Monitoring Project Design Worksheet
This worksheet provides a template for planning monitoring efforts in coordination with the BLM
Assessment, Inventory, and Monitoring (AIM) strategy. For additional information, see the AIM
SharePoint site (log in with BLM email address and BLM email password). To request assistance in
planning monitoring, contact Emily Kachergis (ekachergis@blm.gov), AIM Terrestrial Implementation
Lead in the BLM National Operations Center.
Background Information
Include impetus for monitoring effort, management history of the study area, planned management
actions in the study area, previous data collection efforts, relevant policy, etc.
Management Goal(s)
Example: Maintain sage grouse habitat over time. During this step, it is helpful to think broadly across
different programs, jurisdictions, etc. to identify the desired conditions in the landscape of interest.
Monitoring Objectives(s)
Objectives provide a means of evaluating whether or not the goal is achieved. What relevant indicators
will you measure? What level of those indicators (e.g., from past monitoring, reference conditions,
published literature) are consistent with achieving or not achieving the goal? What is the area of
interest, and over what time period? What is the desired level of confidence in the indicator estimate?
Objectives should be as specific as possible to enable effective adaptive management.
Aquatic
Example: Maintain salinity at or below 700 mg/L in 90% of perennial wadeable stream miles in
the planning area with 80% confidence each year.
Remote Sensing
Example: Maintain at least 70% coverage of sagebrush patches 10 acres or larger across the
sage grouse habitat area with 80% confidence over 5 years.
Terrestrial
Example: Achieve at least 60 percent foliar cover in sage grouse habitat area over 5 years with
80% confidence.
Monitoring Objectives for Current Year (if different from previous years)
Ecosystem Attributes and Indicators
Include a table of indicators to monitor and describe how these indicators will assist in evaluating
monitoring objectives.
Indicator
Terrestrial
Bare ground
Monitoring Objective
Scale
e.g., project, regional,
and/or landscape
Vegetation Composition
Vegetation height
Non-native species
Canopy gaps
Plant species of
management concern
Aquatic
Remote Sensing
Other
Other
Sample Design
Analysis and Sample Units
Include:


Description of the landscape unit being used for stratification (e.g., ecological site,
management unit or history, remote sensing classification)
The source of the product being used for stratification (e.g., NRCS, Landsat product)
Stratification
List strata here (e.g., Loamy Foothills Ecological Site, White River Field Office, NDVI Trend Stable)
Approach
Describe statistical sampling approach here, including tools and inputs used (e.g., ArcGIS Create
Spatially Balanced Tool), inclusion probabilities, primary points and back-ups.
Sample size estimation
Describe target sample size per stratum and cite sources if appropriate.
Implementation Rules
Rejection Criteria
Office and field rejection criteria should follow the BLM AIM Rejection Criteria Rules (see AIM
SharePoint – Implementation folder – Design subfolder -- Rejection Criteria). All points should
be visited in order within each stratum.
Plot Visitation Order
To preserve the probabilistic sample design, all plots should be visited in order within a stratum.
If a primary point is rejected (see above) , then back up point(s) are visited in order.
Data Collection Methods
Aquatic
Remote Sensing
Terrestrial
See the Monitoring Manual for Grassland, Shrubland and Savannah Ecosystems, Volume I
(Herrick et al. in revision) for the AIM terrestrial monitoring protocols. A revised version is
available on the AIM SharePoint site – Implementation folder – Data Collection subfolder –
Monitoring Manual).
Additional references for protocols include Volume II of the Monitoring Manual for Grassland,
Shrubland, and Savannah Ecosystems (Herrick et al. in revision), the Forest Service Forest
Inventory and Analysis methodology, and Measuring and Monitoring Plant Populations (Elzinga
et al. 1998).
Method
Terrestrial
Line-point
intercept
Vegetation
height
Canopy gap
intercept
Species
inventory
Supplemental
method
Aquatic
Remote Sensing
Indicator
Bare ground
Vegetation
Composition
Non-native
species
Vegetation
height
Canopy gaps
Plant species
of
management
concern
Supplemental
indicator
Reference
Monitoring Manual for Grassland, Shrubland, and Savanna
Ecosystems, Volume I
Citation
Data Management Plan
Include data collection device (e.g., DIMA), QA and QC plans, short term and long term storage plan, and
any other metadata information not included above. Generic guidance is available in the Monitoring
Manual for Grassland, Shrubland and Savannah Ecosystems, Volume I (Herrick et al. in revision). For
specific considerations, the BLM National Operations Center can also provide advice (contact:
slamagna@blm.gov).
Data Analysis Plan
Include anticipated analyses to determine if monitoring objectives are met, including who will be
performing these analyses. Note that some analysis tools are available on the AIM SharePoint site –
Implementation folder – Analysis and Reporting subfolder.
Reporting Plan
Describe documents in which the data will be reported.
Timeline
Describe the anticipated timeline of trainings, sample design, data collection, data management,
analysis and reporting.
Appendix A. Sample Point Shapefile Attributes
Include inclusion probabilities from sample design, Plot ID (must be retained throughout project, should
include stratum identifier and random number from sample design, e.g. Loamy Hills 3)
Appendix B. Sample Area Shapefile Attributes
Include sample strata.