B08_Manual_Supplement_0001.pdf

MANUAL SUPPLEMENT - MEASUREMENT SPECIFICATIONS

INTRODUCTION

This supplement is intended to provide a quick reference to answer some of the questions most asked by field crews. Questions such as the nature of the fieldwork, purpose of the inventory assessment, field sheet/manual referencing as well as the different kinds of plots and corresponding plots are addressed.

Detailed instructions and standards are contained in the Bad River Continuous Forest Inventory Field Manual. Water resistant field manuals and field code definition guides will be supplied.

Allowable tolerances for recorded data are given on the check cruise form.

NATURE OF FIELDWORK

In general, field work requires the location of individual fixed radius (1/5 acre) plots and measurement of the items illustrated by the attached field guide. It involves traversing with location information, compass and pacing, and a GPS unit to relocate the plot. The starting point and plot must be located or reestablished and monumented, and plot and site data collected. A written description with drawn directions to the plot must be recorded on the provided plot location form. Difficulty of accessing and locating plots will vary.

PURPOSE

The CFI survey is a system of permanent plots located on a systematic grid throughout a land base which is examined periodically.

The 2026 update/re-measurement of this survey will provide a more accurate statement of present forest species volume and forest changes. In addition, estimates will be comparable between cycles (growth measurement periods) to provide more accurate statements of growth over a longer period than previously available. This means tree numbers must be used to track measurements; the data will identify that exact same tree is measured in inventories separated in time by 15 years or more.

PLOT WITNESS TREES

Select four witness trees to reference the plot center (preferably one in each quadrant of the plot).

Mark these trees by painting an arrow pointing down, on the side of the tree facing plot center.

If live healthy witness trees already exist on the plot, they can be re-used as witness trees, and the paint markings on them are to be freshened up. The point of the arrow will extend below stump height on the tree (less than 1 foot). Also, paint a line around each witness tree at approximately 7 feet above the ground and paint the plot number, enclosed in a circle, on the side of the tree facing plot center and about 6 feet above the ground. Witness trees will be identified on the tally sheets. This includes azimuth and distance from the plot center to each witness tree.

INFORMATION ITEMS TO BE COLLECTED

Plot Location Card

PLOT NUMBER: Preprinted on tally sheet. A three-digit code to identify the plot.

AZIMUTH TO PLOT: Record the compass reading of track from starting point (SP) to plot center. (PC)

DISTANCE TO PLOT: Record the distance (usually in feet)

STARTING POINT UTM: Collect SP GPS coordinates, in NAD83 datum, UTM Zone 15N coordinate system.

DBH: Measure the stem diameter at 4.5 feet from high side of the starting point tree.

SPECIES: Record three-digit tree species code of SP tree.

MAP: Draw an accurate location map, showing SP, PC, distance, roads, names, and any other outstanding features to be used in plot relocation. Note distances in feet between features.

DESCRIPTION: Add any notes about plot route and plot location, and special features about the plot with detailed description on the access (frozen conditions only, snowmobile vs truck access on roads, etc.)

Include what tree face SP is painted on.

Plot information

PLOT: (Plot No.) Preprinted on tally sheet. A three-digit code to identify the plot.

FIELDWORK COMPLETION MONTH/DAY/YEAR Measurement Date): Enter the date of measurement. If a plot takes more than one day to complete, record the day the work is completed.

GPS COORDINATES OF PLOT CENTER: (UTM Coordinates, NAD 1983 Datum, UTM Zone

15N Coordinate System) Enter GPS coordinate information of plot center.

YEAR OF ORIGIN:

For each plot, enter the year in which the dominant age class of trees originated. The Year of Origin may be obtained from the site index tree, if it is the same age class as the dominant group of trees on the plot. (Four digits)

CREW MEMBERS: Enter full names of all crew members conducting plot measurements.

Tree Information

Tree Number: Preprinted, except for ingrowth trees.

A three-digit code identifying tree number. Trees were initially numbered in sequence from the north, but as new trees have grown into the plot and old trees have died the sequence has been disrupted and the tree numbers are now out of order. All trees must be painted and tagged. Complete count is critical.

