). However, it is simple to grant permission so that side-loading can be accomplished. If side-loading is not permitted:

1. After tapping on the .apk you will see a warning, “For your security, your [device] is not allowed to install unknown apps from this source”. The source might be “My Files”, or if you downloaded using a browser, the source might be the browser app.

1. Tap Settings, Android will take you to the “Install Unknown Apps” setting for the “My Files” app (or other app).

1. Enable “Allow from this source”, then tap the back button at the bottom of the screen.

1. You will be returned to the install process, tap Install.

Installation Procedures for BLM Employees BLM employees use devices which are restricted by DOI security policies and are governed by the InTune endpoint management system. Applications on InTune-enrolled devices are installed using the Google Play Store, though this is a private Play store managed by DOI.

To install the application using InTune:

1. Navigate to, then tap on the Google “Play Store” app icon.

1. When the Google Play Store opens, enter “EcoSurvey” in Search bar, then tap on the “EcoSurvey Android” app icon.

1. When the EcoSurvey Android screen opens, tap on “Install” to begin installation process.

1. After the EcoSurvey Android app installation process is complete, tap on “Open” on the resulting screen

Transferring Configuration files using EcoSurvey Lite on the PC A “Rules.zip” file will have been exported at the district level and provided to EcoSurvey Android application users, including contractors. To transfer the Rules.zip to the Android device:

1. Follow the procedure described above for connecting the Android device via USB.

1. In the Lite program on the PC, click the “Update validation rules, GIS plots, configuration on Handheld” icon; a window will pop-up and you should see a list of connected Android devices.

1. Select the correct target device from the list.

1. Click “browse”, then locate the rules.zip to be copied to the device.

1. Click “update”; the file will be unzipped to the device’s “Documents\EcoSurvey\Config\” folder.

Transferring Configuration files manually A “Rules.zip” file will have been exported from the EcoSurvey PC Full application. In the absence of the PC Lite software, this file can be copied to the Android device manually over USB. To copy the file:

1. Follow the procedure described above in “Installation Procedures for Contractors” for connecting the Android device via USB.

1. Using the Windows file browser, locate the Android device by name and browse to it.

1. Continue browsing the file tree and locate the Documents\EcoSurvey\ folder.

1. If no Config folder exists, create it, then browse to it.

1. Copy the rules.zip file from the PC to this Config folder.

Importing the new configuration To load contents of the rules.zip into the Android app, follow the procedure outlined in the BLM EcoSurvey Android User Guide, Section 11.1.

Starting EcoSurvey Starting up from the EcoSurvey icon on an Android device:

When the EcoSurvey Android application is started, a Security Warning message appears; tap “Accept” to continue to the EcoSurvey Android Home Page.

Home Page The first page of the application displays a tree-view of projects and surveys and also provides several functions via a group of on-screen buttons.

Open Existing Survey On the home page, use the tree-view to find the desired survey. The tree can be collapsed and expanded by tapping the [+] and [-] buttons next to project names.

Highlight the desired Survey by tapping on it, then tap on the [Open] button. The application will navigate to the Stratum Plot Select Page for the survey.

Add a New Survey On the Home Page, tap the [Add] button, then:

1. In the New Survey window, select an existing project from the combo box or enter a new Project name.

1. Enter the survey’s unit name or survey ID.

1. Tap the [Create] button.

1. After creating a new survey the application will automatically navigate to the Stratum Plot Select Page for the new survey.

Delete a Survey On the Home Page, select the survey to be deleted, then:

1. Tap the [Delete] button.

1. A confirmation dialog appears. Tap the [Yes] button to confirm the delete. To cancel the action, tap the [No] button.

Note: If deleting a survey creates an empty Project, the Project will remain in the tree-view until the application is exited. New surveys can be added to an empty project that appears in the list.

Move a Survey A survey can be moved to a different project. However, this action is not performed on the home page. Instead, edit the Survey’s Unit Header and change the project name. See section 7.1 about the Unit Header Project Name field.

Export Surveys To move surveys from the Android application to another device or to a PC, they must first be exported. The export process is described in the section on Data Transfer, Exporting Surveys.

Import Survey To use surveys that have been transferred to the Android device from another device or PC, they must first be imported. The import process is described in the section on Data Transfer, Importing Surveys.

Config App Refer to the section Configuring the Application Quit Tap the [Quit] button to exit the application. On the confirmation window, tap the [Yes] button to confirm and exit the program.

Configuring the Application EcoSurvey Android installs with a default Data Entry Configuration, but it is typically reconfigured on a per-project basis by importing a new configuration. The imported configuration also can be tweaked to some extent. Taking time to verify the configuration is recommended since certain features can help speed up the data entry process, for example the species keymaps and repeat fields. Once such features are set, they are remembered for all future surveys, until modified, or until overwritten with the import of a new Data Entry Configuration file. If necessary, these settings can be modified at any time, even on-the-fly while conducting a survey.

