FOREST INVENTORY AND ANALYSIS
NATIONAL CORE FIELD GUIDE
VOLUME I: FIELD DATA COLLECTION PROCEDURES FOR PHASE 2 PLOTS
Version 3.0
Northeast Edition
NORTHEASTERN RESEARCH STATION
FOREST SERVICE
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
OCTOBER 2005
National Core Field Guide, Version 3.0
October, 2005
Northeast Edition
“Anyone who establishes a permanent plot should recognize that he or she hereby assumes
responsibility for furnishing workers with a complete picture of conditions on the plot at the time of its
establishment. Not only must each plot be properly marked and all measures be in near perfect order,
but all notes and records must be complete. Otherwise, the plots may fail to yield the desired results and
those who in later years become responsible for their care and for the analysis of the data, may be led to
serious mistakes.”
[U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service 1935.]
Note to User: Hi-lighted text indicates added clarifications, values, or regional variables for the Northeast
inventory. Red text indicate corrections made after print date. All variables are national unless indicated
as follows:
•
•
•
•
All regional variables end in NE (e.g., x.xNE).
National variables with added regional values end in +NE (e.g., x.x+NE)
National variables with a reduced regional field collection width end in -NE (e.g., x.x-NE).
All state specific variables end in NE-XX (e.g., x.xNE-ME)
National or regional variables that have grayed-out text indicate variables that are not applicable in the
Northeast; procedures that are not applied in the field; or the values for these variables will be determined
in the office after data collection.
Text in shaded boxes indicates procedural changes from 2.0 to 3.0, or special instructions that apply to
data collection or data processing.
Please direct questions or comments about this document to:
Kathryn M. Tillman
Forest Inventory and Analysis Unit
USDA Forest Service
11 Campus Blvd., Ste. 200
Newtown Square, PA 19073
(610) 557-4053
kmtillman@fs.fed.us
2
National Core Field Guide, Version 3.0
October, 2005
Northeast Edition
INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................................... 9
FIELD GUIDE LAYOUT .............................................................................................................................. 10
UNITS OF MEASURE................................................................................................................................. 11
0.0
0.1
0.2
0.3NE
0.4NE
GENERAL DESCRIPTION ............................................................................................... 11
PLOT SETUP.................................................................................................................... 13
PLOT INTEGRITY............................................................................................................. 14
PLOT DATA SECURITY ................................................................................................... 14
WILDERNESS AREAS ..................................................................................................... 15
1.0
1.0.1NE
1.0.2NE
1.1
1.1.1NE
1.2
1.3-NE
1.4
1.5
1.6
1.7+NE
1.7.1NE
1.8-NE
1.9
1.10
1.10.1
1.10.2
1.10.3
1.10.4NE
1.10.5NE
1.11
1.12
1.13
1.13.1NE
1.14
1.15
1.15.1NE
1.15.2NE
1.16
1.16.1
1.16.2
1.16.3
1.16.3.1NE
1.16.4
1.16.5
1.16.6
1.16.7
1.16.8
1.16.9
1.16.10
1.16.11
1.16.12
1.16.13
1.16.14
1.16.15-NE
PLOT LEVEL DATA ......................................................................................................... 17
SUB-CYCLE......................................................................................................................17
PANEL............................................................................................................................... 17
STATE............................................................................................................................... 17
UNIT .................................................................................................................................. 18
COUNTY ........................................................................................................................... 18
PLOT NUMBER ................................................................................................................ 18
PLOT STATUS.................................................................................................................. 18
PLOT NONSAMPLED REASON ...................................................................................... 18
SUBPLOTS EXAMINED .................................................................................................. 19
SAMPLE KIND .................................................................................................................. 20
PHASE .............................................................................................................................. 21
PREVIOUS PLOT NUMBER............................................................................................. 21
FIELD GUIDE VERSION .................................................................................................. 21
Current and Previous Date................................................................................................ 21
YEAR................................................................................................................................. 21
MONTH ............................................................................................................................. 22
DAY ................................................................................................................................... 22
PREVIOUS YEAR............................................................................................................. 22
PREVIOUS MONTH ......................................................................................................... 22
DECLINATION (CORE OPTIONAL)................................................................................. 22