Species: Preprinted, correct if necessary.

A three-digit code identifying tree species.

Previous Measurements: Preprinted data from the previous measurements. Correct if necessary.

This information is provided only to assist in identifying all pre-numbered trees. The crew on the ground right now is required to determine the proper information.

Off Plot: Check this box if tree is off plot (like an off-plot SI tree or off-plot witness tree). A tree may be off plot, a site index tree, and/or a witness tree in any combination. All off plot trees must have distance and azimuth to the tree recorded.

Site Index: Check this box if tree is a site index tree. A tree may be off plot, a site index tree, and/or a witness tree in any combination. All site index plot trees must have distance and azimuth to the tree recorded. Site index trees also require a tree core to measure breast height age.

Witness Tree: Check this box if tree is a witness tree. A tree can be off plot, a site index tree, and/or a witness tree in any combination. All witness trees must have distance and azimuth to the tree recorded.

DBH Age: This is determined by a tree core. Fill this in for SI tree only.

Dist. To Tree: Fill in distance (to tenths of a foot) from PC to center of tree for witness trees only.

Azm. To Tree: Record compass reading in degrees to true north, from PC to tree center, for witness trees only.

MORT: (Mortality Code) One digit code.

Trees which are 5.0 inches DBH and larger and were alive during the last measurement, but have since died or been harvested, receive a mortality code. Live trees get mortality code = 0.

DBH (Diameter at Breast Height). (Precision critical.)

All live trees on the plot, 5.0 inches or greater in diameter must be measured. Tree diameter (DBH) is to be taken at 4.5 feet above ground level (on the uphill side). All DBH and tree number paint marks should face plot center. Refer to the manual for various DBH specifications. Whenever possible, diameter will be collected on standing dead trees.

Crown (Crown Ratio Code).

The percentage of total tree height supporting full, live, green, healthy foliage effectively contributing to tree growth. Expressed as a percentage of total tree height and recorded as percent from 1% to 100%.

Total Height (Total Tree Height). Total tree height to the nearest foot.

Top DOB (Total Tree Top Diameter). Record diameter (inches) of diameter of stem where tree height measurement stops. (For a normally formed tree with no damage to the top, the

DOB = 0)

Stem Height: (Main Stem Height) This measurement reflects the top height where the tree’s bole has a smooth and predictable taper; just below any defect which acts as a “stopper”. For forked defects, diameter above the fork must be 50% or less of the diameter below the defect. For multiple forked trees, record to the first lowest fork. Stem height is truncated to the nearest foot.

Stem DOB: (Main Stem Diameter Outside Bark) This is the diameter to which stem height is recorded. Truncate to the nearest inch.

Defect (Tree Volume Defect).

Record the three-digit percent of tree volume defect from 0% (a tree with no damage) to 100% (a tree that is cull).

Prob (Tree Problem).

Three-digit code from the code definition guide that best indicates any problems (insect, disease, other) with the tree.

Regeneration Information

Header: Complete the form header with the plot number, date, and GPS coordinates.

Species: A three-digit code identifying tree species.

Diameter Class:

Choose the diameter class as Seedling (DBH <=0.9”), 2” (DBH 1.0”-2.9”), or 4” (DBH 3.0”-4.9”). Regeneration must be at least one foot high to be counted. Record all species within each diameter class. If multiple stems of a certain diameter class and species are found, increase the stem count.

Stems (Stem count).

Number of stems counted in the 1/100th plot. Count is done by species, by diameter class. Trees greater than or equal to 5” DBH on the large (1/5th acre) plot are all assigned a tree number and therefore will receive a tree count of 1. Regeneration, on the smaller (1/100th acre) plot is not assigned individual tree numbers and therefore will have a tree count of at least one and often much more.

Height (Regen height).

Measurement in feet, of the height of regeneration being counted. Record the height of the first tree encountered in each DBH class/species combination.

CHECK CRUISE FORMS

Check cruise forms are intended to illustrate the associated point loss for measurement errors exceeding specified tolerances for each item in the inventory. Allowed tolerances are shown on the following pages. Differences in measurements between field crew and the check cruiser exceeding these tolerances will be assessed the indicated point loss.