The Configuration Page is accessed via the application’s Home Page by tapping the [Config App] button. The name of the currently loaded Data Entry Configuration is displayed in the center of the Configuration Page. The upper group of 5 buttons provides access to edit configurable settings.

Loading the rules.zip or its contents To load a configuration:

1. Navigate to the Configuration Page.

1. Tap either:

1. [Load a Config (Rules.zip)] to load a config directly from a zip file; or

1. [Load a Config (from Folder)] to load a config from the Config folder (which would have been copied there by the EcoSurvey Lite program.

1. a prompt will appear indicating that files will be overwritten

1. Tap OK; a file browser window will appear

1. Browse on the local device to:

4. the location of the rules.zip, or

4. the folder \Documents\EcoSurvey\Config

1. After finding the correct location:

5. Tap the .zip file; or,

5. Tap [USE THIS FOLDER]

1. A confirmation dialog should be displayed, indicating the name of the Data Entry Configuration Set that was loaded.

1. Tap [OK], you’re done!

Survey Defaults Set the default survey sample method, plot sizes, maximum sapling DBH, minimum snag and DWM diameters and lengths, and create User Defined fields for alphanumeric and numeric entry. Whenever a new survey is created all of the default settings and values will be automatically entered into the new survey. If necessary, many of these settings can be changed on-the-fly if adjustments are needed for completion of the current survey.

Fields that can be defaulted are:

· Tree Plot Setup

· Tree Plot Type: (VP, Radius, Area)

· Plot Size: Prism Size (for VP1 and Ratio), Radius in feet, and Area in acres

· Sampling Method: (VP1, VP2, Ratio)

· Measure Prism (VP2 only)

· Age Ratio

· Height Ratio

· Minimum Merchantable DBH

· Plot Sizes

· Default DWM Transect Length

· Seedling/Regen Plot Size

· Vegetation Plot Size

· Sapling/Regen Plot Setup

· Plot Type

· Plot Area or Radius and Max DBH

· DWM/Snag Minimums

· Min DWM Intersect Diameter

· Min Dead Tree DBH (for Tree data entry)

· Min Dead Tree Length (Tree data entry)

· User Defined Labels; Alpha and Numeric field labels for:

· Unit Header

· Stratum Header

· Plot Header

· Tree Data Entry

· Saplings Data Entry

· Seedlings Data Entry

· DWM Data Entry

· Vegetation Data Entry Maximum Checks Set or review the global maximums for heights, DBH’s, and length. All of the Warnings generated by these maximum checks are passable by the user in the field. These simple maximum checks can be set, and readily reset, to assist with minimizing data entry errors while in the field. This feature provides in-the-field, timely on-screen warnings to alert the user. These settings only provide warnings and do not limit or restrict data entry values.

Species Keymaps Species Keymaps assign species codes to a number key. This feature applies to Tree, Regen, Vegetation and Down Woody Material species code data entry. On a data entry page, when a species code field receives focus (i.e., the cursor lands on the field) a diagram displaying a mapping of number to codes can appear on the display. Tapping a number on the keyboard automatically inserts the corresponding species code.

The On-screen appearance of the Keymap is toggled with a “Show map in Data Entry?” checkbox found at the bottom of each Keymap configuration page.

The “Show Keymap” button displays an on-screen preview of the actual Keymap as it will appear on the data entry page.

Navigation within the Species Keymap page:

· Tap the desired Piece type button at the bottom of the page: [Tree], [DWM], [Sub Merch], or [Veg]. The page title will change to indicate which Keymap is being edited.

· The Species Number on the left-hand side indicates the numeric value to which a species code will be assigned. Species codes are entered in the data entry field and can be looked up by tapping the tool button to launch the searchable pick list.

Repeat Fields The Repeat Fields feature can speed up data entry by copying specific data from the current record into a new record. The following fields can be toggled on to allow a repeat of the code or value for each subsequent record created:

· Plot Header:

· Count/Measure

· IsTreePlot

· IsRegenPlot

· IsVegetationPlot

· IsDWMTransect

· Trees:

· Species

· Dead/Live (Extant)

· Cut/Leave

· Standing/Fallen (Stance)

· Blank.vs.OldGrowth (Not Old/Old)

· Deduction

· Layer

· DamageCode

· Saplings:

· Species

· DBH

· Layer

· Down Woody Material:

· Species

· DecayClass

· PieceSlope

· TransectAzimuth Navigation within the Repeat Fields page:

· Tap the desired Piece type button at the bottom of the page: [Tree], [DWM], [Saplings], or [Veg]. The page title will change to indicate which set of Repeat Fields is being edited.

