iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

Forest Inventory

Started by BlaBla, July 12, 2006, 05:14:46 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

BlaBla

As part of my preparation for entering school to study forestry, I'm working for a professor here to inventory volunteer black walnut trees in test plots at the university. At first, I used a "coordinate" system recording the number of paces east and west and the number of paces north and south from the boundaries. As you may have guessed, that system didn't work well because paces aren't the most accurate, and I changed starting points many times. It worked with the more sparsely populated plots, but on the heavily populated plots it will not work.

I plan to map with graph paper tomorrow as a way to modify the coordinate system with a more comparative approach rather than a tree-by-tree approach if that makes sense.

Inventory methods are something that I have not read on much. What ideas do you have for inventorying all the volunteer black walnuts on this land?

A few details: 
That trees that I'm measuring range from about 4" in diameter to 20-25", the accuracy is most important in the diameters in excess of 10". The area is 60 acres and I'd like to finish this working 15-20 hours/week.
I am able to break the area up in smaller parts because each plot is only 1-2 acres. However, some of the boundaries have disappeared.


Also, I'm looking for a very temporary way to mark the trees which I have already inventoried. I used chalk with some success, though I'd like better success. Paint would be too permanent in this situation.

What are your suggestions? I hope I was clear enough with my objectives.

Thanks

Ron Wenrich

I am assuming that you're not doing a 100% inventory.  Personally, I prefer to use the variable plot method.  I use an angle guage instead of a prism.  Want to read up on it?  Here's some things I wrote up for the forum:

https://forestryforum.com/tips/tips.cgi?display:1010359123-3833.txt
https://forestryforum.com/tips/tips.cgi?display:1010359141-3837.txt
https://forestryforum.com/tips/tips.cgi?display:1010359154-3844.txt

You'll find them in our Knowledge Base which is in the Forum Extras.  Its the green button up in the left hand corner.  While you're in there, look at the tool box.  You might find some of the calculators to come in handy.

I have used the variable plot method and have come up with useful data.  On one occassion, I had to do a 100% sample on a woodlot that I had cruised.  I was within 3% and the diameter distribution was right in line.  I am real comfortable with it.

If I was doing a regen cruise, I would do circular plots that would yield 1/100 acre.  That takes a circular plot with a radius of 11.8 feet.

For your 60 acres, you would need about 60 plots at a 10% cruise.  Plots take me about 10-15 minutes each, depending on conditions.   
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

BlaBla

I'm inventorying every sizeable volunteer black walnut tree in the 60 acres. I'm trying get a map that shows how the volunteers have distributed themselves over the area. Some areas have no black walnuts, and some areas are loaded. I don't believe our objective can be met without a 100% inventory. Any ideas?

Riles

Sounds like you need to GPS each tree and use the coordinates for a database. That would give you a graphical representation of the distribution. You could get as much accuracy as you're willing to invest in. Alternately, you could use a surveyor's transit and a laser ranger. Pretty time consuming if you're doing it by yourself.

Plastic flagging tape works well. Easy to see, easy to remove when you're done.
Knowledge is good -- Faber College

Ron Wenrich

OK, then I'm not clear on your objective.  Is your objective to locate, measure, record and map every walnut tree?  Or is it to come up with a distribution map and inventory?  Find out from the prof what his requirements are going to be, and why he wants it.  Knowing your clients needs is one thing every forester should have before proceeding with any project.

If you don't need to locate every tree, then a distribution map is actually pretty easy.  You have to figure out your criteria.  Do you want it to be a proportion of the existing stand?   # of trees/acre of a certain size?  When you can set your criteria that is needed for the job, then you can lay out your inventory.

When I do my point samples, I will draw a map and locate my points through compass and pace.  It usually holds pretty well for me.  I will note where things change, such as pole stand to small sawtimber, or stands that have more oak than tulip poplar.  Whatever the noticable changes are.

When you connect the dots, you will see that distribution is pretty much in clusters.  That's where I draw the map and figure things up. 