HORIZONTAL DISTANCE TO IMPROVED ROAD .......................................................... 23
WATER ON PLOT ............................................................................................................ 23
TERRAIN POSITION ........................................................................................................ 23
QA STATUS......................................................................................................................25
CREW TYPE..................................................................................................................... 25
CRUISER .......................................................................................................................... 25
TALLY ............................................................................................................................... 25
GPS Coordinates .............................................................................................................. 25
GPS Unit Settings, Datum, and COORDINATE SYSTEM ............................................... 25
Collecting Readings .......................................................................................................... 26
GPS UNIT ......................................................................................................................... 26
GPS LOCATION ............................................................................................................... 27
GPS SERIAL NUMBER .................................................................................................... 27
GPS DATUM..................................................................................................................... 27
COORDINATE SYSTEM .................................................................................................. 27
Latitude.............................................................................................................................. 28
Longitude........................................................................................................................... 28
UTM ZONE........................................................................................................................ 29
EASTING (X) UTM............................................................................................................ 29
NORTHING (Y) UTM ........................................................................................................ 29
Correction For "Offset" Location ....................................................................................... 29
AZIMUTH TO PLOT CENTER .......................................................................................... 29
DISTANCE TO PLOT CENTER........................................................................................ 30
GPS ELEVATION ............................................................................................................. 30
3
1.16.16
1.16.16.1NE
1.16.17
1.16.18
1.17
1.18
1.18.1NE
1.18.2NE
National Core Field Guide, Version 3.0
October, 2005
Northeast Edition
GPS ERROR..................................................................................................................... 30
GPS PDOP .......................................................................................................................30
NUMBER OF READINGS................................................................................................. 31
GPS FILENAME (CORE OPTIONAL) .............................................................................. 31
MACROPLOT BREAKPOINT DIAMETER (CORE OPTIONAL) ...................................... 31
PLOT-LEVEL NOTES ....................................................................................................... 31
ONE OR TWO PERSON PLOT ........................................................................................ 31
PLOT SEASON................................................................................................................. 31
2.0
2.1
2.1.1
2.1.2
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.4.1
2.4.2
2.4.3
2.5
2.5.0NE
2.5.1
2.5.2
2.5.3+NE
2.5.4
2.5.5
2.5.6
CONDITION CLASS......................................................................................................... 33
DETERMINATION OF CONDITION CLASS .................................................................... 33
Step 1: Delineate the plot area by CONDITION CLASS STATUS .................................. 33
Step 2: Further subdivide Accessible Forest Land by 7 delineation variables ................ 33
CONDITION CLASS STATUS DEFINITIONS .................................................................. 34
CONDITION CLASS ATTRIBUTES.................................................................................. 37
DELINEATING CONDITION CLASSES DIFFERING IN CONDITION CLASS STATUS: 37
CONDITION CLASS NUMBER......................................................................................... 41
CONDITION CLASS STATUS .......................................................................................... 41
CONDITION NONSAMPLED REASON ........................................................................... 41
DELINEATING CONDITION CLASSES WITHIN ACCESSIBLE FOREST LAND: .......... 42
CURRENT REGIONAL LAND USE CLASS ..................................................................... 47
RESERVED STATUS ....................................................................................................... 47
OWNER GROUP .............................................................................................................. 48
FOREST TYPE ................................................................................................................. 48
STAND SIZE CLASS ........................................................................................................ 48
REGENERATION STATUS .............................................................................................. 50
TREE DENSITY ................................................................................................................ 50