· The contents of the checkbox list will change accordingly. Simply tap the desired checkbox to toggle the repeat feature on or off for that field.

Tree, Sap, Seed Required Fields Cursor Jumping & Validation are normally determined by selected Reports and required fields as dictated by the Tree Data Entry Rules at the District level. These rules can be added to or customized using the Tree, Sap, Seed Required Fields feature, for the following tree categories: Count, Age, Height, Site, & Dead, as well as for Saplings and Seedlings.

Note that some Tree, Sap, Seed Required Fields may also have been set at the district level as required. For such fields, the field name will appear in the list, but will be greyed out and cannot be checked.

Navigation within the Tree, Sap, Seed Required Fields page:

· Tap the desired Tree type button at the bottom of the page: [Count], [Age], [Height], [Site], [Dead], [Sapling], or [Seedling]. The page title will change to indicate which set of Required Fields is being edited.

· The contents of the checkbox list will change accordingly. Simply tap the desired checkbox to toggle the field as required or not.

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Stratum Plot Select Page After opening a survey, the user is presented with the Stratum Plot Select Page, which employs a tree-view to display all plots in the survey, grouped by stratum. The data is arranged in a hierarchy: plots within a stratum, strata within the unit. The tree can be collapsed and expanded by tapping the [+] and [-] buttons next to items within the tree.

Any item represented by a node in the tree-view can be edited. Simply tap the item to highlight it, then tap the [Edit] button. The application will display the Unit Header Page, the Stratum Header Page, or the Plot Header Page.

Add a Plot Surveys imported from the BLM may already contain empty plots, but a survey created from scratch on the Android Device will contain no plots. To add a new plot:

1. Tap on the desired stratum for the new plot.

1. Tap the [Add Plot] button.

1. The Plot Header Page will appear.

When a new plot is created it will automatically receive a number in sequence based on the highest existing plot number.

Add a Stratum To add a new stratum, tap the [Add Stratum] button. A new Stratum node will appear in the tree-view, and the Stratum Header Page will appear.

The new stratum will receive the next letter in sequence based on the existing stratum letters.

Delete a Plot or Stratum Plots and Strata can be deleted from the survey. To delete either:

1. Tap on the stratum or plot to be deleted.

1. Tap the [Delete] button.

1. A Confirmation Dialog will appear.

1. Tap [Yes] to confirm deletion

When a stratum is deleted, all plots within it are deleted!

When a plot is deleted, all piece data within it is deleted!

Unit Header Page The Android application presents most Unit Header fields on a single scrollable page; some data is entered on tertiary pages, this includes the report list and the user defined field labels.

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Data Entry Field Descriptions

· Project and Unit values entered when the survey was imported or created can be changed or edited here if this information is incorrect. Changing the project name here will cause the survey to appear under the new project designation once you return to the home page.

· RMA value must be selection from the Pick List.

· Examiner(s) - Enter up to four examiners’ names or initials.

· Date(s) - Enter appropriate survey date for the paired Examiner. Today’s date is automatically entered by default.

· Select a Site Tree Table (where utilized) using the drop-down pick list.

· Select a Site Potential Tree Height Table (if appropriate) using the drop-down pick list.

Activate the Site Table pick lists by tapping the tool button for the field. Scroll to find the desired table and tap your selection to insert it into the field.

If seedling data is collected: Enter the average seedling age and assign a Seedling Layer value of 1 or 3, (i.e., Top or Bottom).

· Select a Seedling Layer category from the field’s Pick List.

· An average Seedling Age value must be entered for Micro*Storms export or for generating a stand description utilized for Report header stand information if seedling data is collected.

Sapling Layer assignments (for Micro*Storms) are input on the Sapling Data Entry Page for each individual tree record. For information on Micro*Storms layer descriptions refer to the BLM Field User Guide.

· Reports can be selected and changed by tapping the reports button and navigating to the Unit Header Reports Page, which employs a checkbox list.

· User Defined Data is precisely that – user defined. Enter data according to the field description. The data in these fields may have been copied from the Survey Defaults.

· Survey Notes – a popup window allows you to enter notes for the survey.

· User Defined Labels can be defined by tapping the [Custom Labels…] button and navigating to the User Labels page. For further detail about user defined fields, see the following section.

· Planned GPS File allows a GPS points file to be selected from those made available in the loaded Rules.zip. GPS points files define GIS plot GPS coordinates which can later be referenced on the Plot Header.

Move a Survey A Survey can be moved into either an existing Project, or into a new Project. To do so, tap the arrow on the project name combo box, to open the Project Pick list.