If you want to go out and physically map each tree, then the GPS route may be the best way to go.  But, you're going to need a lot of graph paper.
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

BlaBla

I think I used the wrong term when I used distribution. The prof's objective is to roughlymap every bw in the stand. I don't have the resources for GPS or laser tools. I will be doing it with paper and pencil--yes maybe a bit old school and very rough. We want to locate the origin of the trees' seeds and determine the method by which they have been dispersed.

Thanks

Ron Wenrich

In that case, I would lay out grids on the ground.  Use a distance that makes sense.  I would compass and pace every 100-200' and place an interior corner.  It doesn't have to be anything fancy, just some ribbon to denote the spot.  Surveyors have ribbon on a piece of metal that is pretty cheap and can be left in place.  I would also put ribbon along the line so it can be seen from within your plots. 

If ribbons hanging in the woods will be a future problem, use toilet paper for your lines.  It usually falls off after the first good rain.  Ribbon can last for years.

If you cut the property into grids, you can number them.  Then when you locate trees, you can reference them to an interior corner.  You would designate them with a number like 1A001, which would mean that tree is in block 1A.  Your data would include the distance and bearing to some inside corner.  It would also include tree data.  Also, map as you go.

Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

BlaBla

Thanks Ron. That's exactly what I was looking for. Thanks for sticking with me while I clarified myself...

Bro. Noble

One thing you might use to temporarly mark trees is hydrated lime.  You can mix it with water into a paste and brush it on,  but this sometimes lasts for years.  You might put some in an old sock and swat the tree you want to mark.  I buy it at our feed store for fly control on manure pits  (it's the old outhouse lime :D).  Costs about $5.00 for 50 pounds :D
milking and logging and sawing and milking

Ron Wenrich

Glad to be of service.  I did a cruise where I used lumber crayons, but I like that lime idea.  You'll see it a whole lot better.

One thing that might save you a bunch of steps is a 100 or 200' tape.  You should be able to get that from the prof.  Also, a jake staff.  A jake staff is used for a sighting compass.  Use the jake staff for your temporary corner.  Secure your tape to the staff, then measure out to the tree.  It might save some steps.

Check in and let us know how you're progressing.
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

Ron Scott

The "lime in a bag" trick works pretty well for temporary markings
~Ron

BlaBla

I will not be able to use "lime in a bag" in this case because of transporting it and keeping it. However, I like the idea.

I'm interested in the jake staff idea, but I don't understand. How can a stake and one tape work at getting coordinates for length and width? I tried to google it but I came up short.

Right now the plan stands as this. I will break the plot into grids probably 60 paces x 60 paces and mark the corners with yellow tape. I will then mark the bw trees within the grids with orange tape. I will inventory with by mapping on graph paper by length and width, numbering to keep track of diameters. As I document each trees I will take the tape off to determine it as already being measured. This way, the undocumented trees will be easiest to spot. It will be more time-consuming, but I believe more accurate also. Does this sound like it will work?

Thanks
I'll keep you updated.

BlaBla

Today, I finally got the plan that works. I marked off the plots 60x60 with tapes at four corners. I found the corners with a compass, which was very much needed. Then I walked straight lines every 5 paces and documented each tree. I marked each tree with chalk as it was completed, which worked satisfactorily. I probably could have used only walked lines every 10 feet, and I can make my plots bigger. Using a compass regularly, I was within about 5 paces of where I wanted to be everytime, well within my margin of error. I may have more questions later, but it worked well today, in an area very heavily covered with walnuts.

BlaBla

 The inventory is going flawlessly. After learning how to use a cheap mirror compass everything is falling into place nicely. Marking with paces is much more accurate than I thought and I always end up in the correct place. Today I walked lines due east and west and stopped to inventory each tree. I walked lines 10 paces apart and marked trees that I had done with chalk. It should be done fairly quickly. I'll come back and update once I am completely done, or if I have any more questions I may post again sooner.

Thanks for the suggestions and opinions that together made it work for me.

Thank You Sponsors!