The following fields are “Nationally required” regardless of the examination level. Each Region may specify additional “regionally required” fields. Required fields are designated with an asterisk (*) on the PC client forms. Required Setting fields: Project Name Region Proclaimed Forest Service District Location Stand Number Owner Date Exam Level Precision Protocol Required Design fields: Selection Method Expansion Factor Selection Criteria Number Required Plot Plot Number The fields noted in Table 1 are Required on the Tree Form, depending on the examination level. 1: Tree form fields Field Plot Extensive Plot Intensive Plot Tag Number No Yes Yes Tree Status Yes Yes Yes Site/GST Tree No No Yes Tree Count Yes Yes Yes Tree Species Yes Yes Yes DBH/DRC DBH for trees > 4.5 feet tall DBH for trees > 4.5 feet tall DBH for trees > 4.5 feet tall Height Trees < 4.5 feet tall Trees < 4.5 feet tall < 4.5 feet tall Height to Crown No No No REQUIRED
CI Compartment Inventory CP Control Plot – clusters for Permanent Growth Plots FI Forest Inventory – standard, statistically FF Fire and Fuels FL Fuels Survey ID Insect & Disease Exams – verify types and severity of infestation as an aid in determining treatment needs IM Inventory and Monitoring – base stand exam KW Kirtland Warbler – exams to identify habitat for the endangered Kirtland warbler LI – Lidar exams LP Line Plots – used in Permanent Growth Studies; for example, Bergenhier plots MC Marking Check – used to check marking guidelines OG Old Growth – to aid in identifying areas that may contain elements of old growth PI Plantation Survey QS Plot Stand Exam RA Riparian Areas – used for riparian surveys RE Regeneration/Stocking – surveys to determine stocking of individual area and for certification of regeneration RP Resource Specialty – resource specified purposes RR Permanent Root Rot – cluster plots RS Research Exams – specific research projects SE Stand Exam – determine stand composition; this code indicates a “complete” stand examination; this code cannot be used if species or damages are excluded from the sample, or are only included in the sample SO Spotted Owl
Tag ID Yes Yes Yes Tree Status Yes Yes Yes Tree Class No No No Site/GST Tree No No Yes Tree Species Yes Yes Yes Tree Count Yes Yes Yes Diameter (DBH/DRC) DBH for trees > 4.5 feet tall DBH for trees > 4.5 feet tall DBH for trees > 4.5 feet tall Tree Height Trees < 4.5 feet tall Trees < 4.5 feet tall Trees < 4.5 feet tall Height to No No No Radial Growth No No GST only Radial Growth 2 No No No Height Growth No No GST only Age No No GST/site only Crown Ratio No No Live only Crown Class No No No Crown Width No No No Damage Category No Yes Yes Damage No No Yes Damage Part No No No Damage Severity No Yes Yes Wildlife Use No No No Log/Snag Decay No If Dead/Down is taken If Dead/Down is taken Cone Serotiny No No No Number of DRC only DRC only DRC only
UA Y Commercial Expected to die within next 10 years Not accumulating net volume growth; deteriorating more rapidly than growing If relieved of competition, it would not release and accumulate net merchantable volume Has a severe rating for any damaging Does or will meet minimum merchantability standards RF Y for sawlog yields Smaller than the minimum size for sawlog merchantability Presently does not contain a merchantable live sawlog Not expected to yield any sawlog products because of severe damage other than rot Principle defects are physical defects, including trees culled for multiple forks RN Rotten Y Any Presently does not contain a merchantable live sawlog Smaller than the minimum size for sawlog merchantability Principle defect is rot Not expected to yield any sawlog products because of severe damage by rot SV Salvable dead N Any Contains at one merchantable sawlog At least 25% sound US dead N Does not contain at least one merchantable sawlog Less than 25% sound