To move the survey to an existing Project, tap on the Project Name in the pick list window.

To move the survey to a new project, simply type the name of a new project directly into the project name field.

The project name will change but will not take effect until navigating back from the unit header. At this point, validations will run and the changed project name will be identified. To allow the project name to change, confirm the warning message by tapping the [OK] button.

Reports Tap the [Reports] button, scroll the list, and tap the checkboxes to activate a specific Report’s selection.

The Reports checked in this list drive affect both the cursor jump order and the validations at all levels of the application and within the Compliance Report.

The Compliance Report incorporates requirements and validation from up to seven sources of required data:

· Custom Required Fields (jump order) and Custom Report

· Trees

· Dead Wood

· Understory

· Regen (Sub Merch)

· Export Models – Export to growth models

· Exports to Micro*Storms Fields required by each report are determined in the Tree Data Entry Rules defined by the district. For example, at the Tree level, Height trees will require the DBH to be entered. An “H” tree would be utilized as a VBAR tree, a requirement for all standing tree volume reporting, unless manually flagged as “Not VBAR”. Tree Data Entry rules cannot be changed in the Android Application.

CXX Create Custom Report Select this report to enable special validations based solely on the “Custom Report” requirements which can only be set in the Tree Data Entry Rules table (found under the PC Administration Menu). This does not generate a special report, but the required tree data fields become part of the EcoSurvey PC Full Compliance Report.

Listing of available Reports, Exports, and Models Selectable reports are as follows:

· Trees

· Stats for trees, merch dbh (T02)

· Stand condition summary (T04)

· Stand table by species (T05)

· Merch tree plot summary (T07)

· Site tree summary (T08)

· Cut/Leave summary (merch) (T06)

· Plot summary for all trees (includes sub-merch) (T03)

· Dead Wood

· Down woody material summary (D03)

· Snag Summary (T09)

· Understory

· Sub merch plot summary (S02)

· Regen

· Regen by stand, by tree species (R03)

· Vegetation

· Vegetation stats (V02)

Selectable Exports/Models are as follows:

· SPS Export (X01)

· ORGANON Export (X02)

· FVS Export (X03)

· LMS Export (X04)

· MICRO*STORMS Export

· M*S Stand Attributes + Layer stats (MS1)

· M*S Regen (MS3)

· M*S Down Wood (MS4)

· M*S Snag (MS5)

· Create Custom Report (CXX) Survey Notes

· Unlimited text capacity for all notes

· Line wrap is automatic

User-Defined Field Labels Each data entry area (Unit, Stratum and Plot Headers, Trees, Regen, Vegetation and DWM) have two custom fields available, an “Alpha” and a “Numeric” field. The Alpha field accepts numbers, letters and other characters, while the Numeric fields only allow accepts values (integer or decimal).

The labels for these fields are customizable. In EcoSurvey PC Full, the user-defined field labels can be created in a “Template Unit” to be distributed in a Rules.zip. Once loaded into the Android app, these labels would then appear in the Survey Defaults and thus any new survey created. The labels can be edited at any time.

If custom labels for the survey have been defined in the unit header, those headings will appear here. Otherwise, the default headings “ALPHA VALUE” and “NUMERIC VALUE” will appear.

To view and edit all custom fields labels in the current survey, tap the [Custom Labels…] button.

Planned GPS Coordinates Background GIS generated Planned GPS plot coordinates are available to the Android application after loading a Rules.zip file. The Planned GPS plot coordinate file is selected from and loaded into the current survey from the [GPS File:] button on the Unit Header page.

This file contains the GPS grid coordinates for the plot locations in the Unit (based on digital GIS map work). This data file is to be used with a reference map of the Unit showing the office GIS plot locations and grid numbers (not the actual field plot numbers).

Select a GPS points file by tapping the [GPS File:] button, which launches a searchable pick list which allows the user to choose any points file that was included in the Rules.zip. After selection, the [GPS File:] button text will be updated to show the selected filename.

The Office GPS coordinates associated with each office generated GIS Plot Number is available and displayed for field use on the Plot Header. There has to be a GIS plot location map which is used for showing the GPS coordinates associated with each office plot number. For more information refer to Plot GPS Location.

Stratum Header Page Data Entry Field Descriptions Tree Plot Setup

· [Stratum ID] – The Stratum ID is automatically created based on alphabetic sequence. The ID can be changed if desired.

· [Stratum Area] – enter the stratum area in acres.

· [Tree Plot Type] – Fixed or Variable (VP)

1. VP – [VP Sampling Method] (VP1, VP2, or Ratio)

1. Fixed – [Plot Size] (Area or BAF)

The following table describes sampling methods with comments on data entry procedures, referring to tree flags described in the Tree Data Entry section on Tree Flags / Tree# Button.

