Silviculture Surveys

Silviculture Surveys
- "Life of a cutblock" & milestones
  - milestone* = sig. achievement (marker) in a process (journey)
  - pre-harvest SP
    - ecology
    - critical site factors
    - stocking standards (spp., number of stems, etc.)
  - log
  - post harvest survey (plantability/ site prep)
  - plant (quality)
  - regen delay*
  - stocking / brushing
  - free growing*
    - not free to grow (FTG)
  - pre-stand tending (prior to JS)
- Silviculture Surveys
  - what is a silv survey
    - "how you doin'?
    - said the surveyor to the stand
    - "examination" of a block to determine "how it's doin'" relative to the SP (stocking stds)
  - why?
    - you have to! ... it's the law
    - to create a "label" for reporting milestones
    - status of stand vs. prescription
    - need for treatments?
  - when
    - time since harvest
      - before milestones (regen & FG)
        
        but with enough time to act if needed
      - any time for stocking/brushing
    - time of year
      - regen ... best "without leaves"
      - FG ... best "with leaves"
  - types
    - (plantability/ site prep.)
    - regen delay
    - stocking
    - free growing
    - pre-stand tending
    - green-up
- Terms
  - cutblock
    - NAR
      - SU's
    - NP
      - NP nat.
      - NP road
    - Reserves
      - WTP
      - Riparian
  - stocking status
    - NSR
    - SR
    - FG
      - FG tree
      - FG stand
    - (NFG) - not really a status
  - "SP's"
    - contains the standards for stocking status
    - documents
      - PHSP
      - SP - silv prescr. ... FDP
      - SP - site plan ... FSP
  - Stocking Standards
    - preferred / acceptable species
    - TSS (e.g. 900 sph)
    - MSS
      - MSSpa (e.g. 500 sph)
      - MSSp (e.g. 400 sph)
    - MITD min. inter-tree distance (e.g. 2.0 m) = well spaced
    - regen delay (e.g. 3 or 6 yrs)
    - free grow dates
      - EFG & LFG
      - now ... 20 yr
    - FG heights (e.g. Fd-3.0m)
    - brush ratio (125 or 150%)
    - max density (10,000 sph)
  - a bunch more
    - SU vs TU
    - advance regen ... natural regen
    - basic silv. ... incremental silv
    - commencement date
    - forest health factor
    - no-work zone
    - plantable ... preparable (site prep)
    - RESULTS (Reporting Silv. Updates & Land status System)
    - stratification ... stratum (strata)
    - walk-thru' (drive thru' ... I'll have a bacon burger & large fries please)
- Fixed Area Sampling
  - SU - "basic unit" but may stratify
    - stocking status
    - forest cover (inventory)
      - 30+% in leading spp
        
        Fd8Cw2
        
        Fd5Cw5
      - change in lead spp
        
        Fd6Cw4
        
        Cw6Fd4
      - max density
      - SI change 3+m
      - CC change 10+%
      - others
    - treatment
    - forest health
  - well spaced trees of primary interest (MITD)
  - plots (circular)
    - 3.99 (1.26, 2.52, 5.64)
    - plot multiplier
      - to convert to /ha
      - 3.99m radius
        
        50 m2
        
        10,000 m2 / 50 m2
        
        plot multiplier = 200
        
        thus 3 trees in a plot equates to 600 trees / ha
  - M-value (TSS / plot mult.) ... for TSS = 1,000sph?
    - for 900sph?
  - plot intensity
    - it depends (more later)
  - stats
    - determine the average
    - sampling error (conf. limits)
    - use either LCL or mean ... it depends
  - each stratum is independent
- Survey Procedure
  - Manual
  - Reference Cards
  - Fillable card
  - Office Review
    - RESULTS
    - SP - stocking stds
    - history of treatments
    - maps/ photos
  - "walk-thru" = Recce
    - drive thru/ walk thru
    - stratify?
      - stocking - status, lead spp., SI, CC, max density
      - min. size
        
        NP 1/4 ha (>20m wide)
        
        SU - 1 ha (i.e. patches of NSR or NFG)
        
        also 20m wide
        
        20m dist. from other NSR
    - sample objectives
      - i.e. supose to be FG but it's questionable
        
        do both WS & FG
    - sample intensity
      - if block status obvious ...
      - if block status uncertain ...
  - Collect the data
    - plot layout
      - grid
      - vector
      - "representative"
      - visual
    - plot intensity
      - minimum of 5
      - max. 1.5 / ha
      - often (mindless) 1 plot / ha
      - rule of thumb ... no more than 40 plots
      - intensity ~ variability & certainty
    - data (plot card)
      - plot
      - stratum
      - layer
      - total trees
      - total conifers
      - (countable conifers)
      - (count. ht.)
      - WS tree species tally
      - total ws (remember M)
      - age
      - ht (m)
      - plantable
      - preparable
      - competing veg (spp., % cover, ht)
      - forest health
      - inventory label
  - Summarize the Data
    - determine stocking
      - calc. the mean
      - calc. stats
        
        s (std dev.)
        
        sx (std error)
        
        t (@90%)
        
        CI (conf. interval) a.k.a. sampling error
        
        LCL
      - decision
        
        LCL > MSS ... then SR
        
        X (mean) < MSS ... then NSR
        
        use mean to determine stocking IF
        
        if precise (CI<100* sph)
        
        if max plots done (1.5*ha)
        
        MSS is btwn LCL & mean AND CI>100*sph
        
        calc no. of plots needed
        
        do extra plots (up to 1.5/ha)
        
        then decide
        
        if max plots use mean
        
        otherwise, as described
    - fill-in FS 659 Summary card
    - create map & report ...
      - map with SU/strata bdies & plots
      - status & labels
      - history
      - critical factors
  - Submit labels/status to RESULTS