Timber Cruising

[regen-degen]

Hi,

I am a Forester in Montana and I am looking for a template or at least calcs to derive a very basic timber cruise on excel. End state would be a spreadsheet that can derive bd foot volumes from basic plot cruise data. Appreciate any help.

Thanks

[Texas Ranger]

I developed one 30 years ago using a spread sheet, used it for years, have no idea how I did it, and my computer with the data went down the river, literally, when my office flooded.  Wrote it up for even form classes from 70 to 90 for SYP.

Sorry, bud, but you can do it.

[Texas Ranger]

I may be of some help. I have an old computer that may have the spread sheet that used form class volumes from a USDA form class book.  Gotta dig it out. 

[Ron Wenrich]

Are you using point sampling or circular plots?  I probably could help you with the calcs on point sampling. 

We use to have a knowledge base, but it has been removed.  I had a series on there about point sample cruising which included how to crunch the numbers. 

[Jeff]

Its not been removed, it wont run on this server. That was a simple text based database and if I knew what I was looking for, I might be able to retrieve it. I wish I had someone that could get the scripts to run here again.

[MFinity]

Hi,

I am a Forester in Montana and I am looking for a template or at least calcs to derive a very basic timber cruise on excel. End state would be a spreadsheet that can derive bd foot volumes from basic plot cruise data. Appreciate any help.

Thanks

If you're still seeking a solution I'll look thru my archives. Years ago I worked up a spreadsheet that uses data from local volume tables. You would want to type in your own volume tables, a bit tedious but then, if we couldn't stand tedium would we have gotten into forestry?? 

[ID4ster]

See if the Forest Service in your area has volume tables or volume calculation formulas for the species in your area. I did that and then developed my own spreadsheet program that works for variable plot cruises. My program took a bit of time to develop so I don't give it away or sell it. It's strictly proprietary to me. If you get the formulas, you should be able to develop a spreadsheet program fairly easily depending on your expertise with Excell or Quatro pro.

[SwampDonkey]

Can't really offer anything. I've wrote database programs to collect and print cruises with. But they won't help you any for your location. The database program is quite old now (Access 2000 days) and Visual CE was for Windows Mobile which has been discontinued quite awhile ago. I'm not familiar with all the database programs on mobile devices these days, where you can build your own with forms for data entry and sync to a database on your PC. Spreadsheet cruise programs are fine, I've used them to in the early days. There is not really any big demand for cruising these days up here other than permanent sample plots that are remeasured every few years. The forestry associations have pretty much squeezed a lot of people out of opportunities. The cruises are no more reliable, but they want to be in control. You need to be an RPF or CFT to  do management plans on woodlots now, that involves some cruising. Basically, not many plans are getting done these days. Not enough money in it for what they demand and not that big of a market. If you relied on cruising, you'll go hungry, and better have a good tent to live in.   

Rewriting a database or spread sheet makes my head ache these days thinking about it. I'm more content with a GPS and making maps in a GIS. The data is worth a lot more $$ and less effort.