· Computer assigns an “H” Flag to every tree (every tree is a VBAR tree). When the [Add Tree] bar is tapped for a new Tree record an “H” appears.

· Assign “A” trees manually. “Age” trees require Breast Height. Age and radial growth measurements if required by a selected Export Model.

· Computer assigns an “H” flag to every tree. When the [Add Tree] bar is tapped for a new Tree record an “H” appears.

· Assign “A” (Age) trees manually.

Count Plots

· No “H” or “A” tree flag assignments.

· Tree count can be by species only or species with Cut or Leave, Standing/Fallen, Dead/Live

· Tap [Add Tree] bar to add a new count Tree.

· User assigns both “H” and “A” flags manually.

· Trees without an “H” or “A” are considered count trees and are used accordingly for statistical reporting.

Ratio Cruise:

VP or Fixed Plot (Area Sample) Mixed Plot - all plots can have both Count and Measure trees

· Computer assigns “A” and “H” flags automatically/randomly. User can override using reject flags (“rA” and “rH”) if trees do not qualify. User can select replacements for these rejected trees with “forced” Age and Height trees (“fA” and “fH”).

· Trees having no “A”, “fA”, “H”, or “fH” flags are considered count trees for statistical reporting (even if there is “good” data on the count tree – such would be the case if the count tree has DBH and height data).

Plot Sizes (DWM, Seedlings, and Vegetation)

· [Minimum Merchantable DBH] – trees smaller than this DBH can only be tallied as Saplings.

· [Default DWM Transect Length] – This default represents the total transect footage to be sampled at each Plot. If the sampling protocol calls for four 50-foot transects to be installed at each Plot, then this value is 200.

Note: A value is needed in this field to activate the random Azimuth generation feature.

· Plot size – enter an Area or Radius for Vegetation and Seedling/Regen plots.

Sapling/Regen Plot Setup.

One Sapling Size Category If you plan to use just one sapling category, enter the plot size in the first Plot Radius/Area field and set the Max DBH.

Multiple Sapling Size Categories If you plan to split saplings into different DBH samples, define the Max. DBH for each size class. Note: size classes are entered from smallest DBH to largest (top to bottom). The saplings will be split using these criteria for all reporting and export file creation purposes.

DWM, Snag Minimums

· Minimum for DWM Intersect Diameter The new sampling protocol introduced in 2020 relies on a minimum 3-inch Intersect Diameter and 3-foot piece Length.

· Minimums for Dead Tree (Snag) DBH, and Length (Height)

User-Defined Fields If custom labels for the stratum have been defined in the unit header, those headings will appear here. Otherwise, the default headings “ALPHA VALUE” and “NUMERIC VALUE” will appear.

In the following example, the alphanumeric field displays a user-defined field label “RESERVE Y/N”, and the Numeric field displays its default field label.

Stratum Notes Notes can be entered and are displayed with automatic text wrapping.

Setting up the Sampling Method The Stratum is the basis for all statistical reporting. It is important to understand how to set the Tree level Sampling Method. Each Stratum within a Unit (survey) can have a different sampling method and/or intensity. Normally, each Stratum samples a unique area within a Unit. The total Unit area is, with rare exceptions, always equal to the sum of all the stratum areas.

Sampling Method Setup Examples:

· VP1 – One Prism Variable Plot

1. Select [VP] for Tree Plot Type

1. Select [VP1] for VP Sampling Method

1. Enter BAF value for “Plot Size.”

· VP2 – Two Prism (Big BAF) Variable Plot

1. Select [VP] for Tree Plot Type

1. Select [VP2] for VP Sampling Method

1. Enter BAF value for “Count” Trees (Plot Size)

1. Enter BAF value for “Measure” Trees

· Ratio Prism Plot

1. Select [VP] for Tree Plot Type

1. Select [Ratio] for VP Sampling Method

1. Enter BAF value for Plot Size

1. Enter % frequency value for sampling “Age” Trees

1. Enter % frequency value for sampling “Height” Trees

· Fixed Area Sized Plot (or 100% sample)

1. Select [Area] for Tree Plot Type

1. Enter a “Plot Area” value for fixed plot size in acres.

1. 100% sample - Enter the Unit acreage for a “Plot Area” value

· Fixed Radius Plot

1. Select [Radius] for “Tree Plot Type”

1. Enter a “Plot Radius” in feet

Stratum Statistics Statistics can be obtained for each Stratum providing they have at least two plots each. To activate this feature, tap on the [Statistics] menu button atop the Stratum page.