ANCILLARY (NON-DELINEATING) VARIABLES ............................................................ 51
2.5.7
OWNER CLASS................................................................................................................ 51
2.5.8
PRIVATE OWNER INDUSTRIAL STATUS ...................................................................... 52
2.5.9
ARTIFICIAL REGENERATION SPECIES ........................................................................ 52
2.5.10
STAND AGE ..................................................................................................................... 52
2.5.11
DISTURBANCE 1 ............................................................................................................. 54
2.5.12
DISTURBANCE YEAR 1................................................................................................... 55
2.5.13
DISTURBANCE 2 ............................................................................................................. 55
2.5.14
DISTURBANCE YEAR 2................................................................................................... 55
2.5.15
DISTURBANCE 3 ............................................................................................................. 55
2.5.16
DISTURBANCE YEAR 3................................................................................................... 55
2.5.17
TREATMENT 1 ................................................................................................................. 55
2.5.18
TREATMENT YEAR 1 ...................................................................................................... 56
2.5.19
TREATMENT 2 ................................................................................................................. 56
2.5.20
TREATMENT YEAR 2 ...................................................................................................... 56
2.5.21
TREATMENT 3 ................................................................................................................. 56
2.5.22
TREATMENT YEAR 3 ...................................................................................................... 56
2.5.23
PHYSIOGRAPHIC CLASS ............................................................................................... 56
2.5.23.1NE
TIMBER MANAGEMENT CLASS..................................................................................... 58
2.5.23.2NE
STAND HISTORY ............................................................................................................. 59
2.5.23.3NE-ME STAND STRUCTURE....................................................................................................... 60
2.5.23.4NE
STOCKING CLASS........................................................................................................... 60
2.5.24
PRESENT NONFOREST LAND USE .............................................................................. 61
3.0
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.3.1NE
SUBPLOT INFORMATION............................................................................................... 63
SUBPLOT NUMBER......................................................................................................... 63
SUBPLOT STATUS .......................................................................................................... 63
SUBPLOT NONSAMPLED REASON............................................................................... 63
SLOPE CORRECTION ..................................................................................................... 64
4
3.4
3.5
3.6
3.7
3.8
3.8.1NE-ME
3.9
National Core Field Guide, Version 3.0
October, 2005
Northeast Edition
SUBPLOT CENTER CONDITION .................................................................................... 64
MICROPLOT CENTER CONDITION................................................................................ 65
SUBPLOT SLOPE ............................................................................................................ 65
SUBPLOT ASPECT .......................................................................................................... 65
SNOW/WATER DEPTH.................................................................................................... 66
CROWN CLOSURE.......................................................................................................... 66
SUBPLOT CONDITION LIST (CORE OPTIONAL) .......................................................... 66
4.0
4.1
4.2
4.2.1
4.2.2
4.2.3
4.2.4
4.2.5
4.2.6
4.2.7
4.2.8
BOUNDARY REFERENCES............................................................................................ 67
REFERENCE PROCEDURE ............................................................................................ 67
BOUNDARY DATA ........................................................................................................... 69
SUBPLOT NUMBER......................................................................................................... 69
PLOT TYPE ......................................................................................................................69
BOUNDARY CHANGE ..................................................................................................... 69
CONTRASTING CONDITION........................................................................................... 70
LEFT AZIMUTH ................................................................................................................ 70
CORNER AZIMUTH.......................................................................................................... 70
CORNER DISTANCE ....................................................................................................... 70
RIGHT AZIMUTH .............................................................................................................. 70
5.0
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
5.5
5.6
5.7
5.7.1+NE
5.7.2
5.7.3
5.7.4NE
5.8
5.9-NE
5.9.1
5.9.2
5.9.3
5.9.4
5.9.4.1
5.9.4.2
5.10
5.11
5.12
5.12.1NE
5.12.2NE
5.12.3NE
5.12.4NE
