2409.12_60
Page 1 of 4
FOREST SERVICE HANDBOOK
NORTHERN REGION (REGION 1)
MISSOULA, MT
FSH 2409.12 – TIMBER CRUISING HANDBOOK
CHAPTER 60 – QUALITY CONTROL
Supplement No.: 2409.12-2010-3
Effective Date: September 10, 2010
Duration: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
Approved: LESLIE A. C. WELDON
Regional Forester
Date Approved: 09/10/2010
Posting Instructions: Supplements are numbered consecutively by Handbook number and
calendar year. Post by document; remove entire document and replace it with this supplement.
Retain this transmittal as the first page(s) of this document. The last supplement to this
Handbook was 2409.12-2010-2 to chapter 30.
New Document(s):
2409.12_60
4 Pages
Superseded Document(s) by
Issuance Number and
Effective Date
Digest:
2409.12_60 (Supplement 2409.12-2009-2,
08/17/2009)
4 Pages
61.1 - Adds the sequence that will be taken for an employee to receive timber cruiser
certification at the Qualified level.
R1 SUPPLEMENT 2409.12-2010-3
EFFECTIVE DATE: 09/10/2010
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
2409.12_60
Page 2 of 4
FSH 2409.12 – TIMBER CRUISING HANDBOOK
CHAPTER 60 – QUALITY CONTROL
60.4 – Responsibility
Cruise assistants may be used to help in the collection of cruise data, only after completing the
classroom course and successfully obtaining a passing score on a regionally approved written
examination for qualified cruiser certification.
Once obtaining a passing score on the written examination, the cruise assistant will hold this
designation as a cruise assistant for only 12 consecutive months in order to obtain the necessary
practical timber cruising field experience (under the direct on-site personal supervision of a
certified cruiser) when collecting cruise data.
At the completion of this 12 month period, the cruise assistant must complete and obtain a
passing score on a Regionally approved field test conducted on a Regionally approved test area
for qualified cruiser certification.
The topics tested shall include species, measurements, defects and grading information
representative of what the cruiser would normally encounter.
The Regional Forester has overall responsibility for establishing and maintaining a quality
control program for timber cruising in the Region. The quality control program will include
training of timber cruisers, certification of timber cruisers at all certification levels and check
cruising.
Forest Supervisors in the Region can certify timber cruisers at the following certification levels:
Qualified, Advanced and Check.
61.1 - Qualified Cruiser
The following is the sequence for an employee to be certified as a timber cruiser at the Qualified
level:
Step 1. The employee must attend formal classroom training and take and receive a passing score
on the written examination. The minimum passing score for the Qualified Cruiser written
examination is 80 percent. Attending this formal training and receiving a passing score on the
written examination are the prerequisites in order to take the field examination for cruiser
certification.
Step 2. The employee must take the field examination and receive a passing score within 12
consecutive months of receiving a passing score on the written examination.
R1 SUPPLEMENT 2409.12-2010-3
EFFECTIVE DATE: 09/10/2010
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
2409.12_60
Page 3 of 4
FSH 2409.12 – TIMBER CRUISING HANDBOOK
CHAPTER 60 – QUALITY CONTROL
61.2 - Advanced Cruiser
The minimum passing score for the written Advanced Cruiser examination is 80 percent.
62 - INSPECTING INDIVIDUAL CRUISER PERFORMANCE
Complete a written evaluation for each timber sale and timber cruiser inspected. Include a
written evaluation summary in the appropriate sale folder, and forward a copy to the Regional
Office.
62.1 - Qualified Cruiser
Standards and elements for field measurement evaluation are shown in exhibit 01.
62.1 - Exhibit 01
Field Measurement Evaluation
Check Cruise
Element
In/out Trees
Species
d.b.h.
Tolerance
or
Weight
Tolerance
Weight
Tolerance
Weight
Tolerance
Weight
Height
<= 100 Feet
Tolerance
Weight
Height
> 100 Feet
Tolerance
Weight
Defect
Clear Face
Tolerance
Weight
Tolerance
Weight
Tolerance
Weight
Tolerance
3rd-Par. Volume
Tolerance
Height to First Live
Limb
Product
Region
1
None
5
None
5
+ .2 inches
or
3%
Whichever >
1
4 feet
or
7%
Whichever >
1
7%
1
+
10 %
1
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
2
None
5
None
5
+ 0.2 Inches
1
3
None
5
None
5
+ 0.2 Inches
1
4
None
5
None
5
+ 0.2 Inches
1
4 feet
1
4 feet
1
4 feet
1
4 feet + 1
per 25’ > 100’
1
+ 10 %
1
N/A
N/A
None
3
N/A
4 feet + 1
per 25’ > 100’
1
+ 10 %
1
3 Feet
1
N/A
N/A
10%
4 feet + 1
per 25’ > 100’
1
+ 10 %
1
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
20%
5% Gross
N/A
N/A
R1 SUPPLEMENT 2409.12-2010-3
EFFECTIVE DATE: 09/10/2010
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
2409.12_60
Page 4 of 4
FSH 2409.12 – TIMBER CRUISING HANDBOOK
CHAPTER 60 – QUALITY CONTROL
63 - INSPECTING SALES
63.2 – Sale Inspection Frequency
As a minimum, conduct sale cruise inspections at the following target frequencies. Perform
office checks on all sales. Office checks ensure that the cruise was performed according to
direction in this Handbook. Perform field measurement checks with the following frequencies
and use a random draw to determine each sale in the sample to be checked:
Sale Size
> $10,000 and  2000 CCF
 2000 CCF
Scaled Sales
Tree Measurement Sales
Not applicable
1:4 (25 %)
1:10 (10 %)
1:1 (100 %)
Those Forests that cruise less than four timber sales per year will have a minimum of one timber
sale  2000 CCF in size, check cruised for scaled sales. Those timber sales that are tree
measurement sales will be check cruised to the sale inspection frequency shown above.