An example of Stratum Statistics reported are shown in the images at the below.

Plot Header Page Data Entry Field Descriptions Plot Setup Plot Number – The plot number is automatically assigned when the plot is created but it can be changed. The plot number must be unique among all plots in the survey.

Stratum – The plots can be reassigned to a different Stratum via the pick list button.

Plot Shape – Full, Half, Quarter via the pick list button.

Habitat Code – Habitat Type codes are collected for use with FVS variants in the Inland Empire. The searchable pick list of habitat codes is available via the tool button.

Merch Plot Type – Sample plot type for Merchantable Trees If Sample type is Prism (VP1) method, select Measure or Count.

If Sample type is Fixed, VP2 or Ratio, ignore the [Merch Plot Type] field.

· Fixed plots are always a Measure plot (all trees have full measurements.

· VP2 plots are always a Measure plots (mixed count trees and measure trees)

· Ratio plots are always a Measure plot (they contain a mix of both count and measure trees)

DWM Azimuth – is automatically generated via a random number generator when the [Default DWM Transect Length] field value has been entered on the Stratum Header in the Plot Sizes section. If the azimuth is changed due to circumstances on an individual Plot, then a comment documenting the situation should be entered into the Plot Comments field.

DWM Transect Length – is the default value set on the Stratum Header in the Plot Sizes section. The [Default DWM Transect Length] represents the total length of each transect or sum of all transects installed on this Plot.

Plot Use (Stocking) As data is entered for the various Piece data entry pages, these checkboxes are automatically set to denote that Tree, Regen/SubMerch, Vegetation, or DWM sampling is performed on a specific Plot. A checked box also serves as a validation to show you didn’t forget to install a plot even if no records were entered for a specific sample. If there is a no data situation with any of the Piece-level plots, then you will get a validation/warning message that the “Is” box is checked. You will be asked to confirm the no tally/non-stocked status for that plot type.

The [Non-Forest Plot] check box is only used in conjunction with Regeneration Surveys. These (checked) Non-Forest plots will be excluded from any stocking percent calculations.

The only time the Non-Forest check box can be selected is when the [Is Regen/SubMerch plot] field’s checkbox is also used. The reasoning is, this plot is to be included in the regeneration survey, but it should not be counted for the regen stocking calculation, due to its being a non-forest (i.e., rock cover, road, water feature, etc.) plot.

Plot Description

· The [Topography] field is populated via a pick list which contains a brief descriptive phrase for each code.

· See the BLM EcoSurvey Field user Guide for more detailed topography definitions and for an explanation of how to employ and collect data for the other Plot Header fields; [Aspect], [Slope], and [Canopy Cover].

Plot GPS Location This section of the Plot Header records field collected spatial coordinates and can also display planned (office GIS generated) GPS coordinates for Latitude and Longitude.

The Office GPS Latitude / Longitude from file coordinates are sources from the GPS points file defined on the unit header, based on the indicated GIS Plot Number. If an invalid GIS Plot number is entered, no office coordinates will be shown.

The Field GPS Latitude and Longitude fields can be entered manually or inserted automatically using the device’s internal GPS receiver.

Using the Android GPS receiver The office coordinates can be used assist with navigating to the plot location. When close to the desired plot location, tap the [Read GPS] button, and a field reading can be taken with the internal GPS. If using the GPS for the first time, you will need to grant permission for EcoSurvey to access to feature. Tap [When using the app].

As coordinates are read from the GPS they will appear to fluctuate. This may be because of obstructions or a low number of satellites acquired. The best practice is to wait a short period of time, possibly a minute or more, until the fluctuations reduce in significance. Navigate to the plot center. Once satisfied, tap the [Set GPS] button: the actual field coordinates, along with the Elevation, are captured and written to the plot header.

In the EcoSurvey database, it is the actual field collected GPS coordinates which are associated with the Field Plot Number.

The BLM-generated GIS grid file may cover a large area and therefore, may be used across multiple survey Units. This datafile has to be accompanied with a reference map and grid of the survey Unit(s) showing the office GIS plot numbers. The office GIS plot numbers are only used in conjunction with the reference map.

User Defined Fields If custom labels for the plot have been defined in the unit header, those headings will appear here. Otherwise, the default headings “ALPHA VALUE” and “NUMERIC VALUE” will appear.

Plot Comments The Plot Comments field provides ample space for many notes. Enter information to explain measurement decisions on individual trees, plot conditions, special circumstances, or observations pertinent to the survey’s objectives.

Plot Repeats [Count/Measure], [IsTreePlot], [IsRegenPlot], [IsVegetationPlot], and [IsDWMTransect] fields can each be set to repeat their previous value in the Configuration.