Radius of wood – core length 18 – 16 = 2 Number of rings (innermost inch) 5 Product (of #5 and #6 above) 2 x 5 = 10 Number of rings on core + 10 (7) 200 + 10 = 210 tree age Age Measurements for Trees < 3 inches DBH For trees less than 3.0 inches DBH, total tree age may be determined by counting branch whorls that represent annual height increments, by severing the tree at the root collar and counting annual rings, or by taking an increment boring at the root collar. Counting Branch Whorls Counting branch whorls to determine tree age should only be done on western white pine or other species where the distinction between annual branch whorls and false branch whorls can be clearly recognized. False branch whorls are recognized as whorls that have shorter branches and never have budscale scars at the node. The presence of budscale scars guarantees that the branch whorl represents an annual growth increment, but as a tree ages, budscale scars become masked by bark development. Western red cedar does not have budscale scars and false whorls are common, so counting branch whorls is never appropriate for cedar. Figure : Counting branch whorls Cutting Tree at Root Collar to Count Annual Rings Sample trees can be severed at the root collar in order to count annual rings. The root collar is the transition zone between the stem and the root and is recognized by the presence of a slight swelling. Figure : Cut tree at root collar Increment Boring at Root Collar
Microscopic soil surface algae and fungi are difficult to evaluate. Hence, total vegetation cover does not typically include non-vascular plants. If you plan to enter values for the optional fields of “total fungus,” “total algae,” and “total non-vascular” plant cover, consult with your local ecologist for guidelines on collecting this data. For the tree and shrub lifeforms, canopy cover is recorded by lifeform and by defined layers within those lifeforms. The canopy cover of these layers describes the horizontal structure of a setting in more detail. Predominant height is optional, and is used to describe the vertical structure. The optional tree diameters by layer can be used to further describe horizontal structure. On this form, cover percent is always taken to the nearest 1%. Figure : Example of Form 1, by Lifeform 100: Required and optional fields in Form 1, total cover and total by lifeform Life Form Layer Layer Code Canopy Cover (%) Live / Dead Predom. Height Predom. DBH or DRC Data Remarks ??? Total Vegetation TV Required Required Not allowed Not allowed Optional Optional Tree ??? TOT Required Required Optional Not allowed Optional Optional Trees ≥ 6.1’ TOV TOV Required Required Optional Optional Optional Optional Trees ≤ 6.0’ TSA TSA Required Required Optional Optional Optional Optional Total Shrub TOS Required Required Optional Not allowed Optional Optional Shrubs ≥ 6.1’ ST Required Required Optional Not allowed Optional Optional Shrubs 1.6 – 6.0’ SM Required Required Optional Not allowed Optional Optional Shrubs < 1.6’ SL Required Required Optional Not allowed Optional Optional Total Forbs TOF Required Required Not allowed Not allowed Optional Optional
Total TOG Required Required Not allowed Not allowed Optional Optional Herbs TOH Optional Required Not allowed Not allowed Optional Optional Total Algae TAL Optional L* Not allowed Not allowed Optional Optional Total Lichen TLC Optional L* Not allowed Not allowed Optional Optional Total Fungus TFU Optional L* Not allowed Not allowed Optional Optional Total Woody Liana TLI Optional L* Not allowed Not allowed Optional Optional Total Wood Subshrub TSS Optional L* Not allowed Not allowed Optional Optional Total Vine TVI Optional L* Not allowed Not allowed Optional Optional Total Plant TNP Optional L* Not allowed Not allowed Optional Optional Unknown TUN Optional L* Not allowed Not allowed Optional Optional L*: Autofiled as Live; Dead is not allowed for lifeforms Form 2: Cover by Species and Layer This form is required by exam levels 2-4. It describes the distribution of each tree and shrub species within the layers. It can be used to describe the species composition and diversity. It also provides the means to estimate habitat, biomass, forage availability, and forest ecosystem health. Cover of each tree species by layer can also be used for floristic analysis. The ages of each species within each layer can be used to describe seral tree species and successional pathways. Differences in seral trees and successional sequence may also be used to distinguish (classify) ecological types. If an unbiased sample (not just growth sample and site trees) of trees have heights and ages collected on the tree form, the predominant height and predominant age does not need to be collected on this form. Only species that have a canopy cover above the minimum canopy cover percent recorded in the Sample Design Form, and species occurring on a list (or Exam Levels 2 or 4) are recorded on this form.