5.13
5.14
5.15
5.16+NE
5.16.1NE
5.16.2NE
5.16.3NE
5.16.4NE
5.17
TREE AND SAPLING DATA............................................................................................ 71
SUBPLOT NUMBER......................................................................................................... 72
TREE RECORD NUMBER ............................................................................................... 72
CONDITION CLASS NUMBER......................................................................................... 72
AZIMUTH .......................................................................................................................... 73
HORIZONTAL DISTANCE................................................................................................ 73
PREVIOUS TREE STATUS.............................................................................................. 74
PRESENT TREE STATUS ............................................................................................... 74
RECONCILE ..................................................................................................................... 75
STANDING DEAD............................................................................................................. 76
MORTALITY (CORE OPTIONAL) .................................................................................... 78
TREE HISTORY................................................................................................................ 78
SPECIES........................................................................................................................... 83
DIAMETER........................................................................................................................ 83
PREVIOUS DIAMETER AT BREAST HEIGHT ................................................................ 84
DIAMETER AT BREAST HEIGHT (DBH)......................................................................... 84
PREVIOUS DIAMETER AT ROOT COLLAR ................................................................... 90
DIAMETER AT ROOT COLLAR (DRC)............................................................................ 90
DRC STEM DIAMETER.................................................................................................... 90
DRC STEM STATUS ........................................................................................................ 90
PAST NUMBER OF STEMS............................................................................................. 90
CURRENT NUMBER OF STEMS .................................................................................... 90
DIAMETER CHECK .......................................................................................................... 90
TREE CONDITION ........................................................................................................... 91
TREE GRADE................................................................................................................... 91
SAWLOG LENGTH........................................................................................................... 92
BOLE LENGTH ................................................................................................................. 93
ROTTEN/MISSING CULL ................................................................................................. 94
TOTAL LENGTH ............................................................................................................... 94
ACTUAL LENGTH ............................................................................................................ 94
LENGTH METHOD ........................................................................................................... 95
BOARD-FOOT CULL ........................................................................................................ 95
BOARD-FOOT SOUNDESS ............................................................................................. 96
CUBIC-FOOT CULL.......................................................................................................... 97
CUBIC-FOOT SOUNDESS............................................................................................... 98
CROWN CLASS ............................................................................................................... 98
5
5.18
5.19
5.20
5.21
5.22
5.23
5.23.1NE
5.23.2NE-OH
5.23.3NE
5.23.4NE
5.24
5.25
5.26
5.27+NE
National Core Field Guide, Version 3.0
October, 2005
Northeast Edition
UNCOMPACTED LIVE CROWN RATIO (Phase 3 – CORE)........................................... 99
COMPACTED CROWN RATIO ........................................................................................ 99
Tree Damage (CORE OPTIONAL) ................................................................................. 101
CAUSE OF DEATH......................................................................................................... 101
MORTALITY YEAR (CORE OPTIONAL)........................................................................ 102
DECAY CLASS ............................................................................................................... 102
TREE CLASS.................................................................................................................. 102
MERCHANTABILITY CLASS.......................................................................................... 104
PREVIOUS TREE / MERCHANTABILITY CLASS ......................................................... 104
PREVIOUS REGIONAL LAND USE CLASS .................................................................. 104
LENGTH TO DIAMETER MEASUREMENT POINT (CORE OPTIONAL) ..................... 104
ROUGH CULL (CORE OPTIONAL) ............................................................................... 104
MISTLETOE CLASS (CORE OPTIONAL)...................................................................... 104
TREE NOTES ................................................................................................................. 104
6.0
6.1
6.2
6.3
6.4