Configuration Menu The Configuration Page is available directly from the Plot Header by tapping the [Config] button in the upper right corner. This feature allows these features to be accessed without the inconvenience of navigating back via the home page then returning to the plot header.

Data Entry (Trees, Regen, Vegetation, DWM) The Tree, Seedling, Sapling, Vegetation and Down Woody Material data entry pages are all very similar and follow a standard layout with common functions.

Navigation Bar / Current Record / Menus The navigation bar is common to all pages, displaying menus and back navigation buttons as well as the page title. The navigation bar serves another function on piece data entry pages: The title is functional and indicates the piece type (Tree, Sapling, etc), the current record number being edited, and the total number of records.

Header and Footer The header and footer are used to “scroll” through the available records. By tapping the header or the footer, you can move up or down through the list of records.

When at the top/beginning of the list (i.e., viewing record number 1), the header will turn grey and the text “Top of <type> list” will appear, indicating that you cannot scroll any further.

The footer behavior is slightly different: When at the bottom/end of the list, and the last record does not have a Species Code, the footer will turn grey and the text “At bottom, enter species code to add” will appear, indicating that you cannot scroll any further. If the Last record does have a Species Code, the footer will remain yellow, and the text “Add <type>” will appear.

The header and footer also show several data fields for the contained records, as a reference to indicate which items are previous and next in the list.

Plot Size Info Due to minimal space available in the navigation bar, information about the plot is not displayed there. To see information about the plot on which data is being currently collected, use the [Tools] menu and select [Plot Size Info].

A summary window will pop up temporarily, displaying the following data, dependent on data type being collected:

· Tree: Plot Shape, Merch Plot Type, Plot Type, Sampling Method and parameters.

· Seedling: Plot Size.

· Sapling: Inner, Middle, and Outer Plot Size.

· Vegetation: Plot Size.

· DWM: Transect Length, Azimuth, and minimum Intersect Diameter.

Quick Access to Plot Notes While entering data it can be useful to be able to quickly add to the plot notes without leaving the data entry page. To do so, use the [Tools] menu and tap on [Plot Notes].

Deleting a record A data entry record can be deleted. When using this function, it is the current record that will be deleted. There is no Undo for this action.

1. Select the record to be deleted, by tapping the header or footer to scroll up or down through the list of records.

1. Tap on the [Tools] menu button.

1. Tap on [Delete] in Tools menu.

1. Tap “Yes” in the confirmation dialog to complete the action.

Inserting a new record A new data entry record can be inserted between existing records. When using this function, the new record will be added before the current record being edited. To insert a record:

1. Select the position where the new record should be inserted, by tapping the header or footer to scroll up or down through the list of records.

1. Tap on the [Tools] menu button.

1. Tap on [Insert] in Tools menu.

After insertion, the record that was being edited will appear in the footer. When inserting trees, the new record will be assigned the next higher tree number for that Plot, resulting in a list with a non-sequential number. If the tree number sequence is not important this can be ignored. If the tree number sequence is important, then renumbering can be accomplished by utilizing the “Renumber Tree” process in the Tree Data Entry section below.

Copying Records Tree, Seedling and Sapling records can be copied the current record can be copied to a new record and duplicated (the previous record’s data can be copied to the current record). For instructions, refer to the section describing the Copy Menu.

User Defined Data If custom labels for the plot have been defined in the unit header, those headings will appear on the page, otherwise, the default headings “ALPHA VALUE” and “NUMERIC VALUE” will appear.

Repeat Fields As data entry is conducted, data from the current record can be repeated in the next, in order to speed up the process. For example, if the majority of trees in a surveyed stand were of the same Species, in a single canopy Layer, Standing, Live, and designated as Leave trees; then Repeats could be enabled for these five fields. Then with each new Tree record, these codes would all be copied (repeated) from the previous Tree record.

Repeat fields are configurable for Trees, Saplings, and DWM. To configure which fields are repeated, see the section on Repeat Fields.

Data Entry Pages Trees Access the Tree data entry page via the [Trees] icon at the bottom of the Plot Header Page.

1.

The data entry fields which appear on the Tree data entry page will change depending on multiple factors:

1. The most significant differences in page appearance and composition are related to the selected Sampling Method. These differences include data collection requirements, and procedures such as the manual or automatic assignment of “Tree Flags” to individual sample trees.

2. The required fields will vary based on the usual factors (Reports and Export Models selected on the Unit header, Tree, Sap, Seed Required Fields, etc.), but also based on the Tree Flags for the current tree.

The Tree data entry page consists of a single page and, on measure plots, one extra data-entry page, Tree Flags, which is accessible via the Tree# field button on the main page. Trees on count plots do not utilize the Tree#/Tree Flags button.

Note: Before entering tree data you should understand how the 3 basic tree flags work.

Tree Flags / Tree# Button The tree number is displayed alongside tree flag codes on the Tree Flags button. Tap this button to edit Tree Flags.

Tree flags are used for:

· Stratum statistics calculations

· Determining required fields

· Setting validation criteria of tree data See the Tree Flag Behavior tables in the BLM EcoSurvey Android User Guide Appendix for additional information regarding the availability and use by Tree Type and Sampling Method.

With Ratio Sampling the H (Height) and A (Age) Tree Flags are assigned by the computer, but can, if necessary, be Rejected by the user for an individual tree and replaced with Forced Flag on another tree.

With 1 Prism measure plots and Fixed Radius plots the computer assigns the H (Height) flag to every tree – and the user assigns the A (Age) flags manually.

With 2 Prism, Big BAF sampling the user must assign both H (Height) and A (Age) flags manually.

Some flags may not be accessible depending on the sampling method employed and its tree status toggled in the Dead/Live field.

After the tree flags are adjusted and the popup window closed, the Tree Flags button is refreshed to show the updated tree flag codes.

Basic Tree Flags The two basic tree flags are the (H)eight and (A)ge flags, which may be set manually or automatically depending on the sampling method used.

The following table describes the Tree Flags utilized in EcoSurvey.

Height (VBAR) trees.

Species Code The Species code tool button launches the searchable pick list for Tree Species Codes.

Cut/Leave Stand/Fall Dead/Live The values for these three Tree fields are toggled by tapping to designate a tree’s “Status”, which may affect required fields.

Each tree’s Status Codes are displayed in the header and footer as an abbreviation:

· Cut/Leave [C/L],

· Standing/Fallen [S/F],

· Live/Dead [L/D].

To change a Status Code, tap on the toggle button for that field.

DBH & Diameter Root Collar (DRC) The DBH field permits a numeric diameter to be entered. However, for twenty different multi-stemmed western woodland species, a cumulative DRC is used to compute a composite diameter metric. When sich a species code is entered in the species data entry, the DBH field name will change to DRC. To enter stem diameters for a multi-stemmed tree:

1. With the cursor focus on the [DRC] field, tap the tool button to access the Stem Diameters page.

1. Enter the first stem measurement in the [Diameter] field of the current record.

1. Tap the [Next] key in the on-screen keyboard to enter the next stem diameter measurement.

1. Repeat Step 3 to enter another stem diameter.

1. To scroll through the tallied stem diameters, collapse the on-screen keyboard and use a finger or stylus.

1. Edit data as needed.

You can record up to 16 stem diameters for a single tree. The computed DRC and total number of stems diameters included in that computation are displayed in the window at the bottom of the DRC page. When all stem diameters are entered, the [Calculate] button will compute the composite DRC value. Tap the [Copy to Tree] button to input the calculated DRC value into the [DRC] field of the tree record.

Note: All tallied stem diameters are retained for each tree, and they can be reviewed or edited in either EcoSurvey Android or EcoSurvey PC Full.

Tree Height Tree Height can be entered manually, or the tree height calculator can be used.

To use the calculator with a specific Tree record:

1. Tap the tool button in the [Height] field.

2. Enter the percent slope values for [Top], (Base of) [Crown], and [Slope] to the base of the tree or “DBH”.

3. Enter the distance to the tree.

4. If distance to the tree, is not to the base, measure it to DBH if possible (or another point on the bole) and enter a value in the [Ht. to DBH] field.

5. Tap the [Calculate] button.

6. Confirm the results and touch the [Apply] to save the results into the [Height] and [Crown Ratio] fields.

13. In/Out (Borderline) Tree Calculator The In/Out tree calculator uses the BAF and a tree DBH to calculate the critical distance to either the Face or Center of the tree. If the tree is farther than the critical distance it is considered an “Out” tree.

The In/Out Tree calculator can be activated from the Tree Tools window and can be utilized either with any existing tree record, or with a new totally “blank” tree record.

To use the calculator when on the Tree data entry page.

1. Tap the [Tools] button in the navigation bar

2. From the Tree Tools menu, select “In/Out Calculator” from.

If you came from an existing Tree record, the BAF and DBH fields will both, be prefilled, confirming that you are in the edit mode for that specific tree.

If only the BAF field is prefilled, then you are probably in a new tree record at the end of your tree tally list.

Note: If you are using the BIG BAF (dual prism) sampling method, the “Count” BAF value will be filled automatically. The “Measure” tree BAF Value will need to be entered manually.

1. In either case, tap the [Next] button on the on-screen number pad to enter the remaining required data: [DBH], [Slope], and [Slope…