6.5NE-ME
6.5.1NE-ME
6.5.2NE-ME
6.5.3NE-ME
6.5.4NE-ME
SEEDLING DATA........................................................................................................... 107
SUBPLOT NUMBER....................................................................................................... 107
SPECIES......................................................................................................................... 107
CONDITION CLASS NUMBER....................................................................................... 107
SEEDLING COUNT ........................................................................................................ 107
SHRUB AND VINE DATA FOR THE MAINE INVENTORY ........................................... 108
SUBPLOT NUMBER....................................................................................................... 108
SHRUB AND VINE SPECIES ......................................................................................... 108
CONDITION CLASS NUMBER....................................................................................... 108
SHRUB COUNT.............................................................................................................. 108
7.0
7.1
7.2
7.2.1-NE
7.2.2
7.2.3-NE
7.2.4
7.2.5
7.2.6
7.2.7
7.2.8
7.2.9
SITE TREE INFORMATION ........................................................................................... 109
SITE TREE SELECTION ................................................................................................ 109
SITE TREE DATA VARIABLES...................................................................................... 109
CONDITION CLASS LIST............................................................................................... 109
SPECIES......................................................................................................................... 110
DIAMETER...................................................................................................................... 110
SITE TREE LENGTH ...................................................................................................... 110
TREE AGE AT DIAMETER............................................................................................. 110
SITE TREE NOTES ........................................................................................................ 110
SUBPLOT NUMBER (CORE OPTIONAL)...................................................................... 110
AZIMUTH (CORE OPTIONAL) ....................................................................................... 110
HORIZONTAL DISTANCE (CORE OPTIONAL)............................................................. 110
NATIONAL APPENDICES ....................................................................................................................... 111
Appendix 1NE. State, Unit, County, Parish or Borough FIPS codes ....................................................... 113
Appendix 2NE. FIA Forest Type Codes................................................................................................... 119
Appendix 3NE. FIA Tree Species Codes................................................................................................. 127
Appendix 4NE. Site Tree Selection Criteria and Species List ................................................................. 137
Appendix 5NE. Determination of Stocking Values for Land Use Classification....................................... 139
Appendix 6NE. Glossary .......................................................................................................................... 151
Appendix 7.
Tolerance / MQO / Value / Units Table .......................................................................... 157
Appendix 8NE. Tree Coding Guide for RECONCILE .............................................................................. 165
REGIONAL APPENDICES....................................................................................................................... 171
Appendix A.
Plot Establishment in the Northeast................................................................................ 173
Appendix B.
Ownership Data .............................................................................................................. 187
Appendix C.
Current Regional Land Use Classes............................................................................... 193
Appendix D.
Tally Procedures in the Northeast................................................................................... 197
Appendix E.
Tables and Charts........................................................................................................... 217
Appendix F.
Shrub and Vine Species Codes for the Maine Inventory ................................................ 229
6
Appendix G.
Appendix H.
National Core Field Guide, Version 3.0
October, 2005
Northeast Edition
Quality Control / Quality Assurance Program in the Northeast....................................... 233
Tally Record Guide ......................................................................................................... 237
The following REGIONAL APPENDICES page numbers are not associated with the main portion of this
field guide. The page number format for these sections will be the appendix letter plus the page number.
Appendix I.
Appendix J.
Appendix K.
Appendix L.
Appendix M.
Special Studies
GPS User’s Guide
PDR User’s Guide
Not in use.
Not in use.
VOLUME II: FIELD DATA COLLECTION PROCEDURES FOR PHASE 3 INDICATORS
If required by the user, these additional sections are included in the field guide. These page numbers are
not associated with the main portion of this field guide. The page number format for these sections will be
the section number plus the page number.
9.0
10.0
11.0
12.0
13.0
14.0
OZONE BIOINDICATOR PLANTS (EAST)
LICHEN COMMUNITIES
SOIL MEASUREMENTS AND SAMPLING
CROWNS: MEASUREMENTS AND SAMPLING
VEGETATION DIVERSITY AND STRUCTURE
DOWN WOODY MATERIALS AND FUELS
+
P3 TREE DAMAGE VARIABLES
7
National Core Field Guide, Version 3.0
October, 2005
Northeast Edition
8